Days 10 to 13 - Wet and Wired

Upon entering Rotorua, we were greeted by the whiff of sulphur (rotten egg!), bringing back memories of chemistry lessons at school! A botched science experiment or industrial leak weren't to blame. Rotorua lies in the main area of volcanic activity along the fault line between the Australian and Pacific plates. The numerous thermal springs dotted around the city also bring up some minerals from below along with the steam, with sulphur being the dominant element. We benefited from this, as our motel accommodation also tapped into a hot spring to provide a mineral pool.

After an extensive day’s travelling we opted for a night in with an indian take-away. This also gave Sarah the opportunity to tackle the pile of washing that had been building up. More steam was soon rising from the radiators as the heating was racked up to dry the wet clothes!

We had an early start the following morning, being collected from our motel by minibus. This was courtesy of Rotorua Canopy Tours, a recently established company, along the lines of ‘Go-Ape’, but with an emphasis on conservation rather than an assault course. From their HQ in the suburbs, we were bussed out to an area of indigenous Rimu forest in the hills surrounding the city. To find such an area of forest is rare in NZ, even though forests used to span the entire country below the snow line. This is because first the Maori and then especially the European settlers carried out increasingly intensive tree felling for timber and burning to set the land up for farming. They also introduced mammals (possums, rats, stoats etc) to the islands, which thrived to the devastation of large quotas of the indigenous bird, reptile and invertebrate population – this pocket of forest had not escaped the latter problem.

The basic format of the tour involved walking or zip-wiring between platforms suspended high in the trees. There were a couple of rope-bridges also to be traversed. Paul isn’t a fan of typical fairground rides, but after the first trip on the zip-wire, when he realised that he wouldn't plunge to the forest floor if he didn't cling onto the strap for dear life, even he found the experience of whizzing through the tree canopy exhilarating rather than terrifying! Unlike our guides, he wasn’t exhilarated enough to travel upside down!

Under a silver fern

Looking up at the canopy

The middle part of the tour was to explain that the conservation element of the operation was central to the company gaining the lease to use the forest. They are actively seeking to remove the alien mammal population, so that the bird population and the original food chains that depend on it, can flourish as was previously the case. Already in the 2-3 months that they had been operating, the guides were convinced they had already started to notice a difference and were confident that the difference would be striking if any of our group were to return 5 years from now.

Back in Rotorua, we decided that a dip in the pool was called for, but the natural heating was not really needed in the warmth of the sun. 

We then ventured out through a very quiet city centre considering it was Saturday afternoon, for a more sedate afternoon at the Rotorua Museum.

For a small entry fee, we were treated to exhibitions about the former use of this fine building as a public bath, the history of the local Maori tribe, Te Arawa, and ‘The World of Wearable Art’. The highlight was a short film about the most recent volcanic eruption in the area in 1886, where we startled when the small cinema started shaking in tandem with the explosions on screen! 

We were fortunate to grab the last available table at a local Mexican restaurant, for yet another delicious meal to bring the day to a close, save for a brisk walk back to the motel through the evening chill, still in our shorts!

Another early check-out was in order, as we had to be at the nearby Wai o Tapu by 10:15am to see the Lady Knox Geyser provoked into action.

The remainder of the park consists of a walking trail and if you decide to walk all three routes like we did, it will take the best part of an hour and a half. The walk spans a volcanic landscape of various springs, pools and geysers with the minerals spouted producing all the colours of the rainbow. No pot of gold here, though, only an encounter with some steam as thick as pea soup when we got too close to the Champagne Pool! Perhaps surprisingly, this area is not devoid of either flora or fauna, lying amongst the country’s largest man-made forest. More proof of the small nature of the World was when we bumped into a Swiss couple who we had already encountered on two separate occasions during our time in the Coromandel. Sure enough, they were heading to the South Island too!

Devils Bath

Paul next to the Champagne Pool

One of the Pied Stilts that have made this area their home

Warning - watch out for hot ground!

Overlooking the Mud Pools

Plop plop plop!

After a quick stop at the nearby mud-pools, we spent the afternoon at Waikite Valley Thermal Pools. Although it is signposted from the main road, this felt like a real hidden gem, located in beautiful surroundings, with a short eco trail along a stream to the source spring.  We tucked into a huge bowl of chips accompanying a chicken salad before electing to book a private pool for a 40 minutes soak. This also allowed us access to the several public pools, which we then sampled. We were impressed with the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the place and its staff and ended up staying longer than we had originally anticipated.

View from one of the public pools

In our private pool

The Eco Trail

The source of all the mineral goodness

With the weather starting to close in, we escaped to Taupo, only a relatively short drive away. We checked in at our motel close to the largest lake in NZ – the water fills the caldera of a volcano, formed during the biggest volcanic eruption in the last 70,000 years. Another meal out beckoned at a place called Dixie Browns in the town centre. We were amazed at how much space there was to park, in complete contrast to the UK! The main course of burgers went down very well, the pudding less so, due to the annoying appearance of a small piece of wire!

Our first morning at Taupo was spent updating this blog with photos and clearing a load of washing. 

The weather seemed better than expected, dry and quite bright, so instead of driving there, we rented some mountain bikes from our motel and cycled to Huka Falls, a dramatic point on the fierce Waikato River. 

This proved very difficult as firstly the bikes were not finely tuned for the demands of the ‘beginner’ rotary cycle track. Sarah’s brakes were almost non-existent and Paul could not access his lower set of gears – both essential for dealing with steep, narrow, slopes. The weather then decided to wade in, with some dark clouds in the distance looming closer and producing forked lightning – rather disconcerting considering we were at the crest of a deforested hill at that point!

Sheltering from the storm

Steam rising from the car park after the storm passed

Sarah (rather damp and cold!) in front of the falls

The mighty Huka Falls

Fortunately, we made it down to the river valley before the first crash of thunder right overhead. Rather than shelter amongst the trees, this prompted a mad dash across the bridge over the falls to the visitor centre - so our first glimpse of them was rather fleeting! The storm abated somewhat so we were able to admire the falls properly and refueled with the ginger biscuits of a kind Swiss cyclist, we made the arduous trip back along a walking track, which we now also found taxing as we were both tired and cold, if only a little damp thanks to our waterproofs.  We did have to navigate our way around piles of hailstones that were had been left behind on large parts of the track.

White bits = hailstones!

Having warmed up, we then headed out again to the local supermarket to stock up on snacks and for once we thought we’d eat in so a simple ready meal was in order. The decision to take the Sunny was the right one, as a further downpour greeted us as we left the store.