20 March 2016 :- NEW ZEALAND:- Rotorua>>Auckland

NEW ZEALAND :-  Rotorua >>Auckland

15th Day: 20.03.2016 

It was around 07:30 when I woke up in my room #21 on the first floor of one of the four apart lodges of the Backyard Inn. First I went down to the hot water pool which is located only 20 meter from my lodge. In the morning, there were no many people and the pool was silent for getting relaxed. The thermal water is coming out naturally from the ground. Almost the whole land under the Rotorua is having natural thermal water.

In the past, with differing intervals two of the volcanos here around had erupted and caused a change on the surface of the land. These underground action still continues.  After half an hour I came back to my room and collected my stuff and prepared my luggage.

I put all my stuff into the car and drove away for visiting the Rotorua Museum. I knew that it opens at 09:00 o’clock and there is a Café at the entrance of the museum where I plan to take mu breakfast. The weather is cloudy and little bit wet.

Rotorua Museum, formerly Bath House, Rotorua

In 5 minutes I reached to the parking area in front of the Museum which had used formerly as Bath House. After having my breakfast, I entered the Museum. They sell a ticket and someone may use it many time on the same day. I started with the ground floor on the left wing of the building. It is a nice interior and way of exposition to have an idea about the past of Rotorua and the relations of the invaders with the native people Maori. I have the understanding that there is a rebellion against the new comers in the beginning of 1800s.

After the settlers of the land are trying to break the resistance of Maori people and establish a life here.

Compared with the natives of Australia –Aboriginals- the Maori people in New Zealand have insisted on their rights more and they are sharing now the daily life and politics together with the European origin people. Most of the town names are based on Maori language. In my opinion, there are two reasons for this equality.

1-    The experience in Australia has has accumulated good know-how to the British people and ruling authorities how to approach to the people in NZ,

2-    The Maori people are much more bound to their location and they are strong warriors and they like fighting in order to protect their territory (this is very clear even in their dances and traditional folklore).

There is no permission to take pictures within the Museum. But I took only one picture in the last hall where there was the history related to the WW1 & 2 had exposed.

As all know, NZ soldiers had been brought to Europe during 1914-1918 to fight on various frontiers in Europe as well in Gallipoli.

Pictures of the NZ Soldiers died in the WW1, Rotorua Museum

After finishing the historical sections I visited also the other parts of the building. I think it is worth to see the remaining baths, taps, furniture, facility from the old time Bath House.

This building has a very special architecture and upper levels had been constructed out of wood. The marvelous workmanship of the connections of the roof beams and columns and the ceilings and staircases is worth to see. In the lower basement beside the plumbing work and some other technical facilities there are a few sections for mud bath remained from the old times.

After the NZ government opened this Bath House in 1908, the people had started to come here from all over world in order to heal and to recover their health with the help of the competence of the nurses, physiotherapists working here.

After getting out the building I drove to the bank of the lake Rotorua. It looks romantic with birds and swans swimming in groups. This lake is the result of the eruptions of the well known volcano in the past.

At the Rotorua Lake, Rotorua

After a short walk at the bank of the lake Rotorua, I drove in my way but I stopped at the side of the big Kairau Park where there are lots of thermal points. The city has taken precautions to avoid people to run in these thermal places and there are enclosures around them. Continuously comes hot water mixed with steam out of these holes whereas there is also mud formation which is rich in minerals.

Thermal exhousts at the Kairau park, Rotorua

Thermal and hot mud exhousts in Kairau Park, Rotorua

Around 12:15, I departed for the long drive to Auckland. There is not any time limitation for me to get there. I will leave the car to AVIS next day morning. I will not hurry on the way back. I drove my car on HW #5 which is the called “Thermal Explorer HW”.

Way back from Rotorua to Auckland

The road and weather condition is good for a comfortable drive. At Tirau I sat for a quick lunch in a small restaurant. The ladies there, were serving hamburgers and similar small stuff.

Small restaurant in Tirau:- Home made melas and hamburgers.

Driving in the direction of Hamilton, I saw a fabulous lake on the left (Lake Karapiro) and I took the exit in order to use country roads. I drove through the villages, orchards, wine yards and then entered the Thermal Explorer HW somewhere just a few kms before Hamilton. Then I drove through Hamilton. This city is an industrialized one and there are a lot of shops and companies selling technical parts and equipment.  

I followed the HW and came to the point (Pokeno) where I had turned for Coromandel 3 days ago. Coming closer to Auckland the traffic was getting heavier because it is Sunday and the people were travelling back home. Heading to Auckland, in the last 15 kms there was queue on the HW and it took around one hour for the last part.

Before going to the Hotel Albion I bought fuel because I must return the rental car next day morning. Then I drove to my Albion Hotel on the Hobson Street. They gave me this time better room which is quite bigger and well-looking compared with the one I stayed 3 days ago. Parking in Auckland is a big problem. It costs huge money. Daily rates are around 18-20.- NZDollars. Only the overnight prices are around 10-12 NZD and I paid for 12 hours parking 10.-NZD on the parking lot which is adjacent to my Hotel. I need to take the car very early in the morning in order to avoid 4.-NZD/half an hour tariff.

After leaving my luggage in my room I started to walk down to the quay using the Queen Street. I looked around visited some shops on the street. It is expensive in NZ as it is the case in Australia. At the wharf of the ferries I bought a ticket for Devonport to go tomorrow.

Then I walked to the west on the Quay Street and found a nice location at the marina.

There are nice restaurants, bars and cafés having a view over the marina and Maritime Museum. I decided to sit at Oyster&Chop and sat at the tall bench type table having nice view.

At the Auckland Marina:- Quay Street, Auckland

I ordered first 6 oysters on rock and a NZ white Mahi wine from the area Marlborough then I took a fish called Habuka. The dinner has been finalized with Ice cream & sorbet. It was a fine dinner (73.-NZD)  and then I started to walk up to my Hotel.

Next day, early in the morning around 05:30 I have to take the car from the parking lot and then to get it closer to the AVIS Car Hire at the Nelson Street.

I took a beer in the Albion Bar which is the ground floor of my hotel and sat there to write my log on my laptop. Around 23:15 I moved to my room in order to sleep.

Good night to everybody from Auckland, NZ.

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.