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Published: July 31st 2008
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Hi everyone it is Jason writing the blog on this occasion although Elliott is right beside me checking as we go that i don't miss anything important that may have happened. My memory is quite terrible so here goes.
The night was a relatively quiet one except for the text that i recieved from Deena that included a photo of her stuck working in the heatwave (Boohoo it was like 1 degree where i was, i was sat in a sleeping bag with it wrapped round my head to try and keep warm) but the text didn't wake me up, it was the fricking phonecall that came through at about 3 in the morning. It was a number i didn't recognise so it must have been the HSBC bank who i have my account with for my tele. They ring me every once in a while to ask if i want to take out a loan. I rejected it then noticed that i had a text which was the photo one from Deena.
I wake sometime later and remember that it is now evening for you guys and that i said i would phone Deena then as she would
have finished work. I climb into the front cabin to try not to wake Elliott while i am on the phone and i dial the number. Apparently Elliott was awoken by the sound of my voice and had put his headphones in with his music on so we had more privacy. Deena and i chatted for about 15 minutes about various things, what i had been up to and what i was planning to do. I also asked how her day went and she said she had worked but it was in Chagford so she didn't mind. I know that when i get back the phone bill will be astronomical but i didn't care and is still don't (we'll see how i feel when i actually SEE the bill) It was just nice to hear her voice and chat to her.
Anyway back to the day. We had planned to go to see the thermal springs today so thats what we did. After gettin ready we drove off round the otherside of the Rotorua lake and found what we thought we were looking for, Whakarewarewa thermal village OR to use its real full name Tewhakarewarewatangaoteopetauaawahiao. Yup thats right, as
you can imagine i would have a hard time pronouncing it so i will just call it thermal village from here on in.
We had arrived just in time for one of the tours to start so we paid our fee then waited at the entrance. We were also joined by a spanish couple, another couple from canada and finally a family of four from California. The guide explained that the village was still a real village today with 71 people living there and the oldest being 92. While walking through the entrance arch she showed us the statues that dotted around the village on garden posts and things and explained that they were Maori idols for protection. They resembled the warriors and they had their tongues sticking out to ward off potential enemies and bad spirits.
Next she took us to the Wharenui or the village hall. It is used for all kinds of things from weddings to funerals. It is also carved in traditional Maori styles which all symbolise life, death and the afterlife. After that she took us to some rather large pools which are apparently used to bath in. The mud pools were very
active too and are apparently used to treat skin conditions and wounds, being as it is almost pure mineral it is quite effective. There were also tea trees growing naturally next to the pools which is apparently strange.
Next we were taken to a Hangi cooking spot and were shown the meal being cooked for later on (we hadn't paid for the Hangi as we had one at the Mitai the other night, still looked good though) Next came the performance, very similar to the Mitai one we had seen previously. Some songs we had heard before and others we hadn't and although it was nice it didn't seem as interesting as the Mitai performance. Elliott and i decided not to have our photos taken with the warriors and maidens and waited outside for the rest of the group to return.
Next the guide took us to the Geyser, which there is apparently 2. One is more dominant than the other but we can only see the Prince of Wales feathers Geyser (don't ask i have no idea why it is called that, supposedly it is named after someone) The bigger of the 2 Geysers 'Pohutu' didn't launch
while we were there. The guide also said that because of something the motel across the plain had done there was pressure building underground and that a third Geyser may be coming back that had been dried up.
Elliott and I are taken back through the village to the second set of communal baths. They have channelled the water under the concrete to the baths and so the floor was boiling hot, i sat down and literally burnt my ass. We are soon left to our own devices and we wonder round one of the bigger lakes that is next to the village. We take various photos of the interesting sights and are interested to see that there are signs everywhere with countries on. We later discover that it is to do with people living in the Rotorua area, not as interesting as i thought.
We then leave the thermal village and head back to the motorhome park before heading into the town centre to pick up various things, the most important thing being food to eat. Our first stop is a shop where i had spotted some hats that Elliott was looking for, and as i was
sick of hearing about this hat i let him buy one. Perhaps now he'll shut up about it. I then wonder back down the road to the souvenir shop and pick up a few things for Deena's birthday gift (just hope she likes them, still got 3 weeks til i find out)
We were also looking for some clothes stores to pick up some trousers, as a pair i have are a little long and the hole for the button has been missed during their making and as a result there is no hole. But everywhere seems to be stupidly expensive so we give up and once again head back to the internet cafe to check out the white water rafting pics and update the blog about that same occasion. Elliott and i go halves on this on, he writes a bit then i write a bit too. I think that particular blog was my favourite to about.
Upon leaving the cafe we are now looking for a supermarket as we have run out of food. Elliott is in charge of map reading and has us on the right road, i hope, and before long we see the
woolworths shopping store. We get the usual dinners in and also splash out a bit and get desserts too, on this occasion it is rice pudding and pears.(Elliott chose the last dessert) Fully stocked we walk back to the home and pack it all away, we sit, read (i sleep) and then Elliott whips up some tomato soup and then later some rice pudding. our bellies full up and warm i finally set my bed up and drift off. Elliott stays up a little longer, something to do with the driers being occupied, i won't lie i wasn't fully listening.
So that was our day, not the most action packed one as yet and nothing hilariously funny happened but it was an interesting day, and tomorrow we are hoping to stop off in Tongariro national park and catch a glimpse of Mount Doom. Then we are off to Wellington ready to get the ferry to the south island on saturday. Not sure when we will get a chance to update this again but Elliott and I are gonna double team it and hopefully get a few in before we head to the south island. So until next time i
shall say goodbye and say as usual that we are all missing you. And please if you haven't yet SUBSCRIBE to the blog so that you will be emailed everytime we update it, that way you won't miss anything.
Jason signing off byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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non-member comment
I'm a twit.....
I do believe I put my email add in a previous comment title...please no emails from people i don't know... Am so surprised no one has commented on this one...I'm loving the village name...Tewhakarewarewatangaoteopetauaawahiao...may just call my first born that.... Also am loving the protective idols, they're really quite cute...