I can't believe I'm sitting in Bangkok writing about our final days in New Zealand! Our forty days flew by!
We picked up our last rental car nearly a week ago. Matt found an amazing deal- the company needed the car relocated, so we paid $1 a day for the car. Plus insurance, but $1 a day sounds more impressive. Anyways, we picked it up in Queenstown and shot up the South Island.
We had two goals: get to Christchurch in time for dinner at a Greek restaurant we had discovered the previous time we were there and then get to Picton by noon the next day for the ferry back to the North Island.
We made both cutoffs in plenty of time.
Along the roadside there are fields of lupines growing. I don't think they're native to New Zealand, but they are a nice addition.
We had another peaceful ride on the ferry before disembarking in New Zealand's capital, Wellington. (For any Flight of the Conchord fans, I watched a movie with Jermaine and Murray about a documentary of vampires in Wellington: What We Do in the Shadows. Really ridiculous, but also really great.)
Anyways, we drove a little further and stayed at a farm. They had ducklings and chicks and pigs and cows. We had fun trying to catch everything. We were unsuccessful.
The next day, we continued our drive and entered a different landscape. It was plainer and felt more agricultural. We had left the mountains behind in the South Island. But, as we continued, in the distance volcanoes became visible. Just tall, conical volcanoes, probably not extinct, but surely not active at this moment. You feel so far away down in New Zealand that you forget you're still on the Ring of Fire. Isn't that anazing? We were still so connected to our loved ones in California- just a few volcanoes apart from one another.
Anyways, I love volcanoes (and I love how 2nd graders love volcanoes) so that was exciting.
But, the molten fun didn't stop there! That night we stayed in Rotorua. You smell Rotorua before you see Rotorua. For some reason, someone, long ago, felt the need to build a town on top of sulphur springs. Granted, they're great for relaxing in hot water, but that smell is something. We wondered if certain neighborhoods had less value due to a stronger smell.
The town did have a beautiful building that is their museum now and gardens surrounding it.
Also, New Zealand has some of the most amazing playgrounds I've ever seen. Not sure why we never tried any out...
We did not do any of the hot pools here. We decided that since our shower was enclosed in a "showerdome" and didn't smell of sulphur that would be just as relaxing.
The best part of our time in Rotorua was, hands down, the Maori event.
The Land of the Long White Cloud is the name the Maori gave New Zealand (except not in English, obviously), so it was only fitting we go to a cultural event of the aboriginal people.
It was basically a luau, but for the Maori culture. Loved it. It had everything you could hope for.
We started with a nice, blue cocktail (you know it's good if it's a bright color). Then we walked out towards the forest, but first we all stopped around the BBQ pit where our dinner had been cooking all afternoon.
Before we were released to the buffet we had the cultural event. As we walked into the fern-filled forest torches started burning in the trees as a train of warriors walked high above us, a hint of what was to come.
We walked past a natural spring of fresh water- not sulphuric- that had eels swimming around it. This spring was important to the ancient Maori tribe that lived here and remains on their land to this day.
We walked down to a small river and waited. Finally, we heard the sounds of the warriors as they rowed towards us rhythmically, bulging their eyes and sticking their tongues out. They were pretty intimidating; not a group I would want to run into while tramping through the bush.
Our guide told us the Maori were a fierce group of people often warring between tribes. Many times the wars were due to trespassing and disputes over claims to resources. Or women. Apparently many wars waged for generations over women.
Matt told me that the ancient Maoris practiced canibalism. When it comes to canibals, I am not a lazy traveler, so I googled that fact. They were.
Anyways, once the warriors left their canoe we followed them to a stage set up as a village. Women in traditional clothing were there- even a small child sat in her robe.
We, the tourists, were a tribe encountering the Mitai tribe. When they met each other, warriors would intimidate each other, chiefs would give speeches and a singer would sing.
A brave volunteer took on the role of our chief. Fortunately, they really wanted a volunteer, not just calling on anyone avoiding eye contact with the MC. There was one volunteer.
He took the peace offering, because, as the MC stated, our "tribe of many nations" was not particularly prepared for battle. For starters, our faces weren't tattooed, a clear disadvantage.
After our chief gave a speech of peace, our singer had to sing. I'm not really sure if she volunteered or if someone else volunteered her. I had heard her asking what she was suppose to sing. I did not hear the response, so I didn't know what to expect.
She walked up confidently and stood before the Maori tribe and in a clear soprano voice sang "God Bless America."
Not sure how the entire "tribe of nations" felt about that, but I certainly felt proud.
After the greetings were done and peace was established between the two tribes, we were given a great presentation on Maori life.
They sang for us, danced for us, demonstrated their weapons and fighting and explained the importance of the facial tattoos. The women participated in most of the singing and dancing and while they don't stick out their tongues, a tactic used only by warriors as a challenge or intimidation, they do bulge their eyes. Honestly, a single woman bulging her eyes was more frightening than a group of men sticking out their tongues. When she bulges her eyes, you know she means business.
When the show finished, we enjoyed a huge meal of lamb, chicken, salad, potatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes au gratin, stuffing, gravy and mint sauce. It totally made up for missing Thanksgiving dinner this year.
After dinner, we walked back out to the spring to see glow worms along the rocks just above the water. It was like the night sky hovering just on the banks of the water. It was beautiful.
So, that was a cultural event to remember.
After that satisfying night, we journeyed onward. We had a couple more nights to explore the Coromandel peninsula. We just drove along stopping at little beach cafés when we felt like a chai or stopping at beaches when we felt like a walk.
We tried to run on a beach, but the shells were so amazing that I was quickly (and conveniently) distracted. So, we collected shells instead.
We stayed at Cook's Beach and in the evening walked out to the beach that sits in a bay. It was stunning and so peaceful.
The next morning we walked/ran (no shells to distract) down to Cathedral Cove. It's a beautiful beach tucked in to the rocky cliffs. The rocks have eroded into arches and caves. We were surprised by its beauty. On our way back up, we stopped at Stingray Bay and Gemstone Bay. Both beautiful in their own ways.
(I'm a woodland creature and Matt's a cave-dweller.)
We had planned on also visiting Hot Water Beach. There is a hot water spring just below the rocks, so you can dig a hole in the sand that fills up with hot water and relax in it. Apparently, it's so hot that you need to let it mix with the cool ocean water so you don't get burned.
We wanted to see this phenomenon. Unfortunately, you have to be there at low tide or the water is too high to dig a hole; we missed low tide.
Later we saw a picture of Hot Water Beach. It is a very small area of the sand and a lot of people come and dig their holes. It would have been interesting to see, but I think we dodged a stressful situation.
Anyways, we continued our drive and just enjoyed the scenery and the small oceanside towns that were coming back to life for the summer. The grassy hills were definitely reminiscent of the Shire- you could almost see hobbits gleefully skipping across the hills.
Oh, we should have reenacted that.
After we explored the area and enjoyed the coast it was time to return our car and fly back to Bangkok.
Our last couple days were the rainiest days we had. I think that Long White Cloud was crying because we were leaving. (Do you like how I made the weather an emotional response to our itinerary? Over the top? I think so.)
It's sad to leave, but we also feel like it's time. We tramped in New Zealand, we ate lamb in New Zealand, we stayed on the "right" side of the road and avoided a collision in New Zealand. Overall, a very satisfying visit. I'm glad Matt wanted to come back here and show me this lovely little country.
For now, though, we are on our way to Bali, where we are going to warm up, see some more volcanoes and, fingers crossed, get a little bit of a tan and probably buy some handicrafts and try not to dwell on Christmas. Apparently, I have quite a bit to accomplish in Bali...
