Volcanos and kiwis

Written: 03/12/06

bed count: 45

Well, Rotorua was smelly, but there was plenty to do and the weather cleared up eventually.

I've been avoiding museums for a couple of months now, having seen one too many bad ones on our travels so far. But, Rotorua museum was recommended to us and so we took the plunge and it was pretty good actually. They even have a photgraphic exhibit looking at the production of biscuits at the moment, and you get a free biscuit at the end of the exhibit. I think more museums should employ this as a marketing technique.

On Thursday night we headed out to Rainbow Springs nature park hoping that it would be a case of 'second time lucky' in the kiwi-spotting stakes. Things didn't look too good at first when the outdoor avairy was desserted (the kiwis were possibly hiding from the noisy Essex guy who was following us around). But we headed out to explore the rest of the park in the dark - silohettes of emus, massive brown trout, etc.

We did have some luck in the nocturnal kiwi house (where it was now daytime for the kiwis) where we saw a sleeping kiwi. Though that could just have been a Rod Stewart look-alike's spare wig to be honest. However, we headed back to the kiwi aviary (sans loud essex bloke) and struck kiwi gold. Not one, but two lively kiwis out of their houses and shuffling round in in the soil looking for food. Really cool.

You're in the aviary itself with the birds at Rainbow Spring, albeit that there is a low wall between you and the kiwis. This meant that we could get really close to the birds - literally us standing one side of the fence whilst they snuffled about on the other. It was such a cool experience and I'm so glad I got to see a real life kiwi. Strange animals though - you couls mistake them for a small bear from behind. Bizarre.

Headed down to Waiotapu 'thermal park' on Friday, just because we'd got used to the smell in Rotorua and really wanted to exercise our sense of smell! The place pongs, but has some pretty cool bubbling mudpools and ponds - all different colours because of the mineral deposits. Also managed to see the Lady Knox geyser errupt. It's a bit of a cheat - they know it's going to errupt onve every 12-36 hours, but they put something down the hole to induce an erruption at 10.15 every morning so that us tourists can get a scheduled view.

It was all good but, in the evening, we went to the Te Puia Maori Cultural Concert, which was probably the best of the lot. We got to take part in a ceremonial welcome onto the Marae where our chief for the evening (a tourist from Spain called Jesus) had to show no fear but full respect for our hosts. A couple of traditional songs and a haka later we headed out for a Hangi (traditional Maori meal) which tured out to be a very large buffet, much to Alec's delight. :)

After a final night on our heated tent site we made a final touristy stop at the gondalas and luge track. Great views from up the top and a long, swervy, scenic luge track. We even managed a free ride as the scanning machine wasn't working.

Anyhow - headed back north for a few days Wwoofing at a strawbale house on the Coromandel Penninsular. Pretty cool house made from three hexagons. The frame, roof and the strawbales are up, the windows are in and it has been part cobbed and part lime-plastered. So far we have been trained on the cobbing (clay / sand / straw mix which fills up gaps) and been doing some of the insulation (recycled wool). It looks like we'll become experts in cobbing over the next few days. All good experience for the next wwoof which is another stawbale house.