Tuesday, March 11, 2025

 Tuesday, March 11, 2025

We had our last breakfast in our hotel. Steve and Jeff went into town by cab to pick up our rental car. It’s a Hundai Santa  Fe. I waited back at the hotel with the luggage. Not really, I was up in the hotel room watching their version of the Today Show called Breakfast. We had brought the luggage downstairs to the Concierge to hold until they came back with the car. The rental is plenty big for the 3 of us. Most importantly, Steve fits in it and has plenty of head room. The ride to Rotorua is about 3 hours. It’s weird driving on the left side. I know Jeff isn’t driving but instinctively, I look at him in the ‘driver’s’ seat as he is looking out the window or looking down and I think pay attention! 

The road and scenery is much like driving in upstate New York. Lots of open space, cows in the fields. One thing we have noticed is all the houses are 1level.

We stopped just outside of Rotorua at Te Puia. It is in the geothermal valley of Te Whakarewarewa. The Pōhutu Geyser is there and the tours are timed so you see the eruptions. The tour also gives some information about Māori culture. It is also a school for Māori Arts and Crafts. Students are given scholarships to learn the ancient customs of carving with stone, wood and metal and weaving. 

There is a kiwi habitat where you see the 3 kiwis they have in captivity. It was very dark and they didn’t allow pictures.

The trees surrounding the mud pools are Manuka trees. They  only grow in New Zealand. They dropped their leaves into the mud making the mud medicinal. When the bees eat the nectar from the flowers, they make Manuka Honey. Which is said to have wonderful medicinal power.

Jeff was taking our picture and I saw him swatting at something on his leg. He thought a bug was biting him. Actually he was standing on a release of steam vent. It was burning him!

The architecture in the town of Rotorua is very basic and simple. Everything is all one level. It’s as if they took tractor trailers and cut windows and doors. We are staying at the Pullman Hotel. It is beautiful and about 10 stories tall. Probably the tallest in the town. Lake Rotorua is right out our window. 

Tonight we went to a Mitai Māori Village Cultural Experience. It was interesting to experience and see the way of life of the indigenous people of New Zealand. There is a replica of the village where they live. 

A warrior canoe ride down a small creek. There was a mud pool here as well. There is so much sulfur in the air due to the geothermal activity of the geysers. The smell is very strong!

We had a native hangi dinner. This is a special way of cooking with fire. They build a fire and heat up rocks for 5-6 hours. Then they put a grill on top with food. 

 

Next we had a Maori cultural show. All of the performers  had the native tattoos on their faces embracing their heritage. It is thought to be inappropriate to have the tattoo of the Māori if you don’t have indigenous blood.

The night was very touristy, but worth it! Off to bed. We have a long ride to Wellington in the morning! Good night Rotorua 🇳🇿💤