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Published: March 25th 2009
Hi All, Well I'm really on a charge now and the blog might actually be up to date for once. 4 blogs in 1 day is a lot of work but I'll be glad when it's done. Maeve's done sterling work on the last 2 Australian blogs. Great support there, having written 2 out of the 35 entries so far. I think she may have a bit of catching up to do.
We arrived in Wellington from the Interislander ferry. We stayed in Wellington for 4 days and it was quite a nice stay. Wellington is an alright city, not too much to do and the city itself is alright. The second day we were there it was St. Patricks day and it's as big here as it is at home especially when you consider it's not a public holiday. The number of people going around town plastered from head to toe in green paint was amazing. Many more were wearing the kind of parafinalia that we Irish wouldn't even wear - 'Kiss me quick I'm Irish' and the like that only the Yanks would wear. It was an odd scenario. Well we did our bit even if the flashing Guinness shamrock I stole from the Irish bar in Kaikoura was forgotten back in the hotel.
The best bit of Wellington is Te PaPa the National Museum. We spent 3 hours there one day and about 5 the next it was brilliant. Maeve really took a big interest in the Maori culture and I nearly had to leave her there for the night, I think she's learning the Haka. The have the famous Giant Squid in the museum. It's a 495kg jelly fish it's massive. It must be 30 odd feet from tip to tip and it's eyes are the size of footballs. And it's kep in a massive stainless steel Formalin bath it stinks.
After Wellington we moved on to Napier. It's known as the Art deco capital of the world and is a very interesting city, only for conflicting bus schedules we'd have stayed more than 1 night. In 1931 a huge earthquake hit the city and what wasn't destroyed by 7.9 on the richter scale was destroyed by the ensuing fire. The ground under the city rose by up to 6 metres. Before the earthquake the city was further back from the sea and had a big swamp between it and the sea. When all this lifted it was easy to drain the swamp and build on it. Of course the big style of the time was Art Deco and the city was rebulit in this style. A lovely little city.
We headed on to Rotorua next. This is the centre for Volcanic tourism and Maori culture in NZ. I liked it more than Maeve but it was probably not worth 3 days. It has lovely gardens and plenty of Spa pools. We headed to Hells Gate - so named by George Bernard Shaw as he though that this must be the entry to hell. We walked around the park and marvelled at pool after pool, one more toxic and hotter than the next. Then after that we hopped into a mud bath for a bit of wallowing and then into the Sulphur baths to clean off. It was a unique experience and one that stays with us even today, a full 3 days later. Not because we found the meaning of life or anything of such importance but because we still stink, ..... badly. The whole of the city of Rotorua smells like a cruel fart let off in a cupboard. The Sulphur smell is omnipresent around the town, in the shops, the pubs, the restaurants, everywhere. Walking around hells gate was the worst it smelled like freshly agitated slurry, gone off eggs and dirst sneeky farts all at once. phewww!!!!
The poor buggers who had to sit around us on the bus the next day must have freared the worst of our digestive systems' health.
Anyway 3 days and about 8 showers later the smell is finally fading away and people are starting to talk to us again. We went out to a Maori Hanga and cultural concert, It was quite impressive and we did see at least 2 Haka's (Maeves practising hard). The hosts were really good and the explained a lot about their culture. Then a play about guns and then the Hanga. This is the traditional way of feasting for the Maori people, They heat rocks for 3 - 4 hours then place meat and the veg and then dessert on top, cover with mud and let the cook away for a few hours, it was delicous.
After Rororua we went to Mount Munganui. A pointless stop I felt but it did have a nice beach. Then on to Auckland where I am now. We've seen a bit of the city and will see more tommorrow hopefully. We were out last night for a nice meal down by the marina, nice food, nice wine and nice and relaxing.
Afterwards we went to minus 5 or -5. It's basically a bar in a large freezer with ice sculptures, glasess made out of ice and the bar is made out of ice, a bit like the ice hotel. You needed to wear a big furry jacket and gloves in there as it was quite nippy. It was expensive to get in and drinks were overpriced but it's just something you have to do. The real scam was you couldn't take pictures in there but lo and behold if they didn't have a photographer there who'd take photos for you, $25 for 1 or $40 for 2, how kind!!!! Maeve, after some coaxing, starting taking a few candid shots when the staff dissappeared. We met a couple of lads from Saudi Arabia who had the same idea. So with one person on guard, a system of bodily gestures agreed, we set about photographing to our hearts content. These session ocassionally interupted by a leg wiggle or rubbing of a runny nose - enter unsuspecting staff member - then exit - then go taking phots again till the next wiggling of the leg. It worked quite well.
A lot of the drivers said not to stay too long in Auckland as it was a dump, the people were rude etc etc, but it's a really nice city and we could easily stay a few more days. I think Kiwi's genuinly love the outdoors and the though of being near a city disgusts them.
I don't blame them it's such a beautiful country, we could easily have sttayed 2 months as many visitors do. Alas tommorrow we're moving on again to Santiago and as ever we're really excited. Well actually when it really got bad in Australia and we were at our lowest ebb we did think about just jacking it in and heading home. Luckily we said since we were so close we'd give NZ a go and take it from there. I have to say that NZ has really given us the taste for travelling again and we can't wait to get going again to a new country and continent.
I appologise for the lack of pictures in these latest blogs but I'll add them as I get time, hopefully in the airport tommorrow.
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davidk
non-member comment
fantastic blog - loving the stories. some experiences. so wish i was doing the same. looking forward to seeing ye and getting the full low down on the trip.. enjoy the next leg of ur trip and keep us posted. .