Last Day in Rotorua then Heading Home

Our last day in Rotorua didn't happen as planned.  We had driven out to the Buried Village to find it wasn’t open till mid week.  Sad,  as we had enjoyed visiting here 40 years ago on our honeymoon trip, and wanted to see it again.  Such a shame – it tells the story of Mount Tarawera erupting in 1886.  Over four frightening hours, rocks, ash and mud rained down on the Maori village of Te Wairoa, covering the village with two metres of thick volcanic material.  The eruption also destroyed the famous Pink and White Terraces.  Hopefully, we can visit here on a future trip to Rotorua.

Our visit was not be be this time

Our Plan B was to visit a few more lakes in Rotorua.  The Blue Lake and the Green Lake are side by side, separated by a small isthmus, which had a very convenient lookout spot.  The Blue Lake, Tikitapu, is named as the place where the daughter of a chief lost her sacred greenstone neck ornament.  The lake water appears turquoise blue when seen from above due to the reflection of white rhyolite and pumice on the lake bottom.  The Green Lake, Rotokakahi, is named after the shellfish, kakahi, and appears to be emerald green when seen from above, due to its shallow, sandy bottom.  Privately owned by the local Iwi, this lake is sacred, and no swimming, boating or fishing is allowed.

Blue and Green Lakes

There was one more lake further up the road to visit, Lake Tarawera.  You can just make out the flat topped mountain in the background.  That is Mt Tarawera which blew it’s top back in 1886 and caused such devastation.  The lake was calm, and boat rides are available across the lake in the weekends.  We had an interesting chat to a tour guide who specialises in high end tours, he told us he often travels to collect clients from Auckland, travels around for days or weeks as required, staying at posh hotels.  One of his groups included a family group with adult children, the private pilot, plus a butler!

Lake Tarawera, with Mt Tarawera in the background

The next morning we packed up, said goodbye to Ngongotaha and started traveling homewards.  The weather wasn’t the best and we passed steaming ground as we neared Taupo – the rain always makes these vents steam more.

Steaming vents near Taupo

Turangi NZMCA Park was our stop for the night.  A lovely big area with plenty of room for the few vans stopping overnight.  The rain hosed down late afternoon and all through the night.  We enjoyed some fish and chips from the local shop, very nice they were too, and settled down for the evening warmed by our trusty diesel heater.  By morning, the rain had eased, but the wind had picked up, chasing the wind and clouds away.

Turangi NZMCA Park

From here, we stopped at Waiouru to refuel and a coffee, then heading straight on home.  Our Anniversary Trip was over, and we had a wonderful time.  It was an easy trip home, spreading it over a couple of days.  Robin’s knee behaved really well, this was his first big drive since the knee replacement.  The weather was quite mixed, there were a few nice days, but we certainly had our share of wind and rain.  We are not home too long, have another trip planned for next week.

More fun in Rotorua

You know you have arrived in Rotorua when that “rotten egg sulphur smell” hits your nose.  Not all the time, just here and there to catch you off guard.  Rotorua is known for the smell, thermal activity, Maori entertainment, plenty of activities and dining places, hot pools and lakes.  Believe it or not, there are 18 lakes dotted around the area, with Lake Rotorua on the doorstep.

Lake Rotorua

We are staying at Ngongotaha for five nights, and caught up with Russel and Maureen.  We had missed the last caravan club rally, so it was great to catch up with them again on Friday when they came over for 4zees.  We waved them goodbye on Saturday morning, they were heading down to Taupo.

Russel and Maureen

We were heading out as well, we had a booking for High Tea at the Prince’s Gate Hotel.  This is one of the country’s oldest hotels still in operation with a history that dates back to 1897. 

This was something I was really looking forward to, I love  High Tea, but don't get to do it all that much.  As I often remind Robin, I’m sure I was someone very important in another life, I really enjoy these ladylike type of outings.  Not sure if he agrees with me though, maybe I was a scullery maid or a washer woman instead.  The table was set beautifully and the food and drinks arrived.  The morning was still a little chilly but we were nice and cozy sitting by the gas fire.

High Tea for two

There are indeed a set of Prince’s Gates right by the hotel.  The gates, with an archway resembling a royal crown, was built for the 1901 royal visit of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George V, at the entrance to the Government Gardens in Rotorua. This structure is now unique in New Zealand, and is colloquially known as Prince's Gate.

Prince’s Gates

These impressive gates lead into the Government Gardens, home to the beautiful former Bath House, which opened on 1908 as a thermal spa offering medical and therapeutic treatments, before closing in 1966.  Today the building, classed as Highly Significant by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, houses the Rotorua Museum of Art and History. It is closed while currently undergoing earthquake strengthening.

The old historic former Bath House

We drove down to the lake edge, and our Sat Nav kept telling us “Free Parking”.  There is indeed plenty of free parking for self contained vehicles,  we saw, with lots of  of motorhomes taking advantage of lake side parking.

Lake Rotorua

Sunday, our 40th Anniversary, dawned bright and sunny – where have all those years gone, we wondered?  After breakfast we headed off to tick something off our list, the Redwoods Treewalk. 

The entrance

Driving into the carpark, we noticed walkways in the trees above us criss crossing overhead.  Tickets purchased, and we knew to ask for Gold Card discount, but no sign was on the counter offering it.  After a briefing about allowable numbers on the walkways and platforms, and don't touch the trees as it can harm the bark, we were on our way up the spiral walkway.

Up the spiral we went

We weren't sure how we would both manage up in the tree tops, but it was very easy walking indeed.  The platforms had seating if needed, but I was unaware that the walkways were in fact swing bridges!   All very sturdy, and no problem really.

Here we go

With 28 bridges and 27 platforms we slowly made our way around the redwoods, stopping to read the information boards at the platforms.  There were plenty of people down on the walking tracks, and the forest is free entry for recreation users.

Looking down on the forest floor

The walkway is suspended from the trees using a specially designed sling, which carefully wraps around the trunks without causing any harm.  The slings can be easily adjusted to allow for the growing trees.  Another feature of the forest is the Nightlights Walk and we spotted several of the lanterns on our walk which are illuminated in the evenings. 

These and many others glow in the darkness for the night walks

The redwoods and other exotic species were planted in 1901 as an experiment to see if they would be suitable as a timber crop, to save our native forests from being milled.  But the trees grew too fast here in NZ conditions and the timber was too soft for commercial use.  A friendly couple took our photo standing in front of the tallest tree on the walk, 246ft high, and 7ft in girth.

Standing in front of the tallest tree

The walk was very enjoyable and I’m pleased we finally achieved it.  Back to the van for a rest, then it as time to get into our glad raags and head out for our Anniversary Dinner at the Stratosfare Restaurant, accessed by the Skyline Gondola.  The ride was silent as we glided upwards, with great views of the city spread out below.

Up, up, and away

We were welcomed into the restaurant and taken to our window table, by a very attentive staff member.  With a glass of bubbly to hand, we then checked out the extensive buffet. 

The food was wonderful, we must say.  With plenty of overseas visitors to cater for there were many Asian dishes on offer, as well.  I tried a selection of Asian cuisine as my entree, very tasty indeed to try something quite different.  There were plenty of choices for the main course, and as expected, a wonderful selection  of desserts too.

Just as we had finished a cup of coffee each, and nibbled on some cheese and crackers, our waitress appeared carrying a tray which she presented to us.  On the tray were some extra dessert goodies, Happy Anniversary written in chocolate, and a card signed by the staff.  Guess we had mentioned our special occasion, and we were overwhelmed with the thoughtfulness of the management for doing this for us.

We had a wonderful night indeed

Next Stop – Rotorua

We said goodbye to Welcome Bay and drove down Pyes  Pa Road down SH36, on the way to our next stop, Rotorua.  Lot's of ups and downs and  sharp corners as we drove through rural countryside.  This part of our trip in Rotorua is to celebrate our 40th Anniversary - way back then we had our honeymoon at Rotorua.  Goodness, where have all those years gone?  Where else to stay than the NZMCA Park at Ngongotaha.  

The  name is derived from a legend of Ihenga, the famous Māori explorer. It is said Īhenga met the Patu-paiarehe on Mount Ngongotahā and was offered a drink from a calabash. Ngongo means "to drink", and tahā means "calabash". Ngongotahā is often referred to by locals as the "Sunny side of the Mountain".

We arrived on Thursday, and the weather was sunny and warm, so warm that jumpers were divested, as were socks and shoes, in favour of sandals.  Once settled, we went to town to make a booking or two.  After all, this is our 40th Anniversary Trip and we plan to celebrate in style.  The I-Site Visitor Information Centre is housed in a wonderful building, opened in 1914 as a Post Office.  It consisted of two floors and a tower with rough cast cement plaster exterior and Tudor-style decorative timbering. The building incorporates a memorial town clock in honour of Premier Richard John Seddon, the longest-standing Prime Minister of New Zealand, who died in 1906. The clock still functions to this day.  While there, we booked an Anniversary Dinner for Sunday evening, more about that later.

Tudor style buildings, with the I-Site on the right

The rain came down overnight, and it rained heavily all day on Friday.  That meant a change of plans, much too wet to do anything outdoorsy.  So we  decided to go on a drive to Lake Rotoiti – rain or not.  Needless to say it rained, and rained, and we stopped at the end of the lake for some photos.

Lake Rotoiti

We spotted a black swan at the edge of the lake with her  brood of fluffy grey cygnets.  Mother was not at all pleased with this intrusion when we stopped to take a photo.

Mother and babies

Just a little further up the road was Hongi’s Track.  In 1823  the famous Ngapuhi warrior, Hongi, and his warriors hauled his canoes overland from Lake Rotoehu to Lake Rotoiti in order to perform a surprise raid on the Arawa people on Mokoia Island, Lake Rotorua.

Hongi Hika

There is also a plaque to Hinehopu’s tree.  When Hongi Hika and his warriors carried their war canoe past here, Hinetamairu and the young chieftainess Hinehopu, heard about the oncoming war party and hid within the tree. The tree that kept Hinehopu safe is now known as the Wishing Tree, and is still standing today. 

The story of Hinehopu’s Tree

Driving back to town through even more rain, we stopped for lunch at the Rotorua pub in my book, the Great Kiwi Pub Crawl.  Its been a while since we have checked out one of these pubs.

THis book travels with us in the caravan

The building was opened in 1940 and served as Rotorua’s Police Station until 1969.  with exterior walls 18 inches thick, it was constructed of concrete, reinforcing steel and covered with many thousands of bricks.    “Pig and Whistle”  has been around since 1993, and is a trendy bar and restaurant. There's the old police building behind that huge tree.

Pig and Whistle

We were welcomed by a friendly staff member when we stepped inside and shown to a table for lunch.  Mmm, what to have?  The weather was cold so I enjoyed Seafood Chowder, and Robin ordered pizza.  That was so big that half of it was packed up and came home with us.  The owner of the establishment signed my Pub Crawl book for me, that’s another one crossed off the list.

There was one more thing to do before e headed back to camp.  We spent our two week honeymoon here in Rotorua way back in 1983 at what was known as Post Office Cottages, in reality, a series of flats.  Robin worked at the Post Office at the time and this holiday accommodation was available to staff members at a very reasonable price.  He could remember what street they were in, but after driving up and down, we just couldn't find them.  Mind you, the flats weren't new 40 years ago, so we imagine they had been demolished and something else built on the site.  Never mind, it was worth a try.  Back at camp, the rain was still falling.  We do hope the weather clears up very soon. 

Welcome Bay

We were blocked in at the caravan yard at Ohaupo.  Before we could leave on Tuesday morning we had to ask the men working on the road construction to please move their machine and some of the road cones.  No problem, I’m sure they are used to the staff and customers coming and going at this site.  And the rain kept coming down

Trapped in Ohaupo

Our next stop was Welcome Bay, in Tauranga.  We drove down SH1 past the attractive tree lined town of Cambridge, turning onto SH29 and up and over the Kaimai Ranges.  The nearer we got to Tauranga, the busier the traffic became.  The city's name is a Maori word meaning “resting place,” or “safe anchorage.” Tauranga was incorporated as a borough in 1882 and became a city in the early 1960s.  The ride was out in Welcome Bay when we arrived, but it seemed a pretty area, with lots of new housing  everywhere.

Welcome Bay

This was our first time staying at the Welcome Bay NZMCA site, and we were there for two nights.   It has only recently opened and situated on a nice large grassy area, surrounded by large trees and a kiwifruit farm.  We were a little worried about the wet conditions but luckily did not get bogged down.  There were workmen on site completing the gathering room.

There were only a half dozen or so vans staying here, and although a couple of wet areas had been roped off, there was plenty of space.  Water was available, as were rubbish bins, and I can see this being a very popular spot over the summer months.

Welcome Bay NZMCA Park

We were intrigued by the plaintive bird calls coming from behind the trees and suspect that they were peacocks.  Perhaps the adjacent farm has some of these birds.

We wanted to stop in the Tauranga area to catch up with our friends Louse and Robert, who live nearby at Papamoa.  “Come for lunch” they invited, so we did, and spent a really pleasant day together.  Lots of talking and catching up to do.   Louise and Robert had recently purchased a new to them Kea Dreamtime and Robert has been checking it out and fixing up a few problems that he found.  They are looking forward to a South Island holiday in the New Year.

Louise and Robert and their new camper van

The mower man was very busy indeed the morning we left, zipping around cutting the grass.  He gave me a cheery wave as I walked down to the bins to get rid of the rubbish.  Next stop - Rotorua.

Lawn cutting time

Off to Ohaupo

It was time for another road trip.  Robin had been given the “all clear” to drive after his knee replacement, and our caravan was waiting for us up at Ohaupo.  Romany Rambler had been driven up to Leisureline Ohaupo just a week before Robin’s knee op, and left there for some work to be done.  They kindly stored it for us until we could collect it again. 

I must say, packing the car for a trip away is so different than packing the caravan.  Various bags, two chilly bins, clothes on hangers, stuff for the cat, all had to be fitted into the car, instead of inside the caravan in drawers, cupboards and wardrobes.  It was finally all packed, and away we went.

 

How to get it all in here, we wondered

Gemma was put in the car too, and off we went, getting away at a reasonable 9.00am.  The weather was good, but cloudy, and  we didn't know what to expect further up the island, as Ex-Cyclone Lola was crossing the top of the country.  Our first stop was at Waiouru, we needed a coffee fix.

Coffee time

And the public toilets look just like a miniature version of the Waiouru Army Museum.  We came across a couple having words outside the facility.  The husband was insisting that he had handed the car keys to her, and she didn't know where they were.  Hopefully they sorted it out so they they could get on their way again.

 

Interesting designed public toilets

For a change, we decided to drive through National Park.  This is always a pleasant drive with much less traffic.  Arriving at Ohakune, the car pulled to a stop right outside the Chocolate Éclair Shop.  How did it know we just might fancy a chocolate éclair for lunch?

The world famous Chocolate Éclair Shop

We stopped at National Park Railway Station for lunch.  Our home prepared bacon and egg sandwiches were delicious, as were those chocolate eclairs.  Time for a couple of photos, the mountain was playing hide and seek under the clouds, not much to see at all.

There is a mountain under there, somewhere

There was a Kiwi Camp close by, so I went to check that out,  Plenty of power points, plus an ablution block too, you pay extra to use the facilities.  The camps are unmanned, and you must purchase a little pre-paid token to use.  And there must have been at least a dozen charging points for electric cars.  We haven't stayed at a Kiwi Camp yet, and I believe that some of them also offer laundry facilities too, not this one though.

Kiwi Camp at National Park

Driving along SH4 we stopped at this pretty little waterfall on the side of the road.  It would be so easy to miss this, so I'm pleased Robin knew it was coming up, and there was a pull off area to safely stop.

Waterfall on SH4

The nearer we got to our destination, the heavier the traffic was, and the rain had set in.  We had been warned that there were road works right outside Leisureline at Ohaupo, and sure enough there were road cones, workmen, and big machinery everywhere.  Arriving at 3.30pm we soon spotted the our caravan and checked in with John.  After the long drive up from home, we asked if we could stay overnight, it was raining, we were weary, and Robin's knee was complaining.  Of course we could stay, no trouble at all.  The car was quickly unpacked, bags carried into the van, and the kettle went on for a much needed cuppa. 

There it is, ready and waiting for us

John departed, and we were on our own.  Gemma was pleased to be out of the car too, there’s always grooming for her to do, then curl up on the bed.  We had a light meal, watched the news on TV, and were in bed at 8.30pm.  It had been a long day.

 

Gemma is tired too