19 March 2016:- NEW ZEALAND :- Coromandel >> Rotorua

NEW ZEALAND :- Coromandel >> Rotorua

14th Day: 19.03.2016 

It was around 08:00 o’clock when I woke up in the Harbor View Hotel. I collected my stuff (shoes, socks) from the balcony of the room where I had put them for getting dried. My shoes and socks were now in a better condition. Anyway I have spare items, too. No worry about it.

At the check-out I asked the guy at the reception (most probably he is the owner of the facility) which road to Rotorua would be his suggestion. He advised me to use the route which I was on yesterday. It is the coastal road #25 which takes to Thames. I asked him about the shorter route which goes to the east to the ocean. He mentioned that it is a dirty road and there might be some pit holes as well. This second alternative was sounding good to me.

Then I drove to the town and sat at the café just beside the Restaurant Umu. I ordered a toast made of grain bread with cheese and tomato. I drank my cappuccino and then I drove in the direction of Rotorua. 

Map showing my route from Coromandel to Rotorua:- 2nd day if the tour

Just a few hundred meters from Coromandel there is the start of this road marked on map with “yellow”. I took this way and I start to drive in south-east direction. The road conditions is perfect; nicely paved road and goes in a fantastic nature. I have to say that this road would be my favorite if I would have my motorcycle with me. Fluent curves, perfectly asphalt paved road.

After 2 hours, around 11:00 o ‘clock I made a stop in Tairua. This is a small town at the sea side. The people are visiting this town mostly for its beaches. I bought some postcards and sent them to some of my friend. This is second "nostalgic postcard attempt" after Fremantle. I had also sent postcards from there. 

There is a cone shaped hill at the sea in Tairua. It is very close to the town. I made some pictures of it. 

Cone shaped hill behind me, Tairua

Tide in te Pasific Ocean, Tairua

Tide in the sea.

After the coffee stop at Tairua, I drove further south to Whangamata, Whiritoa, Waihi and Katikati. I stopped in Katikati for a lunch break at the restaurant where I ate a “lamb salad”. Lamb is very tasty in NZ and I liked the 6 slices of lamb medallions very much. 

After the lunch I followed the High Way #2 to Tauranga. This HW is called “Pasific Highway”. By passing Tauranga I took the route to Rotorua. This is the city where I am going to stay overnight. Approaching Rotorua my GPS said that I need to take the Thermal Explorer HW which is #5 HW. There was also some rain between Tauranga and Rotarua. Anyway, I arrived at my Hotel “The Bakyard Inn” which is located on the Tarewa Road. It was around 15:30 when I reached to the hotel.

I moved to my room 21 in a bungalow complex with 4 private entrances. The room was on the 1^st floor and was big but not well prepared. Towels were missing and I informed the lady in the reception. As soon as I arrange my luggage and my daily bag I went to the reception and we booked the authentic (=artificial) traditional Maori evening and we fixed to go to the Mitai Maori Village at 18:00.  I paid 85.-NZD. Unfortunately this is a kind of a show organized professionally by the –civilized- Maori tribe at their former village. They are no more living in the village and they only play in the show.

After booking the show and dinner, I drove with my rental car to the downtown of Rotorua.

I got out at the Rotorua Museum which was in the past a Bath house. The bath house building with its romantic past opened in 1908 and was designed along the lines of European spas at that time. Rotorua is being characterized with the natural thermal waters and mud. The building is set in the Government Gardens created in the 1890s.

Formerly Bath House; now Rotorua Museum

There are thermal water/steam exhousting from the earth, Rotorua.

Hot mud in the park area.

The museum closes daily at 18:00 o’clock and it was approx. 17:45 when I took the car and drove to the Mitai Village at the Fairy Springs Road for the show & dinner. There is a big parking lot at the village. Some people dressed in Maori type of clothing are welcoming people and checking the names on their list. There are three big tents arranged for dinner.

The wooden sculpture at the entrance of the Mitai Maori village.

A Maori guy came and introduced the village and informed about the itinerary of the evening. The audience/visitors were mostly tourists from 20 different countries.

Then we have been taken to the side banks of an artificially created didge and a Maori waka –wooden boat with paddles- comes from one end and passes among the visitors.

After this show with waka these Maori men came up to the scene in the show tent. They make a cultural performance and after the show they serve the Maori food “hangi”.

In the natural bush settings, the performance takes the people back in time when the ancient Maori customs and traditions were part of their everyday life. They sing and dance and tell some tales and legends.

After the show we have been taken to the dining area. They served the traditional food “hangi”. Hangi is a steam cooked meat, chicken and potatoes. As a side dish they also gave salads, and some other stuff.

Steam oven. Under the cover chicken, meat and potatoes is cooked.

 The program was scheduled to end up at 21:00 o ‘clock but I left around 20:30 and drove to the down town. I walked in the city and then drove to the Hotel.

I started to sleep. Good night from Rotorua.