From: "Philip
Merryman" <phil_merryman@hotmail.com>
Date: Thu Apr 11,
2002 07:19:15 AM Etc/GMT
Subject: Hot Wings
Hi all again!
I am now in Rotorua, the
volcanic part of NZ, and you can smell the sulphur in the air all the time!
Tuesday was going to be a
quiet day, even the Magic Bus picked us up at 10am instead if the usual 8. Just a short run to Rotorua where I got
off early as it continued further in the afternoon to its scheduled night
stop. En route we had a quick look
at the Huka Falls. These are not
very high, only a few metres, but are narrow and fast with so they are quite
impressive as a huge amount of water shoots out into the river beyond.
So this left the
afternoon to plan what to do for the next couple of days. However as we got off the bus the
driver wanted to know if we wished to go to a Moari demonstration/concert/meal
that evening, leaving at 6:10pm.
As it was going to be a quiet day I said yes, as I had not seen much of
the Maori and their culture so far.
I wandered into the town
centre, which is about a mile from the YHA, and to the Tourist Info to suss out
some ideas. I already knew that about
50km off the north coast is White Island, NZs only continuously active
volcano. You can get tours out to
it by boat from the nearest coastal town, but that was too far away. A couple of local companies offered
Heli-Hikes: 1hr out, 1hr on the island around the crater, 1hr back. Now these were NOT cheap: NZ$640 per
trip (about 200 Quid) and thus the same as what I had paid for two on the ski
plane! Guess what, two companies
and no one else was interested in the next two days! Excellent weather forecast too! Now once again I could have paid for two, but his time I
thought it was a bit TOO much: 400Quid!!
This may not exactly be a minimum cost trip, but neither is it "no
expense spared" either!! So I
asked about fixed wing fly-overs.
The Info centre lady rang around those too. No flights on the next two days either, but a seat if I go
NOW!!! So I paid up and ran back
to the hostel, grabbed cameras, and waited for the pick up (10 mins to spare in
the end).
This was another
excellent flight. First over all
the lakes around Rotorua and then out over the sea to the island. It was a 4-seat Cessna, so Pilot
and 3 passengers, me and a retired couple from Brisbane. They sat together so again I got the
seat next to the pilot!! :-) He
took the plane on left and right circles over the crater so we could all see
down. It has a green lake which is
actually below sea level and several vents, one considerably the larger,
constantly giving off steam. It
was not exceptionally active, but it was very interesting nonetheless and well
worth the trip. Again I took loads
of pictures. On the way back we
then flew over all the mainland thermal features which are steaming away and
over the, now dormant, craters of the massive eruption in 1886 which left a 7km
gash in the top of one of the, mountains! In fact I think we got more than we
should because the flight should have been about an hour and a half and was
nearer two!
So by the time the
shuttle bus had returned me to the hostel it was already gone 6pm and people
were already waiting for the bus to the Maori event. (Close!) I had used up an entire roll of film and finished
off a video tape in the flight and with only a couple of minutes spare there
wasn't time to change them. Also I
wasn't sure if you were allowed to take photos. during the performance
anyway. So I just left them and
went without. I then almost
immediately found out that all forms of filming were welcome!
The event was very slick
and obviously meant for the tourists, but was interesting nonetheless. We were
welcomed with a tradional challenge of much noise, posturing, face pulling,
stick waving, etc. Very
impressive. There was a replica
Maori Village with demonstrations on carving, singing, dancing, etc. Then a concert in a hall of Maori songs
and dances. Including a haka! :-)
(One of the many other ones, not the rugby one.) Then a meal cooked in the Maori method of using pre-heated
rocks in a pit, placing the food on them in various containers, and burying the
lot in earth for about 3 hours. It
was very good! However there were
many busloads so you were one of a few hundred others!
By the time I got back it
was about 10:30. I then realised
that the Queen Mother's funeral was on in the TV lounge, so I joined the other
Poms to watch it until we were chucked out at midnight to lock up! I had seen most of the important bits
anyway.
So this quiet day ended
up a full rush! I did not bother
to set the alarm for the next morning and woke up at 9.15! So Wednesday became my admin day and I
worked out what to do over the next few days. In the end I decided that I needed another day here so I
rearranged my plans and will go direct from here to Auckland on Saturday
afternoon on a scheduled bus. Thus
I have now left the Magic one!
Today I rushed around
several of the geothermal sites.
These really are amazing with steaming pools, smelling gas (Hydrogen
Suplhide: Rotten egg smell, also familiar as schoolboy stinkbombs!) The lakes and pools in the various
places had many colours, much steam, various deposits of silica, sulphur, and
other chemicals. One of the best
is known as the Artist's Pallette.
It has hot water steaming out of various vents but is quite shallow and
has all sorts of coloured deposits: red green, white and with the steam rising
off it was impressive. Even more
so as it was so smooth you got a reflection. Another place is called Frying Pan Lake. This was created in the 1886 eruption
and is the world's largest hot spring.
A large steaming lake with water bubbling up from beneath and then
flowing out along a stream. A
third site is Hell's Gate. This is
not as big or as picturesque as the others and looks much more like another
planet, but was by far the most active: much steam and smell! Some of the waters in all these places
are literally boiling! In fact
some exceed 100C as the various other contents raise the boiling point! So definitely not a place to go for a
quick swim!
So with my lungs still
full of pungent gas I am off for supper.
More hot stuff, and something else, tomorrow!
Cheers
Phil