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Published: August 6th 2007
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Lake Taupo ripples
Its amazing the photos you can get with a setting sun, peaceful lake and a huge piece of rock. I can quite honestly say that after 228 days of travelling we haven't had more than a few that could be described as 'boring' or 'miserable' - but the two days after the Parry clan headed back to Blighty nearly doubled our trips 'bad day' count as we both went cold turkey on family and headed north to New Zealand's capital Wellington (or Welly to its residents).
I don't know if my frame of mind slightly clouded my judgement of Christchurch - but I didn't really like it and was glad we had spent all of our time on the South Island in the great outdoors. But after 2 weeks of some of the freshest fresh air on the face of the earth I was looking forward to the bright lights of yet another capital city (Welly would be #6 - the only one we missed was Canberra, which doesn't really count).
Let's just say that Welly isn't quite Tokyo, and it definitely isn't Hanoi. It's the sort of place that an American tourist might describe as 'cutesy' which translates to very small and its only bright lights are those energy efficient ones on a dimmer switch (it's a
Classic Wellington postcard shot #1
and like I said, that aint no cable car!!! very green city).
By the end of our first morning we had almost walked its entire length (and we had stopped for coffee) so we jumped aboard its 'cutesy' olde worlde cable car (which is in fact a steep train!!?) to the botanic gardens where for some reason we were enticed into an Observatory on the promise that for $5 we could look at the sun through a telescope. It wasn't until after we had paid our $5 that the man with the strange eyes told us that the sun wasn't up to much at the moment, but if we came back in 5 years it "would be going crazy" (I was going to ask if we could wait but the look in his strange eyes told me he wouldn't appreciate the joke).
After a look around the modern art gallery (when you are back on a budget the free stuff is always appealing) which among other things had a selection of photos containing sheep in wooly jumpers and a 'popcorn mountain' we showered, ate 'Chris Martin burgers' (a dish I invented using large mushrooms instead of beef burgers) and headed out to sample Wellington's nightlife.
We were
Matt, Carla and Kevin Spacey
You have to admit, it does look like a Kevin Spacey!!!...doesnt it?? looking for a subterranean signless place called 'Good Luck Bar' which was themed on a Chinese Opium den - and when we found it we discovered that it was so hard to find that we were the only ones in there (except for the 2 communists slumped in the corner chasing the dragon). The bartender - who we could hardly see as it was so dark - told us that the Gomez gig (who by the way, we had seen out shopping on 'trendy' Cuba Street earlier in the day) had sold out its 500 tickets which equates to about the whole drinking population of Welly on a Thursday night. Needless to say we eventually felt our way to a table and actually enjoyed having a Chinese Opium den to ourselves for once (seriously though - it's a very cool place if you manage to find it).
Day two saw us seeking out even more free stuff and spending nearly 3 hours in the Te Papa museum - which Carla labelled as 'the best museum of our trip'. She wasn't far wrong - as museums go it was pretty good and well worth the entrance fee (if there had
Poor Tinky Winky.....he didnt stand a chance
Carla surveys the damage after the missile attack on Teletubby land (craters of the moon, Taupo) been one)
I even felt the urge to drop a whole dollar in the donation box - that's 38p folks, but 38p more than I gave the modern art gallery (a mountain.....made of popcorn?)
That night we continued our learning curve of New Zealand's Maori history and treated ourselves to a meal out at a Maori owned restaurant that proudly cooks up and serves only traditional grub in a pretty cosy and nice atmosphere. The food was good - although let's just say there may be a reason why Maori cuisine doesn't have quite the Worldwide reputation as Thai etc - and for those of you that speak fluent Maori, here is what we ate -
Hupa Hua Whenua (to start, as the platter we ordered for mains was described as only enough to fill a skinny white girl) followed by a Tangaroa platter with Kuku, Kina Kohere, Tio Repe, Hupa Kaimoana, Kaangu and Wai with Parada.
The experience was made even more authentic by the owner of the restaurant serenading us all with such Maori classics as 'I don't like cricket, I love it' and a rousing rendition of 'Hotel California' including an epic 10 minute
The road to Taupo
A well needed Toilet/photo stop up in the North islands mountains (I hadnt been to the toilet at this point) guitar solo during which somebody actually got their lighter out.
Our planned trip north to Auckland meant hiring a cheapo car which we collected the following day. We named the white two door Toyota Vitz that waited for us (for clearly obvious reasons!) Kevin Spacey and left Welly having enjoyed New Zealand's tiny capital much more than Christchurch, although I doubt there are many capital cities that you can fully see in 2 days (I reckon 1 would have been enough).
Our first stop was Wanganui - 3 hours north of Wellington through countryside that paled into insignificance compared to our recent south island journeys - and although the sun shone throughout it was best described as flat, green and sheep infested. Our nights stay was in a lovely old colonial house that had been given YHA status by converting some outbuildings into 'cabins' that were half the price of the ensuite rooms in the main house.
It was Saturday afternoon so we walked into town, only to be followed and growled at by a madman before realising that the place was deserted except for boy racers and 'pesky kids' who had filled the fountain with washing powder
Are we nearly there yet?
The walk up to the summit of Mount Tauhara began pretty straight forward...but we were heading for the higher peak to the right, some 3600 ft above our starting point. sending streams of foam down the high street.
The only decent two places in the whole town were a 'cutesy' art deco cinema and a big old pub with open fires - so we took advantage of both before returning to our hostel and enticing a nervy local into a conversation about Maoris, politics and the potential risks of picking up hitch hikers.
The following day Kevin Spacey took us three more hours north to Taupo, a town on the banks of the New Zealand's biggest lake (in fact a volcanic crater filled with water) and to one of the most bizzare sights I have ever seen.
'Craters of the Moon' is a one hour walk through green and lumpy terrain where the extreme geothermal activity sends bubbling mud and columns of steam to the surface creating a weird landscape that is like nothing I have ever seen. The only way I can describe it is by saying it's like the aftermath of a scud missile attack on that place where the Tellytubbies live....yep, it's that weird....and it's hot and smells of fart.
Taupo itself rests between the shores of Lake Taupo and Mt Tauhara and on our
Lake Taupo at sunset
The shear size of NewZealands biggest lake, makes Taupo feel more like a 'sea side resort' than a 'perched on the edge of a volcanic crater' resort final day we decided to ditch Kevin Spacey and walk up the mountain. This was no mean feat and although our sun tans may have faded our spirits certainly havent and after dodging angry cows and enduring a continous hour and a half climb through dense forest we reached the top, only to find 3 Germans had beat us to it! (but even that couldnt take away from the fantastic views)
It is only since the climb that I have done some research into Mount Tauhara and I think you will agree that the following Wikipedia entry makes impressive reading, especially as we both couldnt be arsed to walk to the shops back in the UK.
Mount Tauhara is a dormant stratovolcano, 3569 feet (1088 m) high, situated within the Taupo caldera towards the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. It is 6 kilometres (4 mi) east of the town of Taupo, New Zealand, next to the northeastern shore of Lake Taupo.
Our next stop is Rotarua, the spiritual home of New Zealands Maori and the centre of the islands Volcanic and Geo-Thermal activity.........we have been warned that the eggy fart smell gets even worse
Wellington and its Steel moon
This huge metal sphere apears to hang in mid air outside the art gallery from here on in.
peace
MandCandKS
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Trev
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Kevin Spacey Car
Would love to get Mum a Kevin Spacey car,do they come in automatic?Though I suppose the gearbox would be bigger than the car! Must be one of the few times the weather has been better here than it appears where you are.Said to be 24o at the weekend.Keep the blogs coming.---Love Ya! TrevXX