Day 2 - Rotarua

Kia Ora,

So today started off early, 7:30 from our Hostel in Whitiagna and we started on our journey to Rotarua via some interesting spots. Our first place was a look out point just outside the place we stayed, took some great shots, It was already warm at this point. Our second stop after about an hour and a half drive was Karangahake Gorge. Outside a small gold mining town, the walk took us through some of the tram shafts use to cart the gold around the site. We walked over some suspended bridges and saw some amazing sites. They call the walk the Windows walk because along the shafts we walked through there were holes in the side overlooking the gorge below.

The third stop was Matamata. This is the spot they filmed the Hobbiton section of The Lord of the Rings. On a farm some distance away, but the town became famous because of it, and seems to have embraced it with some of the towns décor. We had a cheesy Kodak moment in front of the Hobbiton sign accompanied by Gollum. We atayed here for a short while to have lunch before we shot off to our final stop of the day.

Te Puia is a Geo Thermal valley set just outside the city of Rotarua. We stayed here for a short while taking in the glorious smell of sulphur, watched some Geysers erupt, watched some mud pools bubble. We visited the world famous Pohutu Geyser. Te Puia is also home of the first carving school in NZ. They do not want carving to be something that becomes lost so young boys take a 3 year program and then go off around the world and around NZ sharing what they have learned. The Mauri in this area have good relations with Europeans unlike other countries. It is pretty neat how they talk about working along side each other. They have a special greeting where they touch noses twice. There is a photo seen all over here with a white girl and a mauri girl touching noses. Pretty symbolic. I like it. Finally, we saw some KIWIS!!! They are about the same size as a chicken. They are very different looking birds. They got their name because it sounds like they are saying KIWI.

In the evening we went to a Cultural Experience at a place called Tamaki. It is pretty hard to explain but it was a great look into the Mauri tribe. There were about 6 bus loads of people and each bus load had picked a chief. These chiefs had to show the Mauri tribe that they were coming in peace and not war. So they put on the huge haka. I took a video of it. Different men in the tribe come out and check out the other chiefs. They lay out a peace offering. If the chief picks it up properly the mauri chief slaps his thigh and the senior women of the tribe tells everyone that it is okay for the other tribes to come into their village. This is a very serious time for the mauris, no laughing allowed. Our chief laughed and had to stand back before he got smacked around by one of the chiefs. He was allowed back in though. We then went into the village and saw how they lived and got photos with some of the people there. Then they took us into a hall where they did some songs and dance (also on video). The Mauri people have amazing voices! Finally, we had a haki supper!! Yumm. The meat is cooked under volcanic rocks under the ground for three hours.

We had such a wonderful day!!! We are also excited for tomorrow. David is the only welsh boy on the trip and I have met some fellow Canadians who are also teachers. We have bunked up in a 8 person dorm room with a girl from Germany and a couple from England. I feel like I’m at camp all over again, sleeping in bunk beds, I love it. We hope that you look forward to our blogs as we are excited to be sharing our experiences with you guys.

“Bring a plate.” – Bring your own food.
Ex. We are having a Barbie tonight. Come around seven. Bring a plate!

Holly and David

P.S. The last of the Australian Photos for 2009!!!

Around WA

Christmas and New Years Eve in Oz!