July 18th
Trip Start
Jun 27, 2008
1
20
33
Trip End
Aug 30, 2008
Taupo,
North Island,
New Zealand
Saturday, August 9, 2008
We packed up last night and awoke early in the morning because we needed to be out of the the villa by 9:30 am. I helped pack the car and fixed up a lunch for mother and I. I had packed my baithing suit into my back pack in hopes that we would be able to go Zorbing today. We left the area and headed for the burried village.
The burried village was very interesting, I got a discounted rate because I was a student. We spent a while looking around in the girf shop, they had key chains (but they were too expencive) and necklaces, hand lotion, hand bags, volcanic rocks and other such things. We learned that if we waited untill 11 we could have a guide through the musium. Hew as a maori guide who spoke both english and maori, english being his first language. He was very hospitable and friendly. We learned a lot about the maori people back when the french sent settelers over to New Zealand. They had much the same problems as our native people, boos and tabaco addictions strated and there was much trading of clothing and herbs for metal and silverware.
We ate lunch out on the balcony and watched the birds flitter about. I had my first panini. It was filled with a strange sweet relish, something like relish made with picles, tomato, lettuce, bree, pinaple and ham. After lunch we went back through the musium and read more about the Vulcano that burried many maori villages and then when out and explored the self guided tour around the buried village. It was lots of fun and the path was beautiful. Lovely fresh vegitation lined the paths that led to the different reconstructed buildings.
There was a trout stream with big fat trout. We also got to look at a big steep waterfall. We did not however get to see the great valcano from the lookout for it was too steamy. After this we went to the Zorb station and I was finally able to Zorb though I don't know if it was worth it. It costs 49$ 5,49 of which are taxes for one run down a hill in a hunman hamster ball! It was fun and it was a once in a lifetime opertunity so I do not regret it, but the price is a little steep!
We did make it to Taupo, we are staying in a little hotel called Ikanui that is right on the lake front. We ate dinner at a restaurant called the Crooked Door. I ordered chicken curry while mom had the fish of the day. They were really nice meals, but a little expencive.
HugZ
Sabine NG
