Rotorua

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We managed to get a second horse trek of the trip on the way from Taupo. Abi had the chance to belt round the forest on a horse near the Craters Of The Moon while I took the slow track on a steed called 'Paddy' and discussed the massive problems faced by stables because the dairy farmers have cornered the winter feed market. It's very interesting - honest.

Then, we drove down to Rotorua, just over an hour away. It's a traditional Spa resort but also an important ancestral base for the Maori. Throw in some lovely lakes, boiling mud pools and geysers plus the rotten eggs smell all of it's own (which you get used to) and thats Rotorua. We took a cable car up Mount Ngongotaha to take in the view across Lake Rotorua and the mystical Mokoia Island in the middle.

Not so mystical were the luge runs we did down the mountain - getting a chair lift back up to the top. The sledges had basic brakes which I got to grips with eventually. Having set Anglo/Chino relations back years by running a Chinese youngster off the track on the first run, I spotted the 16 rules of the Luge seven of which I had broken on the second bend alone. On the next run, having seen off Abi by sneaking past her on the inside of a bend, I gathered speed down a straight bit to be faced by a duck sat in the middle of the track. I bet Lewis Hamilton doesn't have this problem! Sadly no pics as it was strictly a case of hanging on with both hands.

Rotorua's key attractions are the geothermal areas complete with geysers and the traditional Maori displays. However, after some discussion we went to Rainbow Springs which is a display of the flora an fauna from around New Zealand. Birds, fish, trees it was impressive stuff. The most exciting exhibit was the Kiwi, a New Zealand national symbol. It's a shy, nocturnal, flightless bird and heeding the warnings, we disabled the flash on the camera when we entered the Kiwi enclosure. The light inside was quite gloomy so I switched the camera to night vision. Abi lined up the viewfinder and BOOF!, the freshly enabled flash went off, sending the Kiwi scuttling for the nearest hole in the ground. I bet David Attenborough never did that.

Still no luck with the kayaking but returning to Taupo to sort some out.

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Comments

[Helen]

:-D
Look at you two ... having so much fun ! ... and I'm stuck at work ! Hey I didn't know a Kiwi looked like that ?

[Catherine]

Kiwi
The Kiwi reminds me of the 'Mongolian Thick Surprised' from Nigel Molesworth's 'Down with Skool' (or was it the Blue-nosed Chuck Brooding?). Glad you're both having such a good time - despite the rotten eggs.....Really like the blog, better than holiday pics after the event.

[Squashedpossum]

It's an unlikely national symbol. The small ones are really cute, and various non native predators find thm quite tasty!