Volcano Climbing to Haka Dancing...

Day 19, Friday 20th March 2009: Christchurch – Wellington

Taking advantage of the library’s free wifi to catch up on the world and what’s been going on while I’ve been living in Angie killed most of the few hours left in Christchurch before catching the late afternoon flight to Wellington. The remainder was spent wandering around the Cathedral Square market and listening to the Discworld Wizard pontificating from his stepladder and enjoying the cheap lunchtime fish and chips.

The flight itself was ridiculously short. No sooner had we set off and the seatbelt sign flashed off then the pilot was announcing we were about to descend and to put our seatbelts back on. Supposedly a 45 minute trip I doubt we were in the air any longer than 30 minutes. Still I was most relieved not to be taking the torturous ferry trip from Picton which we worked out was over double the cost in comparison to our flight tickets. The journey, brief as it was, was enlightened by the most humorous cabin crew I have had the pleasure to fly with. The hostess in charge started off the safety drill by introducing herself her crew as Sandy, Candy and Mandy and herself as Randy...she then proceeded to mix up her spiel with hilarious commentary mostly pointing to the ridiculousness of all the obvious things she was compelled to say. She had the whole aeroplane in stitches as we tried to work out whether she had one too many to drink before boarding or whether this was her style!

A Super-shuttle took us from Wellington airport directly to the door of the hostel we had booked, Worldwide Backpackers. Set on The Terrace, just off the main square of the city, it was primarily a long term backpackers stay with most of its inhabitants having been there several weeks at least and we were met with a garden full of young people gearing up for their Friday night. We had encountered real difficulties trying to book anywhere for the night and were fortunate to have got just a four bed dorm at this hostel which we shared with two girls.

It was a case of dumping the bags and heading out to explore and make the most of the one night we had in the capital. Wellington didn’t disappoint! The buzziest, liveliest most city-like city I have come across in New Zealand yet we had a great night exploring the main hub of the city dining out at Leuven’s on posh gastro food and enjoying the multiple drinks offers in the many bars which ended up with us drinking 2-4-1 Bubbles by the end of the night.....

Day 20, Saturday 21st March 2009: Wellington – Greytown

Turns out that the only room we could find available in Wellington happened to be the one next to the kitchen in the hostel so even though we didn’t get to bed until well after midnight sleep was another couple of hours arriving given that every single person in the hostel seemed to congregate in the kitchen...

Generous portions taken of the free breakfast set us up well to begin exploring the city by daylight. Due to pick up our new Escape campervan at the railway station at 11am we fitted in a ride on the creaky, quaint red cable car up to the Botanic Gardens and then walked back down through the grounds.

Having spied many Escape vans during our southern island tour we had been trying to guess what would be sign written onto the side of ours. I had joked that a big fat cake would perhaps be most appropriate given the frequency of our patisserie visits so it was hilarious to find that on one side of our new van was an Alice and Wonderland faced tea party with a jolly eyed slab of chocolate cake and comic teapot and cups! This was countered on the other side by a giant ashtray filled with pixie faced cigarettes bathing next to some pointy-nosed take away coffee cups....

Downsizing from our previous hi-tops I was a bit wary of the smaller sized van but in actuality it was just as large but without the added height. It also had more basic kitchen facilities with a one gas bottle stove that you have to cook on outside of the van with the back door open and a tiny pump water sink and an eski as opposed to a fridge. It will involve a certain amount of readjustment but once we had packed everything away and filled up with a New World shop it was fine.

Our first stop in the van was to the house that Katherine Mansfield was born in. A contemporary of the Bloomsbury sect and counting Virginia Woolf as her only female friend in the world I was keen to visit as she was instrumental in shaping the modernist technique of writing and her short stories were crafted with this design in mind. The house had been restored by the Katherine Mansfield Society and where it had once been a picturesque detached building now lies in the centre of a triangle of busy highways. A self-guided tour takes you around the building pointing out all the literary references it held in the works of KM (as she liked to call herself). As a Kiwi who left her native country for good aged 21 (after several years spent in London led to her describing her brief return to New Zealand as a type of provincial imprisonment in which she felt friendless and without hope) her writings are filled with a combination of nostalgia and fondness that increasingly intrudes upon her material as she gets older. Having not known anything about KM’s circumstances I found the tour and house fascinating though I wasn’t allowed to stay for the documentary much to the sadness of the ladies who ran the house and reminded me of my favourite Oxford librarians!

Lunch in town at the Kapai salad bar was followed by an afternoon spent at the brilliant Te Papa museum. The walk from the car park to the museum along the waterfront was feted out for a dragon boat racing charity competition which we watched en route. The museum is so large that you could easily lose a whole day. Restricted, as ever, by time I chose to explore the fourth floor where the exhibitions took you through a history of Maori occupation before the shameful land-stealing of western colonisers that was only recently restored in the 1990s after 150 years and several generations of campaigning.

We left Wellington in the late afternoon just as the infamous wind brought rain to the city and stopped an hour’s drive north at Greytown where we enjoyed our first night in our van, which we discovered was appropriately named Rehab, at a very cheap campsite situated in the grounds of a War Memorial run by an elderly couple who popped over several times just to see how we were doing! Befriending a couple on their 20th wedding anniversary celebration in the shared kitchen we saw out the rain which had been drumming down on the tin roof of Rehab before retreating for the night.

Day 21, Sunday 22nd March 2009: Greytown – Napier

A 250km drive saw us leave the cold and rain behind for the promised sun and blue sky of the eastern coast landing in Napier in the late afternoon after passing through a series of unremarkable identikit towns on the way. Fortunately Napier provided a much needed antidote to these drab conurbations. Destroyed almost completely in a 7.9 Richter scale earthquake in 1931 it was rebuilt under the enthusiastic influence of the Auckland Art Deco architecture. With the sea-levels having dropped two metres after the earthquake enough land had been reclaimed to link the then island of Napier with the mainland. Today the rebuilt town is a mass of zigzags, sunbursts and streamlined strokes that make it stand out from any other place in the country, and according to the natives’ proud boasts the rest of the world. We enjoyed a short documentary movement outlining the history of the earthquake and chartering the birth and development of the subsequent Art Deco restoration that enabled us to wander about the city spotting and pointing out all the things we had learned about. The residents retain a proud sense of their artistic heritage so that most of the succeeding architecture has kept with the style whilst updating it so that even the shopping centre and beachfront maintain the trend. Once a year they have an Art Deco festival where all the locals dress up and bring out the vintage cars and have a good old boogie!

We camped for the night at another cheap campsite, Westshore Holiday Park, just north of the city where we perfected the formation of a day bed inside Rehab for reading and film watching!

Day 22, Monday 23rd March 2009: Napier – Tongariro

A big day of driving took us from the campsite in Napier up to Lake Taupo in the Central Plateau in time for a lunchtime waterfront picnic. Checking in at the I-site for a weather update in Tongariro in advance of our trekking we headed on to the National Park and grabbed a spot at the Whakapapa Village Campsite. The village itself is a protected Department of Conservation site that has prevented greedy real estate moguls building on tourist demand and expanding the facilities and permits only the original buildings meaning that every overnight guest stays in the holiday park at the end of the road, the grand Chateau Hotel or our complex which guarantees a community feel of whether you want or not with everyone either listening to intrepid tales from people who have just finished the walk or seeking solace with other nervous walkers with similarly insufficient walking gear...In the hour or so it had taken for us to drive the official weather forecast had changed warning of rain and high winds that might prevent the walk from happening altogether. A little disillusioned and stuck in the middle of the National Park we hope for the best and stodged up on a big pasta meal in wishful preparation for our hike.

Day 23, Tuesday 24th March 2009: Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The dreaded early start saw me up at the Office at 7.30am for the most recent official forecast that determines whether the walk is open to the public to be greeted with the news that a fine day was expected after all! Another stodgeful meal of porridge and we were in the minibus to take us to the start of our self-guided 20km walk described as one of the best one day walks in the world.

Dropped off at 9.30am we were given a lecture on the dangers of missing the last minibus back and told to notify someone responsible of our “intentions” so that they could call out emergency services if we failed to let them know we had returned we set off.

The first section wound through the flat land surrounding the volcano for several kilometres before we began ascending towards the crater. It was a steep climb up to the rim but offered a fantastic view into the red crater with bubbling sulphur clouds adding to the atmosphere. I somehow ended up in the middle of a huge school group where it was hug-a-tourist moment as we stopped for photographing opportunities. We had to walk in the smooth paths carved out by the last lava flow and were so close that you could see where it had bubbled over the edge and run down the mountain. From our vantage point we were able to gain an overview of the ground we had already covered which looked like a post-Apocalyptic wasteland of endless dust and fallen boulders surrounded by the far-off green of the forest. Declining the opportunity to climb to the main tor of Tongariro which was used as Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy we followed the crater rim round to the emerald lakes – tiny, startingly green pockets of water sitting in bowls carved out by previous eruptions – and through the rest of the locations used for Mordor and the Orc camp.

By this point we were 1900m high and the sharp descent back towards the plateau involved sliding down the ashen laden walls of the volcano where the only thing to stop your descent was the remnants of scree peppered in the dust. We had to pick our way through the rotten egg smelling sulphuric acids that burned ominously either side of our crater rim. By the time we had climbed down the steepest part of the volcano we were well overdue lunch and climbed out of the path of the bitterly icy Southerly wind rushing over the top of the crater into a sheltered dig-out by another lake.

The descent from this point was the long 11km stretch of winding pathways that brought us to the finish point at about 3.30pm where we waited in the much welcome sun for our pick up bus to take us back to Rehab where we scoffed a pack of Hot Cross buns as a reward. Our plan to dine out in style at the Chateau – a giant red brick (Philbeach-esque!) mansion with burlesque lounge and staff at every doorway – was scuppered when popping into the lounge foyer to view the menu in board shorts and flip flops we were greeted by an embarrassed doorman, younger than us!, who said that the lounge served guests in dress shirt and trousers and that we might perhaps find the late night cafe in the adjoining wing more to our taste! Humbled indeed we made a graceful retreat back to Rehab to finish off last night’s carbonara...

Day 24, Wednesday 25th March 2009: Tongariro – Taupo

With aching muscles bid a fond farewell to the National Park and arrived in Taupo by late morning. Parking up the nicely named Spa Roa we went on a gentle stroll from the car park full with a community service team to the Huka Falls, one of the country’s most visited tourist attractions. The walk to the falls involved an undulating path that wound up and down and caused my stretched muscles no end of problems as it followed the crystal clear blue river through its course. The Falls themselves were a spectacular show of brute power ending in a crescendo of thundering blue and pure white water which provides 65% of the North Island’s power alone.

On the same path back we stopped off at the natural thermal springs for a quick dip given that while in neighbouring Rotorua you pay through the roof to enjoy this natural pleasure here we were able to take advantage of it for free. The volcanic heated waters were so hot that I could barely dip my toe in to start with but as you accustom to the temperature you slip through the boulders into the little rock pools and shower under the little waterfalls. Alternating between the spa and the cooler waters of the river we lost track of the time and ended up spending a couple of hours in the sun at the springs.

It was fortunate that we made the most of the relaxation because a short trip to the cash machine when we got back into town realised that our accounts were several hundreds of dollars down and I was left with less than $300 to see me through the next ten days...The phone call to the bank brought no explanation as they said that nothing would show on their systems until midnight. Trying not to worry where $1000 each had disappeared to we checked into the All Seasons Holiday Park and enjoyed their free thermal spa and a giant barbeque to distract our minds...

Day 25, Thursday 26th March 2009: Taupo – Roturua

A morning wasted on the phone and internet eventually uncovered the mystery of the missing $1000 when we discovered that Escape Rentals had mysteriously deducted the extra amount from us. Much firm talking and refusing to take spluttering excuses led them to admit they were in the wrong and as well as reimbursing us they gave us an extra night in the van for free which meant that we could stay in it until we had to return it on Monday morning.
Finally able to set off it was a short 80km drive north to the sulphuric city of Rotorua. Our first stop was the gigantic I-site office where we located a cheap campsite and booked our hangi and cultural concert for the evening getting and continuing the day of unexpected freebies got given a complimentary entrance to the Hell’s Gate mud baths. However, checking into the brilliant Kiwi Paka hostel (the best accommodation I’ve stayed in during our month in New Zealand owing to a combination of cheap rates, brilliant staff and a cute yet kooky site with all the facilities you could want from your usual amenities to a cheap all day cafe, late night bar and thermal pool!) we discovered we had been ‘done.’ The $100 package paid for at the I-site for the hangi was 75% the price at our hostel and with no refund option we were forced to accept we had been swindled.

Trying to make the most of the situation we headed out in Rehab to the Hell’s Gate mud baths consoling ourselves that considering this was about $30 we had actually got it for free by buying our hangi ticket at the I-site. I should have known better! When we arrived at Hell’s Gate we were informed that our ticket only covered the entrance and that if we wanted to use the mud baths that was an extra $85! Contenting ourselves to walking around the site we explored the range of natural bubbling mud baths, some with a PH1 acidity and a 600 degree temperature, so named by George Bernard Shaw who on visiting the site as a committed atheist reasoned that this must be his bridgeway to Hell. It is well named and having transferred from the Kitchen to the Gate I am not sure whether I am entering further in or moving closer to escaping...

We returned to Kiwi Paka to enjoy the afternoon sun before being picked up by the shuttle bus to take us to the Mitai Village for our hangi – the traditional Maori meal. Seated in a giant marquee housing about 150 other tourists we made friends with our South African and Cambridgeshire neighbours until our host arrived and introduced us to some basic Maori etiquette before taking us out to see our dinner cooking nicely wrapped in foil in the earth. We then had to select a ‘chief’ from our group which was unfortunately on behalf of the nineteen nations gathered in the marquee a drunken idiot from Somerset who represented all the worst qualities of his nation, snobbery, arrogance and an endearing sense of self-superiority, that left me cringing. Following our chief we were led to the Mitai’s sacred river where we watched members of the family sail down on a canoe chanting before being taken to their recreated traditional village. The highlight of the night was then being treated to an hour long Cultural Show where the family and members of other tribes performed a range of songs and dances interspersed with displays of weaponry and strength. This combined with the Mitai Haka which we had to join in with sticking out our tongues widening our eyes and shaking our limbs!

By this point we were ready for dinner and were led to the marquee where the hangi had been taken from the earth and placed on buffet tables for us to help ourselves. A simple spread of chicken, lamb, kumara (sweet potato) and salads including a delicious cauliflower and sesame seed dish, I managed two gigantic plates before topping it off with a less traditional dessert of trifle and fresh fruit!

By the time we came to the glow-worm tour I was barely able to walk but managed to stumble back down to the river where the luminous maggots were glowing a pale blue on the river banks and hillside before tumbling back into the bus and sleeping off the hearty dinner back in Rehab.

Day 26, Friday 27th March 2009: Rotorua – Mount Maunganui

A quick morning walk around the city assisting some poor geography students with their surveys on tourists was spent before leaving the rotten egg smelling city for the Bay of Plenty so named because it receives the most hours of sunshine in New Zealand.

Tauranga is the principal city but we opted to drive through it and stop in the peninsula beyond it where Mount Maunganui pokes its little tor out of the sea. Climbing to the top of the steep mountain I realised that for the first time I had forgotten to take my camera and was robbed of the opportunity of capturing the glorious views it afforded. To one side lay the busy port of Tauranga and stretching from it was a desolated island with golden sandy beaches while to the other, stretching south from the mountain lay a strip of land bordered by similarly beautiful beaches all surrounded by a rich turquoise ocean unspoilt by boats.

In preparation for acclimatising myself to a week in the Cook Islands the afternoon was spent taking advantage of this long strip of beach in the sun. After nearly a month of frantic touring it was lovely just to take a break and doze away an afternoon in a beautiful area which remained undisturbed by the mass tourism that the drone of campervans are normally attracted to.
The evening was spent on the beachside caravan park at the very tip of the peninsula where aperitifs (Pringles and cider!) was served on the beach before being followed by a barbeque with the legendary Bentley burgers.

Day 27, Saturday 28th March 2009: Mount Maunganui

A lazy day hanging by the beach and eating up the remnants of our shopping. Tomorrow we head to Auckland and then early Monday morning head to the Cook Islands for a week to top up the tan before heading to LA for a few days and coming home just in time for Easter. Probably the last blog and email contact till then.