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Published: February 15th 2009
14th February 2009 - VALENTINES DAY FUN!!!
I didn't sleep well again last night...my shoulder gave me a lot of grief!! No matter what position I slept in it hurt!! I don't think rafting helped but hey.....I don't regret it one bit!! I should go to the docs but I don't like fussing. Then again as Nat keeps saying...."it's been over 2 weeks now, it could be ligament or tendon damage". Maybe I should go?! I got up at around 8am and wrote in my journal for a bit to pass some time. Nat stirred at about 8.40 and so we both went down together for breakfast...free at the hostel...always a bonus!! Following brekkie we played 2 games of giant connect 4. We won one each but could not play a decider as the dog came bounding out and I was out of my chair faster than a speeding bullet!!
Cupid had obviously lost his way as Nat not I had any Valentines cards or parcels delivered. We decided to treat ourselves anyway and booked a hair appointment for 11am. We lounged around the hostel until that time. Nat was very excited but I was pretty nervous (had some very
bad experiences in the past)!! I gave the lady strict instructions...nothing drastic, couple of inches off, blend the layers and shape around the face!! Simple!! To be honest the whole experience was lovely and I felt pampered. Whilst washing my hair she did a proper head massage and sat me in a massage chair that fully reclined. I could have stayed there all day!! She then cut it and dried it and even commented on what good condition it was in......not sure how after the hammer it's taken over the past 4.5 months!! Well done hair!! I was gutted though as she didn't straighten it and I had so been looking forward to that part...doesn't she know that hairdryers don't get the same result?!! Still, it looked ok (anything was better than the rats tails it had turned into) and I got a massage out of it!! Not a bad morning!!
Once out of the hairdressers we headed to Kuirau park for a walk. There was a small market there so we had a wonder around that and then strolled around the park. Not your average local park...full of hot foot spas, hot pools and boiling mud pools due
to all the geothermal activity in the area. We sat with our feet in the hot spa and the wandered around and checked out all the hot pools and mud pools. Mud pools were my favourite as they gave off so much heat and you could literally see the mud boiling and bubbling...like in a witches cauldron!! We saw a giant hot pool too and as you walked along the board walk we got so engulfed in steam we could hardly see in front of us. The only bad part was the rotten eggs smell that lingered around.....suppose there has to be some bad elements!! Otherwise it was very cool and so different!! Once we had seen enough geothermal activity we found a grassy area to sit in and chill out for half an hour in the sun...so so hot!!
At around 2pm we set off on a walk along the lake which took us around Rotorua. It was very beautiful and at one point the water looked white - so pretty. We continued walking, keeping close to the lakes edge stopping occasionally to take photographs and soak it all in (except the smell). We passed Motutara Point, Sulphur
Point and Rocky Point before ending our walk at the Persian Baths and heading back to the hostel. The views along the way really were spectacular. It's weird, we are seeing so much amazing stuff every day that things begin to appear normal if you let them when really they are far from it. Had been such a good day so far!!
At the hostel we had one hour to grab a snack (fruit and yoghurt for me), write a journal entry and get changed before heading to the Tamaki bus stop across the road from the hostel. We had booked to go on a cultural evening to the 'Maori Village' and the bus was due to set off at around 4.30/5pm-ish! The whole package included transport, a show, a look around the Maori Village and a traditional Maori meal. I was excited but hoped it wouldn't be too similar to the last cultural night we went on.
We went on John's bus and were the 'Waki Tribe'. On the bus a Maori lady introduced herself and explained what would happen for the evening. She explained that it was 1802 and NZ was in a time of
conflict between many tribes that were fighting over land and women (nothing new there then) and that conflict wasn't helped by the arrival of new settlers who brought with them the musket. She explained that there was a prophecy about a tribe member called Uitara from the village we were visiting who would lead his people to victory if he joined with the rebel warrior Te Ao Huri. He wa a rebel because he did not stick to the traditional ways of battle and used the musket ( a white mans weapon) to gain power. She then got us all to paddle as if we were paddling a canoe before giving us the criteria for our chief:
1. Over 18: With the average age on our bus being 60 I didn't think she would need ID;
2. Male: Easy enough;
3. He had to be handsome: Mmmmm...not so sure about this one. Just like my mum though a few of the ladies on the bus were volunteering their husbands;
4. He had to be able to play rugby.
A very camp guy called Michael from Liverpool volunteered (was forced) to do it and from there on in, he was our
chief!! Now we had a chief she did a bit more chanting with us as we reached the village and then Michael led us off the bus.
Off the bus we stood around the entrance way with the other 2 buses (tribes) and each chief from each bus stood in the middle. We were then given the traditional welcome in the form of a Wero (challenge) whereby 3 different warriors were called upon by their chief to come out and lay down a challenge by dancing, chanting and stomping in front of our chiefs. When each had danced a ticker was laid on the ground as a peace offering and one chief was challenged to go and collect it. Michael, our chief was chosen and he had to walk forwards whilst maintaining eye contact and pick the ticker up signalling that we come in peace. Once we had been welcomed but before we went into the village Te Ao Huri (a rebel warrior) arrived and strode in. The same process was carried out again and then we were allowed into the village.
Once in the village we had a look around and were able to see how the
Maori's lived. They did some arts for us, showed us how they trained for battle and generally showed us how they lived. we were then taken to the ancestral meeting house where the story was continued and we saw Uitara join with Te Ao Huri which would of course change Maori history forever. They then entertained us with some dance and song before we were led into the food room for a traditional hangi feast (food cooked beneath the ground). The food was awesome. It was buffet type meal and I piled my plate up with chicken, lamb, potatoes, carrots, fish, potatoes etc etc. It had a smokey taste but it was good. This was followed by a dessert of fruit salad and steamed pudding and custard!! I was full to burst!! After we had all finished eating we went outside to see how the food was cooked (big hole in the ground with hot volcanic rocks) and sang a few songs before it was time to get back on the bus to leave.
It was a good evening and very entertaining. The food was good and I enjoyed all the song and dance and the village although I
would say that the cultural night we went to in the Bay of islands was more informative and told more of the history. Still, I had a fab evening although at the end it got bloody cold and I was looking forward to getting under my thermal blanket at the hostel. The bus journey home was even entertaining. We all had to close off our cultural experience by representing our country whilst visiting another country. We were lucky as there were lots of English so we all sang together however teh lone russian was not so lucky!! Funny though!!
Back at the hostel, it was straight to bed for me....very very tired and very very cold. I read for an hour or so before closing my eyes but once I did it was straight to sleep!!
15th FEBRUARY 2009 - LEAVING ROTORUA!!!
I was awake at 5am. My blooming shoulder is getting worse. Sorry to harp on but I want you all to share my pain! I managed to stay in bed until 7.30 but then I was up, had breakfast, went on the net for an hour and then I packed up ready to leave for our
next place. We were in the car by 10 and heading for Taupo!! I hoped it would be as nice as Rotorua...but without the lingering smell!!
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