WHEN YOU LOOK UP 'STENCHY' IN THE DICTIONARY, THIS IS IT -
Before we began our grand adventure of luging at Skyline Rotorua, where the world's first luge track opened the year I was born, we appraised Jelly belly art - replicas of acclaimed paintings constructed entirely from jelly beans. The representations of Harry Potter and Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' were both geeky and immaculate. Mona Lisa's reproduction used over 17000 beans and was unapologetically but weirdly remarkable - who has the time, patience and nimble fingers to assemble an edible painting?!!
It was a fairly gentle ride up 900 metres of cableway over Mt Ngongotaha, which is 487 metres above sea level on the gondola. Incredibly, it has a vertical rise of 178.5 metres and can carry 2000 people an hour but is still not as death defyingly steep as the one in Queenstown. There was so much intense beauty below as we overlooked the geothermal vistas in a truly idyllic location of the steaming city. We paid a heavily discounted rate for 4 luge rides, thanks to the website Book Me and had a very rapid demo of how to work the breaks as we buckled up. Then we were OFF like Lighting McQueen! And no, I did not scream like a little girl... that came later.
Despite us sticking to the same track downhill, the scenic route, each joyride was an enthralling thrill winding through shady forest We never progressed to the Advanced or Intermediate level as we wanted to get the most for our money and the Scenic route was the longest in length. Once we'd gotten to grips with the gears, we had a totally tubular time!
Photo credit to Skyline Rotorua
BRAVA, ME! -
On my first go, I got stuck twice having to stop for slow coaches in front of me as there wasn't room for me to pass them by and then I couldn't regain the momentum to start back up and was at a sluggishly, snail speed. Whilst whizzing, I came to the proud conclusion that I'm scarily suited to luging for a) The yellow kid-size helmet really brings out my 'cool'-ness even if the strap did somewhat strangle underneath my chin b) I kicked the tushies of a hooligan-ish school group of speed demons and c) The dimensions of the sled are practically tailor fit for those short in height such as myself.
There's nothing nice about a chair lift, I have determined. We had to use it to return to the top of the track and I shrieked with horror on the first stint and not just because as we perched ready to mount the mode of elevated transportation, it booted my butt. On our third spin, we each had to take up a random 6 year old boy as they were unaccompanied by adults. The little lad who rode with me was a chatty Charlie, telling me all about his life while waving to his friend in front with Amy. It would've been humiliating to freak out next to an infant so I conveyed calmness convincingly.
Rotovegas is a satirical nickname for the volcanic city in which there's a decorative, neon sign atop the Fairy Springs attraction in imitation of the famous billboard in Sin City. We pop star-posed beneath it and then admired views on the cherry blossom walk. If I were a sketcher, this would be a delightful vista to create a likeness of. Our arms were aching after all the steering and breaking! We headed down Eat Streat to pick out a place to dine; it was gorgeous and buzzing with dubious clientele. Settling on Lovely India for a Chicken Madras and naan attack, surmising that this greediness must be my least attractive quality.
The lakefront can't stop being charming in the charcoal of dusk as lovers stroll arm in arm. We grabbed a few shots of the enlarged Scrabble pieces spelling out 'Imagine' for the 'Gram. It has the last 'I' missing so passers-by can become part of the art and form the letter with an electric blue, romantic backdrop of the lake and Mokoia Island behind. Passing the fun fair, seeing families enjoy the pleasure rides, I sang out loud in a hyper tone; Amy doesn't know HOW I can do that in public!! I'm just really good at taking the mick out of myself.
THE MUD MARE BEGINNETH -
Our 2nd Rotoruan day, Thermal Land Shuttles transported us on an excursion starting out at the mud pools of Ngatira, the largest in the country and second biggest world wide. These are thought to be 700 years old and between 60-80 degrees Celsius with a PH level of 2 making them highly acidic. Our driver Thomas, told us that we passed over approx. 70 fault lines that have caused rippling hills and the entire country to shift 1 centimetre a year; this equates to 1 metre every century. We paid a visit to the immensely volcanic zone that is Wai O Tapu, a geothermal wonderland of malodorous beauty - part of Maroa Caldera formed an estimated 160,000 years ago.
Our 2nd Rotoruan day, Thermal Land Shuttles transported us on an excursion starting out at the mud pools of Ngatira, the largest in the country and second biggest world wide. These are thought to be 700 years old and between 60-80 degrees Celsius with a PH level of 2 making them highly acidic. Our driver Thomas, told us that we passed over approx. 70 fault lines that have caused rippling hills and the entire country to shift 1 centimetre a year; this equates to 1 metre every century. We paid a visit to the immensely volcanic zone that is Wai O Tapu, a geothermal wonderland of malodorous beauty - part of Maroa Caldera formed an estimated 160,000 years ago.
EVERYWHERE at the Scenic Reserve casts out a pungent, sulphuric scent of millions of hard boiled eggs; it's not particularly pleasant. I can still smell the rotten, fermented egg now; it had Amy dry retching frequently as the pong escalated. On the Red Track, you're literally smelling what they're 'selling' the whole way round; the pungency slaps your senses from the off at Devil's Home, a collapsed crater eaten away by underground acid erosion. It's 'tinged with a greenish hue from the cooling sulphuric vapours and ferrous salts escaping into the atmosphere.'
Bubbly, hot mud pools like the Devils Ink Pots are nature's boiling hot tubs and hotter than hell itself. Acidity in the steam 'nibbles away' at the ground below forming collapsed craters and no escape from their rancid emanations. Inferno Crater is another that gets all fired up with the level of minerals and oxides it contains but Birds Nest Crater is another glorious feature as many species of bird including starlings and swallows, incubate their eggs during the nesting period in the walls of the crater.
Artist's Palette, the largest of Wai O Tapu's hot water springs was named 'because of the trace mineral deposits that streak its surface' when windy. That results in really glowy oranges, purples and blues of a vibrancy I'd never seen before. But it's the Champagne Pools which are the star attraction of the Red Track, billowing steam far and wide. It 'occupies a 700 year old explosion crater formed by a hydro-thermal eruption', measuring 62 metres deep with a slightly acidic PH of 5.4. Water enters through a deep conduit at 230 degrees Celsius and cools to 74. Gas bubbles of carbon dioxide, similar to those within a glass of champagne (hence the name!) and an orange tinge containing dissolved gold, silver and mercury compounds. 65 metres in diameter with an estimated volume of 50,000 m3 of geothermal fluid; it astonishes and draws you closer for a better look.
Devil's Bath was the most radiant and stenchiest highlight, a freakishly, lime green 'swamp' of stagnant sewage water. It is sure to overwhelm the senses with its colour and sulphur deposits floating on the surface. I like to think of the putrid odour as an experiment in tolerance and tenacity until you cannot stomach it a minute longer.
Lady Knox Geyser is the show stealer, induced with surfactant or soap powder into the vent at the scheduled 10.15am almost on the dot each day. Eruptions of the geyser were stumbled upon by convicts in the area doing their washing in it with powder. The presenter of the 'spectacle' shatters the illusion that it is a natural reaction. As the scene is set in the natural amphitheatre, they reason that they have to coax the outburst as genuine eruptions are completely unpredictable and visitors would be waiting a long time. Jets of water can reach up to 20 metres and last over an hour! The warm up man does his level best to make the event *TOO* much but the medium spurt from the spring was met with a lukewarm response from the crowd.
After the Geyser's production, we went round the tracks again this time as stragglers on the orange and yellow trails until our fire burnt out. We left as okay as anybody can be after voluntarily subjecting themselves to possibly the most offensive scent ever to be smelt. As sun chasers we lunched on a picnic bench on the lawn amongst dainty bird grovelling at our feet for crumbs - little imps! Closed out the afternoon in Government Gardens which are glorious in springtime full of the brightest shades. Tulip Fest was taking place - more than 100,000 cheerily coloured tulips were planted across the city, many of the exotic blooms and subtle pastels were displayed in the gardens.
Back in Rainbow Springs, we attended the fun, celebratory fest that is Mitai Maori Evening. Lucky girls, hey? We had the same compere (along with his same chocolate cake jokes) as last time for our tribe of 14 nations which delighted me as he's a HOOT. We were seated at table 1 but the only ones who spoke to us were a lovely couple from America; the Aussies ignored our end and only mingled with their fellow Ozians.
Amy and I were in hysterics when the Maori maiden told us to look 'behind' at a waka carving; I did, forgetting I was AT the end as it was! The war canoe race exposed the ripped bods of the warriors as they paddled downstream, pulling crazy faces for all the onlookers. The great event of the Hangi was unveiled to applause as the sight and smell of the roasted feast were smashing. It was brought out from the underground where it had cooked for many hours.
Exciting performances from the Maori tribe were joyously inspiring and consisted of all the traditional usuals. The warmth from the fire onstage was sooooooo good as hymnals melted my soul. I'm a smiley moron when the haka is released with full, unabashed passion; to the point where it lights me up inside so greatly that I want to join in with the whanau.
The grub blew our socks off! We went heavy on deLUSHous cuisine (my new term for lush, delicious food) and admittedly, I was a kumara hog but my plan was to get my money's worth and indeed, I DID!! Once the banqueting was complete, we were led on a bush walk through Fairy Springs while our guide curated all about the land and the medicinal properties of plants. Maori literally means 'nature' and tribes used to live solely off the land.
Glow worms dazzled luminously in the undergrowth on our lovely ramble through the woods. It made me mad as guests were shining their torches directly onto the larvae - KILLING them; I tutted but was ready to unleash holy hell! The springs pump up 24 million litres of water per day, directly from Rainbow Mountain; we'd drunk the l'eau du minerale at the dinner table but thankfully it was free from eels that inhabit the spring. No visible sign of fairies however :D Those with purple stickers went on a 40 minute night walk to see kiwis at Rainbow Springs next door. I'd die of delight if I saw a kiwi in the wild, so fervently wished I had the extra dollars to tag along. Trouble is, I would then want to steal them away and keep many as pets. I can only pour praise upon the staff at Mitai for bringing extraordinary cheer to the people.
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