Rotorua

Bubbling mud pools, chanting warriors, and the whirl of helicopters are all pare for the course in Rotorua. This tourist destination claims to be like no other place in the world and they might just be right.


In celebration of our first long weekend in New Zealand, we headed south to Rotorua. The moms in my playgroups seemed to think this was a less than ideal choice; they warned of the city's sulphuric odour and cough inducing air. These women had obviously never driven through Thurso on the way to Tremblant, or Saint John when the wind blows the wrong way. Yes, it had a sulphur scent but it was subtle with no respiratory distress.

As we made our way across the pedestrian-friendly downtown core on Saturday morning, we made a strategic decision to cater to Mikaela first in hopes of some grown-up activity later. On this day, we would be rewarded. The volcanic playground on the shores of Lake Rotorua is a two-year old's dream, she swung and climbed, teetered and tootered. Daddy took it to the next level in allowing her to wear a life jacket and go in the paddle boat; Dora frequently wears a life jacket so she can be safe. At the lakefront, you had your pick of scenic activity - floatplane, helicopter, traditional waka (canoe), and so forth. Dave nagged for a helicopter ride, but I said no. On the recommendation of a friend, we then made our way over to Kuirau Park. In retrospect, I consider this wonderful free park as a geothermal teaser. As Mikaela napped, we took in our first bubbling mud pools, hot springs, and steam upflows. Additionally, the gardens were beautiful, a playground was available for the little miss, and Dave & I were able to enjoy some delights at the local market - fresh local strawberries for me ;-) After a brief return to the hotel to recharge Dave, we took a drive out to view the famous Blue & Green lakes and, of course, visit our third playground of the day.

Although I'd enjoyed my first glimpse of geothermal activity, Sunday, I awoke determined to see a geyser. Te Puia is located on the outskirts of Rotorua, it is home to seven geysers, sulphuric pools, hot rocks, and lots of goo - Mikaela's very adept description of bubbling mud pools. It is owned by the Maori, the Polynesian indigenous people of NZ, and provides a glimpse into their past lives and even current ones. We naively opted to purchase tickets to the 10:15 am cultural performance in hopes that Mikaela would be enchanted; instead, I found myself vacating the meeting house within the first two minutes with a protesting toddler tucked under my arm. Later, Dave rejoined us, and reported the performance was good and the Haka, a war dance, quite chilling. We enjoyed the geysers, but alas, we were not treated to one of its fabled 30m spurts. Perhaps if Mikaela could work on her patience so we could wait longer, on the naturally heated stone bleachers, for it next time. On the way out, we again passed by a helicopter scenic ride location but again, I denied Dave's request to take to the skies. We finished the day off with a trip to the Rotorua Aquatic Centre; it was one of those rare moments that I was noticably a minority - not because of my gender, but my pastey white skin. I found it a very odd sensation and wondered if my visible minority friends continue to feel it.

On Monday, Dave took in some of Rotorua's world-renowned Mountain Bikes trails. In his words, it was some sweet single-track, the best he's ever ridden. We capped off the weekend with a trip to a trout farm. Ironically, it was Kate, mother of two, who suggested this child-friendly activity to me - I scoffed at her. I certainly didn't want to see a trout farm. Paradise Valley Farms is more than a trout farm, they have beautiful trails throughout their property and several farm animals, as well as other more exotic animals. The highlight for Dave & I was the daily lion feeding; these magnificant cats are housed in a large chain link enclosure. Silly men and naive children alike can tempt fate by putting their fingers through the fence, Mikaela herself gave it a try. I don't think she understand the dangerous speech I gave her, but she did lose interest and wandered off to quote Dora episodes on a patch of grass. The keeper gave a running commentary on their lions as he tossed chunks of meat into the cage. It was fascinating to watch them leap, roll, and posture for their bits. Terrifying and beautiful at the same time, if ever in the area with a small child, the trout farm is a must-see - and don't forget to purchase the food to feed the little fishies.

All in all, I loved Rotorua. I can't wait to go back. Dave too, we didn't make it to any of the heart-stopping, vomit-inducing activities he wants to try - bungy jumping, zorbing, luging...