Today Vivek and I drive to the Rotorua district to explore the geothermal wonders and lakes formed by extinct volcanos in the area. This district has a multi-cultural population of approximately 68,000 people of whom 35% are Maori. Rotorua is renowned as the heartland of Maori culture. It is a 3 and a half hour drive from Auckland, and I feel a bit unnerved by the poor handling of the small 90s Toyota we had rented. And as one would expect in NZ, we see nothing but farms and the occasional small town along the way. 80% of the names of locations are in Maori and it takes a bit of a trick to pronounce them. For instance, 'Whangarei' is pronounced 'Fangarey'.
When we arrive at Rotorua there is a constant taint of sulfur in the air but after a while it goes unnoticed. I spend about NZ$200 to visit 3 geothermal locations, one called 'Te Puia' has a commercialized Maori village where we watch a staged production showcasing the dances, music and shown tidbits from their culture. The highlight of that performance was the Haka or war dance that the Maoris perform in front of their opponents prior to battle. A lot of defiant posturing and exaggerated mad expressions with bulging eyes peppered the entertainment. Vivek tells me that the people that perform the Haka the best in this day and age are the NZ rugby team known as the All Blacks as they face off with the opposition before every professional rugby match . Leaving after the show I feel quite robbed for the money we paid, and quite disappointed with the Hangi or traditional Maori meal. That one turned out to be not much more than steamed tapioca, potatoes, carrots and chicken.
Next was a half hour drive south to the Thermal Wonderland known in Maori as Wai-O-Tapu. Here the variety of mineral deposits leave colorful coatings on the earth and there are massive pools and lakes as well as the most impressive geyser at Rotorua which only erupts once daily at 1015am. I thoroughly enjoy the 2 hour circuit on foot and take many pictures. Here I felt I had gotten my money's worth.
When we return to the car we notice the left rear tyre is very low on air and barely drivable. We limp the car for 10 minutes until we reach the highway where a gas station air pump quickly resolves the problem. The low tyre pressure pretty much explained the tendency of the car to skid on the right turns.
An hour's drive later we pull into the parking lot at Hell's Gate where we expect to indulge in a mud bath and spa. Before I exit the car, I am amused to find a large male peacock wandering beside it. There is no indication of where it came from or whose it is. At Hell's Gate there is another collection of geothermal pools, but once you've seen a few boiling mud pits and hot water pools they quickly start to lose their fascination. The spa was communal and merely cordoned sections of mud and hot water. My vision of being pampered by a lovely Maori girl suggested by the brochure were cruelly shattered by our confrontation with the gruff male Maori attendant in coveralls who was more interested in getting his eyeful of the girls in their swimsuits than assisting Vivek and me. We are given curt instructions on how to handle ourselves then left alone, we don't stay long.
We are quite famished after the long day and we decide to drive into town to get a bite before heading home. We find an ornate cafe called The Fat Dog and the burger known as The Dog's Bollocks turns out to be one of the finest we have ever tasted, not to mention the tallest with it's double fat patties.
Wai-O-Tapu
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