Rotorua
Trip Start
Sep 03, 2007
1
122
220
Trip End
Jun 17, 2009
Rotorua,
North Island,
New Zealand
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
So we moved on, over the Whakatane river bridge heading south west and inland. We passed rolling hills and a few forests which were now steadily turning into more autumn colours. Near 'Kawerau' we passed an enormous timber processing plant, which had a railway yard containing hundreds of wagons and what must have been thousands of tons of logs. An amazing sight.
Entering the major thermal district of 'Rotorua', we started seeing more clouds of thermal steam and after passing by several big lakes we eventually reached the town of Rotorua
The Buried Village
. It was late morning and we skirted the town to have a look at the area.South east of the town we ran through the 'Waitoharuru Valley' and arrived at the "Buried Village" of 'Te Wairoa'. This small village was destroyed by an eruption of 'Mount Tarawera' in 1886, when ash and debris from the volcano fell on and covered most of the village, killing 120 people and also destroying the nearby, unique, coloured silica terraces which were world famous.
We walked round the village site and looked at the few restored remains which have been excavated. It is likened to a smaller version of Pompei. The grounds included a trout stream where brown and rainbow trout were swimming around and a 30 metre waterfall, the 'Wairere Falls'. The village site was overlooking a heavily forested 'Waitoharuru Valley'. An interesting visit.
We returned to the touristy Rotorua town and at the information centre booked a "Maori Experience" for the following night. At the other end of town we easily found a motel and booked in for a couple of nights. The whole area reeked with the smell of the sulphur derived 'bad eggs'.
Wairere Falls
Distance driven 147 Km 92 miles
Wednesday 21st May
Rotorua is the main geothermal area of New Zealand and because of the hot springs is a major original Maori settlement. Consequently there are unlimited Maori sites, hot springs, etc. as well as the NZ activities of bungee, sky diving, and so on.
We wanted to see traditional Maori culture in as little of a 'stage managed' form as we could and so decided to visit the actual Maori village of 'Te Whakarewarewa'. The Maoris pronounce any word beginning in 'wh' as if it were a strong 'F', which makes for some interesting pronunciation.
The village is on its original site but now has modern housing whilst still using thermal baths and the option of boiling springs for cooking. The village meeting house or "marae' was off limits, as a villager had died the previous night and was laid out in the marae for the village to pay their respects. The forthcoming burial would take place in the nearby cemetery, where all the dead are placed above ground and a tomb built over them.
There were steam vents spouting all over the village and big pools of seriously boiling water. As we looked at the thermal baths, which are channelled from one of these pools, we were invited to sit on the concreted ground nearby. I only lasted a couple of minutes before I had to get up, as my bum was burning from the ground heat
Waitoharuru Valley
!We walked round the village and looked at a nearby geyser eruption, which built up pressure and blew off every half an hour. It seems there used to be about 35 geysers with some of them erupting 60 metres into the air. Now, because many hotels and houses have tapped into the thermal layer for heating and water, there are only five left and they are not as high. Maybe in time they will be gone altogether, which will be quite sad.
Further round the walk were steaming pools and small bubbling mud holes, all of which were quite intriguing but also seemed to be gradually diminishing.
For the evening we had chosen a Maori Experience at the "Mitai Maori Village'. This was to be a display of Maori culture and singing in an authentic (reconstructed) village, followed by a 'hangi', a meal cooked on heated rocks in the ground.
The display started by a Maori waka (war canoe) being paddled up a stream, in the dark, by warriors and was very impressive. We moved into the village (building) which was well set up and the evening of song and dance was interesting and enjoyable
Te Whakarewarewa
.The main dinner, although served buffet style, was delicious, with the chicken, lamb and vegetables cooked perfectly. We finished off with a big cream trifle for dessert, which I don't think the Maoris laid claim to!
After dinner we went on a night walk through a conservation park, where the highlight was the kiwi house. It took a couple of passes but finally we did get to see a kiwi walking around and feeding in the gloom. A very enjoyable evening.
Thursday 22nd May
To show people more of the agricultural side of New Zealand, a sheep farmer had set up a visitor centre called the 'Agrodome'. This was in the middle of a big, working sheep and cattle farm and was a large building with seats and a stage. The 'show' was based on several different breeds of sheep, all on a display 'Pyramid'. The stockman explained the origins of the different breeds and their qualities. He then brought in the dogs which worked the sheep and showed how they were controlled. A sheep shearing demonstration and the feeding of lambs followed before the show finished with a sheepdog 'trial' of a collie type sheepdog working sheep in a field
Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Pool
. Very interesting. There was also the option of a tour round the rest of the farm which we decided not to go on. Down the road from the agrodome was an activity centre called the 'zorb', in which participants were strapped inside a ten foot diameter plastic dome and then rolled down a hill, tumbling head over heels. Alternative they could have water added to the inner ball and slosh and slide down a twisty sloped course. I did look at this and then decided that my brain was probably scrambled enough, so I declined!
On the way back into town we visited the 'Government Gardens', a big park near the shores of Lake Rotorua. Here we admired the impressive museum building, although we passed on the museum.
Just back on the outskirts of town was an open park which had many thermal vents, mud holes and large steaming pools. We walked round here looking at this display of geothermal power, particularly the bubbling mud holes which mesmerized me with their gloops and schlooses, as well as the opportunity to invent your own words!! I was now well satisfied that I had seen plenty of this amazing area.
We returned back to the motel and I did some internet catchup. This involved the devastating news that a good friend of many years had died of cancer.
