Said goodbye to Sian and Scott and travelled to Rotorua, through rolling hills and land crumpled by volcanos. We were fascinated by the thermal springs; steaming, bubbling mud lakes and holes in the ground dotted through the parks and on the lakeside. Plumes of steam randomly appear in the landscape. The area stinks of sulphur but is very beautiful with autumnal trees and wide tidy streets. We visited the handsome museum which had once been a bath house offering mud bath remedies opened by an Englishman in 1908 and learned a lot about the Maoris of this area and their history. There seems to be great respect for them and their way of life both then and now. It must be strange to be able to trace your lineage back 13 generations, which is what some Rotoruans can do.
We watched a 20 minute film about the great volcano here, which was accompanied by our seats shaking and jumping, quite alarming really, though no doubt not half as terrifying as the real thing!
We had breakfast by the lake as the mists rose in the sunshine and then partook of a private hot pool spa (alkaline water of 38degrees up to your neck) open to and overlooking the thermal lake. Another amazing experience.
We are blessed with great weather, apparently unusual at this time of year. Long may it last.
On to Te Puia, a Maori arts and crafts institute on the edge of the Pohutu geyser. It's astonishing to us that this area is considered stable, as Pete says its like the earth is trying to turn itself inside out.
His other observation (he being too lazy these days to write the blog himself) is that NZ (or that small amount which we have seen) is like a well kept garden. The fields of sheep and cows are separated by wire fencing giving the undulating green a never-ending look and the grass verges to the roads are neatly mown. Pine forests and other autumn gold and red trees complete the picture of tranquil beauty. You'd never know the earth's crust is only centimetres thick in places!
Hotel room did smell all night though and it wasn't us!
We watched a 20 minute film about the great volcano here, which was accompanied by our seats shaking and jumping, quite alarming really, though no doubt not half as terrifying as the real thing!
We had breakfast by the lake as the mists rose in the sunshine and then partook of a private hot pool spa (alkaline water of 38degrees up to your neck) open to and overlooking the thermal lake. Another amazing experience.
We are blessed with great weather, apparently unusual at this time of year. Long may it last.
On to Te Puia, a Maori arts and crafts institute on the edge of the Pohutu geyser. It's astonishing to us that this area is considered stable, as Pete says its like the earth is trying to turn itself inside out.
His other observation (he being too lazy these days to write the blog himself) is that NZ (or that small amount which we have seen) is like a well kept garden. The fields of sheep and cows are separated by wire fencing giving the undulating green a never-ending look and the grass verges to the roads are neatly mown. Pine forests and other autumn gold and red trees complete the picture of tranquil beauty. You'd never know the earth's crust is only centimetres thick in places!
Hotel room did smell all night though and it wasn't us!
too much.
ReplyDeleteno comment would be adequate.
do you have to watch your step around all those uprisings?
No, you are carefully directed around paths, although I don't know how they are so sure another eruption won't suddenly appear especially by the lake. It's all so alien to us Brits who have no dangerous geological phenomenons.
ReplyDeletePlenty of hot geezers/geysers to feast your eyes upon then!! Sorry, someone had to crack that one!
ReplyDeleteHaha, trust you Sally! Hot and steamy but not that attractive!
ReplyDelete