Accent notwithstanding, the Kiwis are warm, friendly, and always ready and gracious to help. Mick noticed that New Zealanders had few problems understanding us, but many times we were perplexed with their accent and pronunciation and had to ask them to repeat. They can squeeze long words into one syllable.
With map in hand and Mick behind the wheel, we’ve taken leave of Auckland and now heading down to Rotorua. The destination for the marathon that Mick is going to run.
We are very impressed with the signs, the roads are well marked and with one main highway, it was hard to get lost! Even those round-abouts weren’t a challenge. We started out with some nice blue sky to drive under too. My apologies first of all, most of my pictures are taken from the moving car, boat, or later a train.
It’s Fall in New Zealand but it seems, they were experiencing some early winter weather. It felt pleasantly cool coming from Singapore. Not as much Fall color as I thought I would see but the temps were nice.
I’ve never seen so many cows in my life, and that includes the combined four trips to rowing camp in Vermont; home of Ben & Jerry’s, they must need a lot of cows. I finally asked someone where were the sheep farms. I saw some sheep, lots of horses, and even a deer farm but I thought I would see lots of sheep. The North Island is noted for dairy farms, while the South Island is noted for the sheep farms. There are lots of rolling hills and everything is so green yet.
It was an easy three hour drive from Auckland to Rotorua. We checked in to the Millennium Hotel and found we had been updated to a suite. Nice, but Mick had requested a room overlooking Lake Rotorua.
Our view looked toward the town, as comfortable and large as the suite was, it was ok. Surprisingly it didn’t look over the lake. The view from the right pic below is by the elevators.
We headed out to pick up Mick’s race packet, check out the expo, and grab lunch. Everything was within walking distance and it was still sunny. The sports center was behind the Rotorua Museum.
These are carvings along a path that leads to and around the museum.
When Mick registered for the Rotorua Marathon he received a letter from the Mayor inviting Mick (and guest) to attend a reception to welcome the overseas runners. It was held in the City Hall. When we were led to the hall where the ceremony was being held, the flags of each country was carried by a military cadet. Here, we were welcomed with traditional Maori song, warrior dance, and a Maori blessing. The Maori Elder gave a welcome speech and blessing, then English translation; followed by the Mayor’s welcome.
Mayor on left and Maori Elder on right. (Even with the flash I couldn’t get bright pictures.)
Before we went to the ceremony our greeter picked the Japanese guy who had run the marathon the previous year and bestowed the feather cape on him to represent all the runners. The Japanese running contingent sang a Japanese folk song during the ceremony.
Performers, their song reminded me of Hawaiian singing where they tell the story with the hands . . . they also swung these white balls “clapping” them against their hands; an interesting sound.
After the entertainment, speeches and blessing, we all greeted the Mayor, the Mayor’s wife, the Elder, and other councilmen in the traditional Maori greeting of touching foreheads and the tip of noses. A reception followed with drinks and noshes; we stayed for a bit, chatted with a Japanese couple using our best “goodly English”, then off to carbo load for the race at the local Italian restaurant.
Marathon day was sunny and cold (40 degrees F) but very windy (21 mph), and the hilly conditions with the wind in your face the entire second half going into the stretch to the finish line only added to a tough marathon course. Unfortunately I was only able to get one good picture of Mick. He came around the corner so fast and I was trying to catch him but my camera wasn’t as fast as he was going!
His stats are: 105th out of nearly 1,400; 4th in AG (age group), and ran a 3:14:24.
To refuel Mick after his race we went over to the Fat Dog Cafe for lunch.
Rotorua is one of the geothermal wonders of the world. There are gurgling and hissing geysers, plopping mud pools, smoking craters (technically called “fumaroles”) and hot springs. After lunch we took a drive out to Te Puia, New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Te Puia means the geyser or volcano but also refers to the entire valley
Te Puia was the impenetrable fortress of the Whakarewarewa Valley; it was strategically built beneath the cliffs of Pohaturoa Mountain and surrounded by a natural moat of lethal hot pools. Better even than keeping alligators in the moat!
As you walk through the grounds you can see smoke rising from the hot pools, and there is a geyser further in where you can go watch or take a helicopter ride to see it from above. We didn’t venture into either but just took a walk around the grounds outside and visited the shop where there is an impressive display of wood and jade carvings, and other Maori crafts.
A side trip before Te Puia was the Agrodome. I saw an ad and wanted to visit the shop for some real New Zealand yarn. It turns out it’s a theme park of sorts. They offer everything from a sheep show, introducing nineteen sheep breeds, sheep shearing, sheepdog demonstrations, and a sheep auction, with audience participation, to bungy and zorb, etc. It wasn’t what we were looking for, and I prefer the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, which offers everything sheep without the bungy! I did find nice skeins of wool that I bought for Erin, and a hand knitted beanie for me.
They roll up the sidewalks around 6 pm and everyone seems to go home outside of the downtown area. A few restaurants are opened and a bar or two but not much is going on after the sun goes down. We went back to the hotel to check into a restaurant for dinner (found the #1 restaurant in Rotorua which we thoroughly enjoyed); and then early to bed, after all Mick did run a marathon this morning! We’re headed out to Taupo the next day. See you there . . .
