Rotorua Revisited

Return to Rotorua

We first visited Rotorua in August 2003. Sally had been in NZ for about a year and we were making our first visit. In fact it was not only our first visit and not only our first international flight, but it was our first ever flight. Joni and Joseph travelled with us and joined us for our first international stopover in Kuala Lumpur. This was a stopover in the first luxury hotel that we had ever used and I remember both boys sleeping like babies the minute they put their heads on the hotel bed pillows.

The four of us were treated to an extensive exploration of North Island, taking in the far north of Cape Reinga down to Rotorua were each time we had two cars and stayed in classy motels.

The Rotorua motel was pretty much in the town and we were aware of the sulphurous smells/stench all around, but we did have the luxury of our own hot tub. We were keen to visit the geysers and similar features. Which mum and I did, while the boys were keen to do Zorbing and other activities.

Wherever you looked steam was in evidence. Wherever there was a hole, either natural or manmade, up came the steam. The golf course was perpetually under a mist. At one point I left the path to explore the fumaroles and was suddenly aware that Sally and Irene were waving furiously at me. Had we approached the area from the opposite direction to which we had we would have seen a notice saying that it was dangerous to leave the path. It was then that I had the revelation that we were in a potentially life threatening area. Not too far below us the Pacific plate was slowly slipping below the Australasian plate and that huge forces were at work and there were temperatures that melt rock. To the east is an active volcano on White Island and to the south is the active volcanoes in Tongariro National Park.

We learned that some wildlife had discovered the hazards to their cost. Some water birds did not have web feet. This was not an evolutionary trait. The highly acidic water of part of Lake Rotorua had rotted the webbing.

This adventure also introduced us to the Maori culture which took the form of a show in a whare. We have also encountered Maoris in Auckland Museum and in Queenstown. 

The day before setting off was something of an in day. Emily was able to go to Kindy in the morning. It is a great facility and much enjoyed by the young one. Zoe was still at a sleep over which meant Irene and me lunching while Sally and Emily went off to fetch Zoe; returning with her friend for a swim. While this was going on I had my first significant drive to Sylvia Park Mall for one or two bits. The exchange rate is really adding to the value. Like every supermarket, everywhere we found the special offers anomaly. A pack of four Bundaberg ginger beers was cheaper than a ten pack.

This morning we are preparing for the journey. I have been to Ian's office and bought his car back. I will collect him after work when the men will make the journey. Sometime soon, this morning the four ladies of differing ages will make their more leisurely way to a bach on the side of a lake near the town. (A bach is accommodation used for weekends and holidays. The owners rent them out in the same way as they may rent out caravans in the UK. They are no longer the homes built as tin sheds on the hill side, although some still exist. Planning regulations are getting tighter. There will even be more tightening up after 1st March, and I suspect that this is due to the Canterbury earthquake. I read Emily's child minders instructions which said that the home must have an adequate earthquake plan.)

I have just read the instructions about the bach. They include the precise location of the key in a marmalade jar, where to gut fish on a table outside, how to turn a multi-axle trailer and which boat launch area to use in bad weather. We are also to be careful with the use of water as the only supply is that collected from the roof. Sounds like we have a lot of fun in store.