Rotorua - More than the smell of sulphur

7th January 2013

One of my day trips was spent in Rotorua, which is around one hour away from Taupo. It was easy to book my bus with Naked Bus, and only cost about £10.

Upon arrival in Rotorua, the smell of sulphur penetrates the nostrils. It is quite pungent, but you get used to it right away. I ventured over to the i-site (tourist info) and booked Te Puia, for me to learn more about the Maori culture. There seemed to be no shuttle bus, so I decided to get on a local bus which toured around the suburbs. Was nice to see more of the city the way the locals would.

Dropped off just outside the centre, the heat of the sun was immense. I had to wear my sun hat to avoid being burned! Scottish skin is not used to the sun so much :)

The outside had a range of tiki statues and there was a fantastic metal structure in the entrance.

I met my tour group, and we were welcomed in a special ceremony where the men performed war moves. We were asked to respect the Maori ways and not laugh at anything. This included taking off our shoes, hats and sunglasses when we entered the meeting house, known as the marae. The Chinese tourists in my group didn't seem to understand, but I thought perhaps this was a clash of cultures.

  Inside, the carvings were beautifully crafted into the most mystical shapes. We watched a show were the famous Haka was performed and some lovely songs. My favourite part when I watch New Zealand play rugby is when they perform the Haka. This one was a bit put on for the tourists, and I felt uncomfortable at times as the actors didn't look like they were enjoying it much. It was terrifying to watch though and I definitely didn't laugh once.

We were then split up into different groups and I ended up in a tour group with our funny guide called Paul McGarvie, he has a very traditional Maori name! He told us that only 10% of the Maori population is actually only Maori, due to years of integration. He then began to ask where people were from, and took the piss out of the Aussies and English. When he found out I was from Scotland he remarked at least my team know how to play rugby.

Paul told all about his tribe and how they had come to own the park we were about to walk through. He mentioned many people living in the park were related to the original chief. Then off we went down to see the geysers and mud pools, especially geyser Pohutu which can reach 30m off the ground.

The day continued to get hotter, so we were offered a rest when we went to visit the Kiwi birds. They are nocturnal and endangered, so we had to be very quiet and walk in the dark to get a glimpse of them. They are quite funny birds and hop around. Once we emerged back into the sunlight the tour ended. I decided to get some traditional Hangi, food which had been boiled in the thermal pools in the park. Very tasty!

I also checked out the carving school at Te Puia. It was fascinating to learn all about how those fantastic carvings take shape and this is only for males who are part Maori . There is also a weaving school for women, and this is open to everyone.

I then headed back into town to explore some more, and get some much needed ice cream from the famous Lady Jane's Ice Cream Parlour! I ended up walking through the Government Gardens and along Lake Rotorua. I even dipped my feet into the lake which was so warm.

I really enjoyed my day trip to Rotorua, and would recommend it as a must see place in the North Island!

Taupo - Stunning Sunsets Over Tongariro National Park | New Zealand

4th - 9th January 2013

After driving through the Waikato countryside, which I referred to as the Shire, the backdrop of Taupo emerged from the other side of the hills. It was one spectacular sight. The three volcanoes, or should I say active volcanoes Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe (Mordor in Lord of the Rings) and Tongariro towered above the massive Lake Taupo, which was once a crater. Tongariro still had snow on the peak, showing how high it is even in the heart of the summer. I had originally planned to hike it, however it had begun erupting slightly so have placed this on my bucket list.

That night we had a BBQ with my friends parents and watched the first of many beautiful Taupo sunsets.

A leisurely start the next day, we headed over to Huka Falls. This is an impressive rapids river which daredevils can fly down on a speedboat.

 Then a quick stop off at popular camping spot Reid's Farm. My friend Ben decided he would have a swim, and I wish I had been more adventurous and jumped in...

During lunch at the Jolly Good Fellows Pub, a British pub, we met Jen and Rob, friends of Linda and Ben's. There was a general consensus that we had to make the most of this stunning day and get down to the lake. A quick pitstop to fill up the chilly bin, and we found ourselves the perfect spot near the waters edge. Jen and Rob joined us in their boat, which they anchored and set up their gazeebo. I was incredibly grateful for this as it provided me some refuge from the sun.

At around 5pm the decision was made to go and see the Maori carvings, which were carved back in the 70s. A bottle of bubbly was popped and the New Year was toasted looking at this view:

The next day I decided to put my life in danger by throwing myself our of a plane at 15,000ft over Lake Taupo. Arriving at Skydive Taupo Centre it turned out one of the planes was deemed inoperable, so it meant my dive wouldn't take place for another three hours. We took a walk round town to fill in time.

Finally they kitted me out in a fetching blue overall and lots of straps. I was handed a cap, goggles and oxygen mask which made me look like a surgeon. My instructor was in the air, so I had ex IT consultant Joe make sure everything was in place. He also reassured me that Matty, my instructor, would adjust my straps again as they all have their own preferences. It then dawned on me that these guys risk their lives every single jump they go on. Matty was not very talkative but was very precise, he had already been on three dives that day!

In all honesty, I don't think I was scared at all. I didn't even think about the parachute not opening. I just wanted to experience the freefall.

The climb to 15,000ft was slow but beautiful. We could see for miles across the Lake and the countryside surrounding Taupo. There were about twenty people packed into the tiny plane and whenever someone jumped, it tipped a little.

I was of course last to jump, and was positioned like a banana on the edge of the plane. The next minute, we were out of the plane and freefalling. It took my brain a few seconds to adjust to what was happening, but it felt incredible. I was loving the sensation until Matty pulled the cord. Then the pain came! The straps which were there to keep me safe cut into my legs, and were bruised afterwards. They reminded me that I was a tiny human being compared to the elements, and that a slight gust of wind could eradicate my time on this planet easily. In a way it was a humbling experience, and made me appreciate my life more. The adrenalin rush I got when we landed was crazy, and I had to be taken on a long walk to calm me down! I think Linda and Ben were just happy I was ok. Later that night I realised it would have been my gran's birthday, so perhaps she looked out for me when I jumped.

After a lovely Indian meal with Jen and Rob, we headed home and stopped off to see an incredible sunset on the lake.

The next few days I took day trips to other places in New Zealand, which was so easy as Taupo was the perfect central base. Each night I would come home and have dinner with Linda and her family.

My last day in Taupo was spent preparing for the next part of my journey, and also squeezing in some last minute shopping and sights of Taupo with Linda's mum, her sister and niece. We also met up with Linda for lunch at this amazing cafe/gallery called L'Arte.

That night I would be taking the overnight bus down to Wellington. I feel so lucky to have such an amazing friend, with beautiful family and friends who made my first few weeks in New Zealand so memorable. I had been given the true kiwi experience, and will always be thankful to Linda for that.

Bay of Plenty - The Mount - Life on the Road | New Zealand

4th January 2013

It was now time to explore other parts of the North Island, and so myself and Linda set off on a mini tour of the Bay of Plenty, aptly named so as the land is very fruitful. For most of our journey we drove through orchards and farms, and it was common to see vans at the side of the road with massive signs saying 'AVOS, STRAWBS, KIWIS'.

First stop, Whangamata (pronounced Fangamata). This is a lovely beach/surf town as you leave the Coromandel and enter the Bay of Plenty region. We stopped off here for some delicious breakfast and quick look at the beach.

Onwards we pushed to reach Mount Maunganui, known to the locals as The Mount, before all the spaces were taken. It was heaving, and after two rounds we had to park further along the beach, away from all the action.

In the end, the spot we had picked was ideal, as this side of the beach was more secluded. They have spruced up the boardwalk here too.

The Mount could be seen pretty much everywhere you went. We sat back, sunbathed with Six60 on the speakers, kept hydrated via the chilly bin and watched the surfers brave the waves.

Slightly warped panorama image...

As tummies began to rumble, we headed over to Tauranga for some lunch. Here was our view:

We then continued to drive down to Taupo, through Lord of the Rings country, most notably the Shire!

This is where I would be based for the next few days, and witness some incredible sunsets over the lake.

Oh, before we left the Coromandel, the day before we had a quick stop off at Whitianga (pronounced Fitianga) and had the biggest mussels I have ever seen! I can never look at European seafood again.

Cathedral Cove - Best Part of the Coromandel Peninsula | New Zealand

2nd January 2013

After an incredibly early start for us, and a quick stop off in Tairua for sunscreen (50+) and coffee we drove north to Hahei to start the walk to Cathedral Cove. Even though we attempted to get there at a reasonable time, it took forever to find a car parking space. It was heaving everywhere, and rightly so, the weather was gorgeous!

Then began the twenty minute hike to the beach. Word of warning to the unfit, there are other ways to get to the beach like sea kayak. However, if you want the best reward ever, prepare for ups and downs. Linda and Ben steamed ahead and after quite a few water breaks and lots of sweating, I could see the final stairs leading down to the beach. Once I stepped off the last step and onto the beach I looked up and was met with the most wonderful view.

There were quite a few people around but that didn't detract from how beautiful this beach is. We pitched up an umbrella and chilled listening to the band we would be watching on stage later on, Six60.

After a few hours sunbathing, swimming and reading, we headed back up the track for lunch. I was so happy to see the car! After a cheeky ice cream in Hahei, we drove to the next beach of the day, Hot Water Beach. As the name suggests, you can dig a hole in the sand and experience the geo thermal pools. In all honesty, we only stayed for around half an hour as the sea was rough and it was even more crowded than Cathedral Cove.

Back on the road again, and up to our resting place for the night. Linda's friend had a bach in Cooks Beach. We got ready for the gig there, and her friend took us to the middle of nowhere to the Coroglen Tavern. I have been told this place is a kiwi institution. We met up with the group from New Year, and had a few ciders. Everyone seemed to be camping out, making the most of the gig.

 

Six60 were electric, and the atmosphere was amazing. Everyone seemed to know each other, and I had the time of my life dancing with my friends under the stars. I have since seen Six60 in London, and would recommend their music to anyone!