The snow-capped peak of Mount Ruapehu, the reknowned active
volcano in New Zealand’s Tongariro National Park, sparkled in the sunlight.
Lake Taupo, formed by a volcanic eruption almost two thousand years ago,
seemed to go on forever. To the north of the lake, more like a sea, the
impressive Huka Falls roared like thunder as the foaming water cascaded down.
It is a long flight to New Zealand from the UK. There were
many early mornings and several hours spent in a coach travelling the long
distances between places, but it is all worth it because this country thrills
and excites beyond your wildest imagination.
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| Lake Taupo, |
The highlight of day was the geothermal wonderland of
Rotorua. For the first time, I saw geysers spouting steam and water high into the air and boiling mud pools
all in a surreal setting of volcanic craters, coloured springs and silica
terraces. The strong whiff of sulphur
that fills the air is a small price to pay for what you see.
Nestled in the Pacific Rim of Fire, Rotorua has been a
tourist magnet for years. Besides the geothermal wonders, people flock here to
learn about the Māori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. Its Māori name is Aotearoa,
which translates as the Land of the Long White Cloud.
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| Impressive Huka Falls |
The lively town has plenty of attractions including Lake Rotorua. During a long walk along the shore I was captivated by the sight of black swans dart in and out of the water. A ride on the Skyline Rotorua Gondola is a must for special views of the town. There is a restaurant at the top of the complex ideal for enjoying a glass of New Zealand wine while soaking up the vistas.
For adventure seekers a ride on the luge, a light toboggan,
is guaranteed to give you an adrenaline rush. You can ride your Luge cart on
one of three tracks, dependent on your skill, through twists and turns through
the Redwood forest. Once at the bottom you take the Luge chairlift back up to
the top.
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| A ride on the Skyline Rotorua Gondola is a must for special views of the town |
For further thrills
try the three-seated SkySwing, which elevates you 50 metres above Skyline Rotorua,
stopping for you to take in a view over Lake Rotorua. Then, hanging from your harness, you decide when to go for the
drop as you have the release in your hand. This is not for the faint-hearted.
A trip to Rotorua would not be complete without the
experience of a Māori banquet prepared in a Hāngī (a traditional method of cooking food in a
pit under the ground) and concert.
We arrived at Te Puia in the early evening and were whisked away on a waka (people
mover) for a trip around the valley. To stand in front of the famed Pōhutu
Geyser was the stuff memories are made from. It certainly lives up to
its name which translates as “constant
splashing”. It explodes one or twice every hour and can reach up to 30 metres
(100 feet).
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| The famed Pōhutu Geyser |
Tearing ourselves away from the hot pools and geysers we
made our way to the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute to see
exquisite examples of its work. A visit to the Kiwi House which has its own
breeding programme for the
flightless birds was also on the agenda.
In the meeting house, we watched a traditional Māori
welcoming ceremony in which performers
tell stories through song and dance. Seeing the Haka performed in
front of you is quite
something.
Afterwards, we had a scrumptious buffet dinner. As we left I looked
up and saw the sky covered in a canopy
of twinkling stars.
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| Māori welcoming ceremony |
What a romantic setting. I thought fondly of two leading
lights I had seen earlier at the Agrodome Farm Show. We were introduced to 19
breeds of sheep. The audience were given facts and figures while sheep dogs
showed off their skills. We were also treated to a live shearing demonstration.
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| That is love |
The cast, the sheep, stayed on stage eating, sleeping or resting throughout. Except for two that did not touch their food. Oblivious to what else was going on around them, heads, locked together, they only had eyes for each other. Now that is love!
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
Which city you fly into in New Zealand will depend on where
your tour starts from and therefore, which airline you choose. Highly
recommended are Cathay Pacific cathaypacific.com and
qantas.com The
service and inflight experience is spot on. Ensure that the flight you book is
operated by the company and not just code-sharing
The tour was part of the Grand Pacific Ultimate Small Group
Tours which I booked through Trailfinders (trailfinders.com) as I did the flights
The advantage of travelling aboard the Ultimate Coach is
that instead of carrying the normal 48 passengers, it only carries 20. You sit
in comfort in leather fully-reclining seats so no neck ache at the end of a
long day. (Distances are vast in New Zealand.) There is plenty of personal
storage. It is much easier being in a small group, no hanging around waiting
for people, no long queues for the loos, overall much cosier
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