After
driving through Rotorua quickly to get to Mount Manganui, went back
to see some more of the thermal sites, and
to find out where that
awful smell comes from. We stopped in the municipal park,
to see where the steam was coming out of the ground. There were steaming
hot lakes, and mud pools with little mud bubbles plopping up every few
seconds. But most noticeable of all was the hideous sulphuric stink
which rose with the steam. It was revolting and made us feel a bit sick.
Its an amazing geological phenomenon, but we wish it didn't smell so
bad.
Then
we drove over to Te-Whakarewarewatanga-o-te-Ope-Taua-a-Wahiao, which
is the best main thermal and Maori cultural attraction in the town.
In between the geysers and thermal hot pools, the Maori houses are dotted
around, delicately avoiding hot vents and collapsing ground. In places
the ground was covered by a thin, hot crust, and walls and paths seemed
to be collapsing into new holes every few steps. Some of the water reaches
120 degrees, so it pays to watch your step! As well as heating and baths,
the thermal pools are also used for cooking, with vents used for steaming
meals, and the hot pools used for boiling vegetables. Despite the rotten-egg
smell, the girls both enjoyed a mineral-soaked boiled sweet corn, straight
out of one of the thermal pools.
We
also went to the Maori concert, with eight Maori dressed in traditional
costumes, performing traditional songs and dances. But, of course, we
were all waiting for them to do the haka, made famous by the New Zealand
rugby team. Sitting in the front row, four feet from the tongues, it
seemed pretty scary, so I can imagine what its like with 15 huge rugby
players doing it. Charlotte thought it was great, but Emily was a bit
intimidated by it – so much so that she didn't want to stand with them
for a photograph!
We
queued for a photo too after the show, and decided to take it as seriously
as the Maori troop did. You can see what the Maori lady on my left thought
about it! All in all we had a good time, but at the end of the day we
were
so happy to be leaving town, and leaving the rotten smell
behind. Last time we travelled we stayed in Rotorua, and we even cooked
mussels for dinner – given the smell we've got no idea how we did it!