Print

Smelly Rotorua

Written by Nadine Zangerle on . Posted in New Zealand

Situated on a big lake Rotorua is one of the top touristy areas of New Zealand. The town’s hot and steamy thermal activity and healing mineral pools attracts a lot of people all year round.

The smell of rotten eggs of hydrogen sulphide gas is not so pleasant but the thermal reserves with its geysers is fascinating. At the visitor center we decided to visit Te Puia and the next day Wai-O-Tapu with its champagne pool.

Next to geysers (world famous Pohutu geyser), mud pools and a kiwi house, Te Puia had a Maori village with a Meeting House and carving/weaving school. On our tour around the reserve we met a Canadian girl we had already talked to at the visitor center. So we spent the rest of the day together. After all this smelly attack against our nose and senses we decided to walk around the Redwood Forest with its impressive trees.

The next day we drove to Wai-O-Tapu, the Thermal Wonderland south of Rotorua. Wai-O-Tapu means sacred waters and the colourful and diverse volcanic area was really stunning. The area of 18 sq.km at the volcanic dome of Maungakakaramea is covered with collapsed craters, boiling mud pools and steaming fumaroles. With the different mineral elements you got a crazy colour mix.

Especially the champagne pool and the Devil’s Ink Pots with its red and green colours was amazing. The bird’s nest crater is a perfect nesting area and the heat rising up the walls incubates the eggs. How great nature can be.

After a great day we drove around the coastline of Lake Taupo on our way to the west coast.

Print

Exploring the Central North Island – Coromandel Peninsula

Written by Nadine Zangerle on . Posted in New Zealand

So we drove around the coast of the Central North Island along beautiful beaches. The rugged Coromandel Peninsula with its Bay of Plenty beaches is a very popular spot especially for fishing, surfing, swimming and bush walks.

And there it was – my birthday. So we wanted to spoil ourselves and went to a campground with power and hot shower. The next morning I got a self cutted chocolate, shaped as a heart with a burning match as a birthday cake. We got very creative while camping as you can see. I enjoyed the hot shower and the shampoo was just washed out when the shower turned cold. So let’s start the day.

At Whitianga I carved my own Maori pendant. With a bit of instruction and patient it actually looks quite good. So I chose a fish hook since it was one of the easier forms to carve. There are different materials to choose, such as bone (cowbone), shells, horn, greenstone (jade) or kauri gum. Luckily for whale bones you need a special permit from the government and are only granted to traditional tribes of the Maori. My pendant is made of bone.

Since the sun was following us we went to Cathedral Cove, a massive cathedral-shaped covern in Hahei. The panoramic view was worth the walk and the beaches here are stunning. Unfortunately for swimming it is a bit to cold so only observing and taking pictures. And you know we love to take pictures.

Print

Auckland – a volcanic city

Written by Nadine Zangerle on . Posted in New Zealand

On a brilliant sunny day we strolled through Auckland. The big skyscrapers in the District Area are very similar to other cities so we decided to have a different view of the city. From the Sky Tower we had a great sight.

Auckland is spread over 1 000 sq km and is surrounded from water. The harbor and especially Westhaven Marina was very impressive. It is said that Auckland has the greatest number of pleasure boats per capita of any city in the world.

Via the Queen Street we went over to the Old Government House and the Old Arts Building And Clock Tower back to the car. Than we drove over to One Tree Hill, a dormant volcanic cone once a site of a large Maori fortification. The view over the city and the area was beautiful.

The next day we wanted to have some cultural experiences so we went to the Auckland Museum. The Maori dances were very special and we were impressed especially by a stick game. Each player has two short sticks and you have to throw them to each other without dropping them. Best is when it comes to four players. Amazing. It was ment to train your concentration and coordination.

After the cultural performance we took a guided tour with an 81 year old Maori woman. It was fascinating to get all those cultural experiences from someone who actually lived that way and could tell us more about here tribe and her village. It seemed the displays came to live.

Even thought the white settlers and the Maori people didn’t have the best start they found a better way of living together. The culture and tradition of the Maoris is what makes New Zealand so special.