Advertisement
Published: March 10th 2006
Edit Blog Post
Sulphurous Gases
One of the many geothermal pools at Rotorua Tuesday 31st January - Friday 3rd February
We arrived safely into Auckland, New Zealand and after a very thorough customs search of all agricultural related products (including our walking boots!) we were met by Catriona and Daniel George and Catriona's mum, Leila, who was also visiting at the same time.
It was great to see them, be with old friends and perhaps best of all not having to negotiate with any airport taxi drivers! It was a bit of a challenge trying to fit all of our luggage into the car but we made it and set off for Rotorua, passing through MataMata on the way, the setting for Hobbiton in the Lord of the Rings films.
ROTORUA
This is about half-way between Auckland and Catriona and Daniel's place in Taihape but a 'must see' in New Zealand with all the hot springs and mineral pools. Cat and Daniel had booked us into a wonderful campsite with log cabins and onsite mineral bathing pools. What more could we ask for!
We had a very relaxing couple of days there, exploring the interesting geological environment and educating ourselves on the history of it all at the excellent
Rotorua Museum.
One of the highlights in Rotorua was going to a Maori dinner and concert at a local reconstructed Maori village. This was a fascinating experience which threw us right into the culture from the moment we stepped on the tour bus to go there. A Chief was elected from amongst all the tourists to accept the peace token that we would hopefully receive from the Maori chief at the gates of the village. Before being able to accept the peace token, however, we watched in awed terror at the 'Haka'. Yes, this is the famous tribal war dance done by the All Blacks before each of their rugby games, but it comes out of this ancient Maori tradition. The aim is to test the motives of any unknown visitor. If they mean harm, then hopefully they will be frightened off by the gut-wrenching grunts and wild eyed stares of these intimidating warriors.
Thankfully we were deemed to be a peaceful lot of visitors, offered the peace token and welcomed into the village. We were then able to wander round observing the traditional arts and crafts and practices in a reconstructed setting. After this we were led
into their village hall and given a wonderful concert of Maori singing finished off by a feast of traditional food (yams, roast lamb and stuffing), cooked in their ground oven by the geothermal heat. Delicious!
Friday 3rd - Sunday 5th February
We set off for Taihape. What a beautiful country! Mile after mile of amazing rock features, unusual plants and flowers (which Leila knew all the names for!) and fresh clean air. We drove past Lake Taupo where Cat, Daniel and Leila were brave enough to go swimming. It is summer in New Zealand but the volcanically formed lakes do not heat up much. We arrived at their farmhouse home 10 miles out of Taihape in time for lunch.
They are truly blessed in their setting as you can see from the photos and we enjoyed some good walks up the valley. At the end of the valley is a bungee jump and flying fox ride. We decided to give that a miss!
We attended church with the family on Sunday. It was great to be back in a christian worshipping community after our travels through so many different cultures.
Monday 6th - Wednesday 8th
February
WELLINGTON
We left Cat, Daniel and Leila for a couple of days to visit another friend in Wellington, at the south of the North Island.
Anna Griffith, Fiona's friend from the Blackwells Music Shop in Oxford, is now back in her homeland. We were made very welcome by Anna and her housemates and enjoyed seeing much of the recent history of New Zealand which centred around this area. We happened to be there on Wellington Day, the day the treaty was signed between the Maori's and the British opening up the way for the British to settle more of the land. We enjoyed going round the Te Papa Museum and then up the hill on the tram to the Botanic Gardens. We even managed to take in an interesting lecture in the Planetarium explaining the Southern skies at night.
Sadly, we didn't make it to the South Island this time. As we only had ten days we decided to save the South Island until the next time when we can do it properly. We will definitely be back in New Zealand.
Wednesday 8th February
Fiona decided to get baptised. This was not a
'Home on the farm'
Catriona and Daniel with their house in the background sudden decision but something that she had been considering over the past few years. Although already a believer and confirmed in the Church of Scotland, she has struggled with Jesus' command to 'Believe and be baptised' suggesting that baptism comes after believing and so she finally 'took the plunge', so to speak, and had an adult baptism conducted by Catriona and Daniel's minister in the swimming pool of the local village school. It was a lovely service and for Fiona marks a recommitment and deepening of her faith after a very challenging few years which God has led her through. Praise be to Him!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.272s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 9; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0543s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb