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Published: February 19th 2006
Heading south on the North Island. Glorious weather follows us round like a love sick puppy. Out of the car window everything is still lush and green.
Enroute to Rotorua, we stop at the Waitomo Caves. This limestone creation includes 'the cathedral', our guide walks us into the depth of its darkness before he raises the lights. We are standing in an amazing space, arched like a church, entirely formed by years upon years of patient dripping. But the best is yet to come. We are taken another level down to the river that flows through the cave, and hop on a boat. We gently float into the cool jet black, but above us on the ceiling of the cave are thousands and thousands of tiny green lights. We are in the heart of a Glowworm Grotto, an underground galaxy. The light of the Glowworm (actually larvae) tricks small flying insects by mimicking a star in the sky. Believing it has found a way out of the cave the insect flies towards the light and gets caught in one the sticky fishing lines the glowworm has lowered. The brighter the glowworm's light, the hungrier it is. Unfortunately, glowworms aren't keen
on unfair competition so there are no photos to show you, just one of the cave's exit.
Onto Rotorua. Famous for it's geothermal activity (volcanoes, geysers, mud pools, thermal lakes). Most of the motels around here have a private spa pool in their grounds heated by a hot natural source. 5% of New Zealand's energy comes from thermal powerstations. I finally learn the right way to pronounce 'geyser' (no, no, it's not a 'geezer') and we are treated to an energetic splurge by Lady Knox Geyser (just add some soap and stand well back) accompanied by delighted squeals from Japanese tourists. The smell of Rotorua is rather funky, with so much sulphur gushing forth. Reminds me rather of eggy Sugar Puffs.
When in Rotorua one simply has to sample a spa. The Polynesian Spa was just down the road from our hotel and we jumped between different pools (choose from hot, bit hotter, far too hot and boil yourself alive) until the prune like affect became too disturbing to continue. Steve lovingly stroked my face with his wrinkly digit and said "this is what we will feel like when we are really really old!". What a lovely thought.
Gloworm Exit
all we were allowed to take. Thanks.Rotorua's other main drawn is it's Maori villages where you can see the ancient traditions still alive and kicking. We decided against attending the cultual show in the village we visited when we overheard them singing 'The Hokey Cokey' and making people dance. Surely that is not an old Maori song! Anyway Steve fled at the very thought so that was the end of that idea.
The Maori families still use the hot thermal pools to cook their food. Apparently one pool can cook an egg in one minute (Darren and Helen, I know you are particularly fascinated by novel ways of cooking eggs so I put this fact in for you). The corn-on-the-cob I tried was very good, sulphur steamed, and thankfully not at all eggy. The overflow from the various pools is syphoned off into bathing tanks and by the end of the day it is cool enough and full enough for people to bathe.
Last but not least - LUGING! Following Katie's hot tip we took the Skyline cable car up the hill and alighted to take a much more exciting mode of transport down. You sit in a little plastic cart which you
can steer and stop. Add this to a smooth windy concrete track and off you whizz. It sounds (and looks!) a little lame, but it is really so much fun. I actually whooped with joy when I finally released the brake and really started travelling. Bit like go-karting crossed with what I imagine bob-sleighing to feel like. Why don't we have these in Britain????? Richard Branson get on to it. Cheaper than Prozac. Steve looked rather sinister in his helmet and was a speed demon. I've just got to get him on a go-karting track.
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helen lord
non-member comment
bath time
is steve in the bath with all the children?