New Zealand - Part 1

 

First impressions of New Zealand - not good. Found out there were no buses to Hamilton from the airport. Paid for a bus to Auckland, was dropped off at the wrong point. Trudged through the centre to find the bus station, took the long route. Found out I had the wrong numbers for my friends in Hamilton, couldn't get through on the phone. Finally got on the bus. Caught taxi to a very surprised Andy and Michelle.

2nd impressions of New Zealand - fantastic! It gets better and better. At least it started on a low which means it's only up from then.


Hamilton

Hamilton was my first port of call, and it meant I saw Andy and Michelle for the first time in years. It was great. I got the chance to recover after Sydney too! We went for a BBQ at a friend of theirs and I noticed that Kiwis use gas barbecues. Ok so it's easier, but takes the whole ritual out of waiting for the fire to light!

Michelle had her hen night on the Saturday - 80's theme! so we scoured the shops for anything fluro and surprisingly found loads. Plus I got to see most of the bars and clubs of Hamilton all in one night.

We also took a trip to Waitomo caves to go black water rafting. Much fun! We all looked rather attractive in our wetsuits and helmets, and then got the pleasure of sticking large rubber rings onto our bums! The rafting involved jumping backwards off platforms and waterfalls into the river, creeping through caves, zipping down rapids and leisurely floating along gazing at the glow-worms that sparkled above our heads. It was quite an experience and I'd definitely recommend it.

One thing I forgot to mention, it had actually rained every day I was in Hamilton. It was sunny for a short while, but that was whilst I was rafting underground! Typical!


Rotorua

Everybody had gone on about how bad Rotorua smelt. However it wasn't as bad as they made out, you just got an odd whiff of rotten eggs every now and again. It was only really bad if you were standing by a sulphur pool, of which I had seen many of by the end of my time there. Plus it rained a lot there and that may have helped. (More rain)

I went the Maori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Whakarewarewa (it has a longer name but there's no way I could spell that!) to see the pools, geysers and mud. It was fascinating seeing smoke rising and boiling water bursting out of the ground, kind of scary too. They also had a kiwi house (they are odd creatures!) and a Moari concert. Seeing the Haka live was astounding, imagining 1000 Moari warriors doing it before battle sent shivers down your spine.

The experience of a Hungi Concert was amazing too. That is the traditional Maori feast. They dig a hole, put wood over it and stones on the wood, then they light it. As the wood burns through the stones fall into the hole. Then the food is put on the stones and water poured in before earth is put back into the hole and it's all covered with wet sacking. They leave it for around 4 hours, then eat! However before we got to sample the food we had to meet the Maori tribe. There was a traditional greeting (peace dances followed by pressing noses) and then displays of dancing. I'd had no idea that poi (balls on the end of string twirled around the body) came from Maori culture. They demonstrated Maori weapons and tattoos. And when it finally came to the food, that tasted gorgeous!

By the end of my time in Rotorua I was ready to leave, I'd seen numerous coloured pools (some fluro green!) lots of steam, boiling mud and geysers. Nice place to see. It did feel like you were on another planet though!


Napier

The first thing to mention has to be the journey there. Driving through the mountains was simply stunning. Rolling hills, many cliffs, hoards of trees, no sign of development. Fantastic.

And the welcome into Napier was great in itself! Big hugs from my Aunt Uncle and cousin Bianca! I had not seen them for 10 years. Their house was amazing, perched on the top of a hill over looking Napier and the sea. Seeing cousins Jess and Alistair when they came into the house was super too, more hugs!

Napier was quite surreal. Most cities seem grey and dull - but not there. In 1932 there was a huge earthquake that destroyed nearly all of the city. When it was rebuilt most of the buildings were designed in an art deco style. I went on an art deco walking tour which was fascinating. Many of the buildings were art deco in and out, others just the outside. They also have an art deco weekend at the end of February each year where the whole town dresses up and it's supposed to look like a scene out of a film!

Whilst I was in Napier there was a jazz weekend on at the wineries, so I got the chance to sit out in the sun (at last - sun!) drinking wine and listening to some nice live music. That was good. There are wineries all around Napier, I went wine tasting at two, the Mission (which used to be a monastery until they were pressurized into selling their wine to the public!) and Church Road Winery (where I'd seen jazz music).

One thing about Kiwis, they are so green. They recycle everything, care for their plants and animals, and want to keep their land undeveloped. However mention Possums to them and they will tell you how they battered one with a stick just the night before! It's insane, such a caring community takes great pride in running over these animals. Ok so it's a pest and eats 1000's tonnes of foliage a day. Is the violence necessary?! I don't know how many people use humane traps for them. I went to Opossum World which sells virtually anything made of possum. (handcuffs, head bands, insoles, kiwi dolls) They also told you all the ways to kill them!

Anyway - There was also a seahorse farm where they bred seahorses to sell to the Chinese for an aphrodisiac, and a wool farm that bred sheep for their hides.

Ooh and not to forget the Gannets! I went on a tractor ride along the beach to Cape Kidnappers which was super fun. They ride through the sea and over rocks. Me and Bianca loved it. At the cape is a gannet colony, with 1000's of birds there. The geology of the cliffs was also interesting, there are many fault lines and rock falls along the way.

Napier was great. Seeing the relatives again even better. I hope it's not so long until the next time. I felt very sad departing but knew I had to move or I'd never get to see New Zealand.