It's been a while since I've posted on here. It's hard to keep up with the past when your living the present! As anyone that has read my previous blogs will know, I'm back home and teaching. 😑
But that doesn't mean I can't share some of the amazing places i've visited, and this is one of them!
Rotorua
Rotorua is a Lake just North East of Lake Taupo a more famous and popular location but in my opinion not as enjoyable...for me at least.
New Zealand is known for it's Volcanoes and Geothermal activity such as "Hot water Beach", a beach where you can literally dig your own hot tub! It's crazy!
You can read more about Hot Water Beach here
Rotorua is no exception. One thing that hits you quite literally in the face when you arrive is the smell. It stinks! Pretty much like a sewage pipe with rotting fish is the best way I can describe it...yum. 🐟
Speaking of sewage, as you make your way down the roads you'll see steam rising from the drains and other places, even cracks in the pavement and tarmac. It's very odd and when you're used to strict health and safety laws in the UK, it's a breath of [not so] fresh air!
Kuirau
One location I recommend visiting is the local park. This isn't just a normal park, this is Kuirau! Don't expect people to be playing football or having picnics, not with that smell! No this park is a Geothermal park and it's free!
It's a weird place, more of an exhibition than a park. Many of the boiling pools are fenced off to stop people going in (for obvious reasons).
I thought I took pics but alot of the pools are small, brown muddy craters. Not much to look at, but that's not the point.
I spoke to a local there and also read that the volcanic pond there used to be a place where people would bathe. Imagine that! "I'm just popping down the park for a quick soak". Yes it's pond, it's got ducks swimming around casually like any other pond but it's fenced off and probably hot! Lucky ducks!
At the other end of the park, there is another "pond" but this one doesn't look quite as inviting. It is however epic to be standing over it, you can feel the warmth rising. It's like a warm fog...awesome!
I visited this park twice, the second time round I accidently found a spa whilst looking for the toilet! That's right there's a foot spa/hot pool in the park near where the toilets are. You simply take off your shoes, roll up your jeans (or whatever) and take a dip. Let me tell you, it was hot! Very hot, especially at one end. I was in the middle but closer to the hot end so the people at the cooler end had no idea of the tempreture difference between the two. Trust me it's alot! It took a couple of minutes to ease my legs in.
But when I got out I felt amazing! My legs were pink and slightly cooked and my veins were sticking out like crazy but I felt to refreshed afterwards. Thank you earth! 😊
The Luge
The Luge is something that really suprised me, I was told about it before hand and the exact description was "Mario Kart for adults".
Who doesn't love a bit of Mario Kart? Am I right?
What is the Luge?
Well, it's hard to explain. It's a cross between a tabogon, a go-kart and a bike. (Ag least in my opinion) Can't picture that? Here, this may help:
How does it work?
It's all based on gravity. The course starts at the top of a hill and runs down to the bottom, with tight turns along the way down. This one in particular had a few tunnels too and great places to overtake the slow coaches 😜.
You have control of the steering and the breaks, that's it! If you want to go faster then you must release the breaks fully and pray you don't crash! It's quite scary first time down. Pulling the handle bars towards you lifts off the breaks (acceleration), easing them away is acceleration. I say easing because by default the handle bars pull forwards away from you and if you let them go completely then you apply the handbrake which is not a good idea when you're hurtling down the hill!
Did I mention they only have 3 wheels? 😬
You have to feel how far to push it it, kind of like in a car when you feel the clutch or feel when to change gear. (Manual obviously). If you want to go fast it's essential you use your body weight to lean into the corners. I was on one wheel at one point I was pushing it so hard!
The location of the Luge was great too!
There's really nice view from the top and tons of wildlife on the way up the cable car.
View from the top
It's a two in one deal 😊 If you like bunny rabbits, you'll see plenty around, deer too!
Speaking of bunnies..
I went to the most cute/awesome mini golf in Rotorua. It's not on the big tourist sites and hostels probably don't advertise this place but well worth a visit for $5.00 (I think). It's simply mini golf but with christmas lights, lighting up the courses and bunny rabbits everywhere!
You can touch them/pet them too! They sit on the course quite often making shots quite difficult, especially when they decide to sleep by the hole. Little devils!
They don't hold back on the lighting as you can see!
Definitely give this place a visit if you pass by, the owners are really nice and friendly too!
Kiwis!
How can visit New Zealand without wanting to see a Kiwi?!
Luckily there's a wildlife park, litarally next door to the Luge which offera just that! The park itself is surprisingly good for such a quiet place.
The bird cages are particularly awasome because you can walk through them and if you're secretly a pirate like me, they'll come and sit on your shoulder.
There's also a log flume there if you fancy a ride, it's pretty fun too!
And lots of...
Trout?
Rainbow Trout to be precise, I didn't realise how big they are, some of them are huge! There's a huge tank that goes into a pond, it probably contains about 50?!
Tuatara
Another odd specimen at the wildlife park, the Tuatara simply resembles a Lizard at first. No big deal.
But then you read about them and discover these have been around since the dinosaurs! They're referred to as "living fossils" and when you see one you'll realize why. If I took a video of one, it would look the same as this picture. They can stay unbelievably still and would make the most boring pets! Apparently they have a third eye too although I couldn't see properly because of the reflection of the glass.
Oh did I mention they can live 100 years too?
Anyway....
Back to the Kiwis!
Look at it! And I thought penguins were cute. They're speedy too, like mini Ostriches that hunt in the night. 😉
I admit, it's not a real one. But that's because photo's are strictly prohibited in the Kiwi enclosure and unlike some selfish tourists I actually respect the rules.
I also learnt how big their eggs are compared to a fully grown female..
Woah mama! Next time a woman complains about child birth think of the poor Kiwis! 😜
Where to stay?
I visited Rotorura twice, once with a campervan and the second time with a car. (Getting a camper in New Zealand isn't easy). The second time we parked by the lake and slept in the back of the car. You would think in a place with steam rising from the ground and a volcanic lake it wouldn't be too cold right? Wrong! It was freezing! Coldest night of my life! There was ice...inside the car!
The first stay on the other hand we had a campervan and stopped at in my opionion a hidden gem. The Cosy Cotttage Holiday Park.
It was just a campervan park, nothing special when you drive in, just basically a garden where a few others were parked. But later on I found out that because we were right on the lake, we had access to our own private beach! Not just any beach, a geothermal beach. This is Rotorua after all.
If you recall me talking about hot water beach, this is basically the same but better! Since it's a lake not the sea, there are no waves that come and wash everything away. So you can simply dig away without worrying about the tide.
I saw a few bubbles rising from the shallow water so carefully went to investigate. The water was alot warmer in those areas and you can actually dig to let more warmth in. Once again, your own private, naturural Jacuzzi!
But that's not all, back at the site, there are 3 hot tubs, all of which heated from the earth. One of which was the biggest hot tub I've ever been in..it was basically a pool. 3 meters by 5 meters I'd say and piping hot! Unfortunately I was unable to get the images of this beach and pool so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Red Wood Forest
First of all, what a name! It's like it's straight out of a fantasy movie/game. The redwoods have a famous treewalk where you can walk amongst the trees.
What's special about this one in particular is the nightwalk.
The forest is lit up during the night with what appears to be lanterns and other colourful lights. Sadly we were too late when we got there but it was still well worth a short 5 minute drive. Plus we saw this little guy..
A Bush Baby?! It's massive reflective eye's suggested so.
That pretty much sums up my short stay at Rotorua, however if you thinks that's everything then you're sadly mistaken.
There's another famous geothermal park a short drive away which is well worth visiting too! I'll save that for next time...it deserves it's own post. 😉