Around the World: Hells Gate

December 27, 1991

Taking a tour of sites around the area.  The first stop is at Hells Gate.  Paths lead visitors around pools of boiling mud and steam spouting geysers.

Boiling mud at Hells Gate

Once in the park, the scenery is obscured by steam rising out of ponds of boiling, bubbling mud that occasionally emits an audible "splop" as mud is shot up into the air a foot or so.  Further in is a very small forest, full of peacocks and pheasants.  Three stray chickens chased me as I tried to dodge and evade them along the trail.

Passing by the boiling mud, there are signs that warn guests not to add anything to the pools and a dire warning for anyone who chooses to ignore this request.

Works for me!

Next stop on the tour was a journey to the Blue & Green lakes.  They are side by side, separated by a narrow strip of land.  Green lake (Lake Rotokakahi), as the guide explained, is sacred to the Maori, who have buried their dead on an island in the middle since the late 1300's.  No one is allowed to swim or fish in the lake, or go anywhere near it, for that matter.

Blue lake (Lake Tikitapu) was formed after the Mount Tarawera volcano erupted in 1886, when the resulting crater filled up with water.  It has no tributaries, and no visible outlet although it does drain underwater into another nearby volcanic formed lake.  The lake is a popular place for recreational water sports.

Local flyer photo of Blue & Green lakes. 

Lost forever in the eruption of 1886 were the Pink and White Terraces, a popular tourist attraction.  The guide also pointed out sediment deposits on a hillside from both major eruptions from Mount Tarawera.  The first one some 900 years ago, the last in 1886, after which, the area was obliterated and remained barren for over 20 years.  Part of the area was replanted with trees intended for export, and the rest grew back on its own.  Most of the area has since remained untouched.

Painting of the White Terraces by Charles Bloomfield

The tour continued around Mount Tarawera.  The 1886 eruption buried a Maori village, which continues to be excavated.  One of the buildings that has been successfully restored is a traditional Maori house, the home of a tribal elder.  The elder suspected that the shaking ground was a warning and attempted to evacuate the villagers to safety.  Instead, believing the elder was possessed by evil spirits, the villagers barricaded him inside his house, a decision, unfortunately, no one who remained in village lived to regret. 

Excavated Maori dwelling at Te Wairoa (Buried Village)
Photo by James Shook at en.wikipedia

Another Maori legend:  Eleven days before the eruption, a boat full of tourists returning from the Pink and White Terraces saw an ancient Maori war canoe carrying an equally ancient warrior.  Science suggests that what the tourists actually witnessed was the effect of  fissures under the lake changing the water levels and thus exposed a buried warrior who would have been tied to his canoe in an upright position.  Maori legend claims it was a "waka wairua" (spirit canoe), a warning of impending doom.  Most inhabitants of the area agree, however, that the inevitable and overdue eruption of Mount Tarawera will again, be preceded by some sort of warning.

• ¤ •

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning,
but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
~Maria Robinson

Around the World: Rotorua

December 26, 1991

After a breakfast of granola and coffee, I went for a relaxing soak in the jacuzzi. Gail headed off on a tour of spouting geysers and steam pools while I hitched a ride to New Zealand's biggest hedge maze. It's a huge circular maze, complete with clear and blocked paths, the goal being to get to the center. After successfully completing the hedge maze, I made my way to the nearby 3D maze.  This one is constructed of wood and is considerably bigger than the hedge maze.  It's also much more complicated, the object being to arrive at each of the four corners before exiting out the same entrance I went in. I wasn't as successful with this one and before the claustrophobic panic set in, I crawled under a few walls to find my way out.

3D Maze, Rotorua

Met up with Gail back at the hostel and we headed off to the Polynesian Spa. All the pools are thermally heated, but at different temperatures. We spent a couple of hours playing Goldilocks, pool hopping until we found one that was just right, until it became too hot or too cool to be comfortable anymore.  It doesn't take long to acclimatise to the stench of sulphur, although it is recommended to remove any silver jewelry, which of course, I forgot to do, and now my silver necklace is black.  Thankfully, it's not permanent. 

The spa claims the pools are hygienic because the sulfur acts as a powerful cleanser for the water. There's another spa just a few steps away from this one that caters specifically to sufferers of arthritis.

Polynesian Spa's hot thermal pools, Rotorua

After the spa pool soak, it is recommended to bathe oneself in the huge pool, filled with an unknown substance that feels very much like baby oil. Even after a shower, I can still smell sulfur on my skin.

Sue, our Christmas dinner hostess, came by the hostel to drop off mince meat pies and Christmas cake.

• ¤ •

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."

~Denis Waitley

Around the World: Christmas in Rotorua, New Zealand

December 25, 1991

First order of business this morning was to move from the dive we spent the night in to the YHA.  What an incredible difference!  The room is clean, bright and spacious.  There's a jacuzzi and a private bathroom with shower and a comfortable common room to hang out, watch TV, read, whatever.  Opposite the front desk is a bulletin board with an invitation for guests of the hostel to join a local family for Christmas dinner.  Both Gail and I added our names to the list.

A man came to the hostel and picked up Gail and I, plus four other hostel mates and drove us to his home.  He introduced us to his wife, Sue, and their grown children.  The food was awesome and spread out over three picnic tables in their backyard.  Salads and cold meat to start while the steaks cooked on the BBQ.  I ate enough for four people, for sure.  This family I had just met treated all of us like we had been friends for ages.  We chatted about the different countries we were from and places we would like to visit over dinner, coffee and several options for dessert.  Even the dogs welcomed everyone with wagging tails.

I don't have the words to express how incredibly welcome this family made all of us feel, especially being so far away from family and things familiar.  There were no presents exchanged and nothing was expected, but to enjoy a home cooked meal, served with conversation over generosity and kindness.  The evening was such a thoughtful gift, completely unto itself, to feel so very much at home in the company of strangers.


N.B.: I still don't know which way the water goes down the drain.  It goes up and then straight down in the toilet.  I even filled up the sink and watched it get sucked into the drain - straight down!  What's worse is I can't remember which way water goes down the drain at home.

• ¤ •

"When a group of professional people asked a group of 4-to-8-year olds,
'What does love mean?'
one replied, 'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas
if you stop opening presents and just listen.'"

~Warren McLaren