The earth’s crust around Rotorua is thinner than most other places on this earth, hence its fame for geo thermal activity. The first clue you get is the all pervading smell of sulphur in the air. Not an overwhelming rotten egg smell but just enough to let you know it’s there. And then, as you look around, you can see what at first glance might appear to be a load of bonfires – except it’s not. It’s steam rising from the ground. Pockets of it everywhere.
Right in the centre of the city there is a sulphur green lake
surrounded by steaming ponds of bubbling water.
And when the water’s not bubbling, the mud is,
making the most extraordinary blooping noises. It’s unreal. It’s living sic-fi
I was told that about 20 miles south of Rotorua there were even more spectacular displays so off I headed through some beautiful countryside.
with much topographical evidence of volcanic activity zillions of years ago.
I arrived at my destination at the same time as an unwanted guest
which rather curtailed further exploring for a while. When it stopped, though, I thought I had been transported onto the moon’s surface.
It’s difficult to describe such a surreal scene that would be extraordinary just on its own. But such sights are all around. They’re everywhere
and the sound of mud bubbling up from almost under your feet makes you totally aware of the power of nature and our own insignificance.
After such an experience, it was quite calming to drive back to Rotorua through yet more idyllic scenery.
and watch normal people doing normal things.
I haven’t changed my initial opinion of Rotorua. Apart from one small area, it’s a modern, American grid style city developed purely to support the tourist industry in the surrounding areas. The one pocket of resistance, so to speak, is the Governors Gardens built in the very early 20th century on land given by the Maoris – as a tourist attraction. This rather grand building
is currently the Rotorua Museum but was originally built as a bath house where the local gentry could avail themselves of the therapeutic powers of sulphur baths. And if they tired of bathing they could always play bowls or croquet on the immaculate lawns. A little jewel in an otherwise bland and functional city.
As I have mentioned before, I am not a ‘guided tour’ person, being much happier to do my own exploring when and where I can. And it’s just as well because being a full on tourist is expensive. So I easily resisted the opportunity to take a trip over lake Rotorua and the surrounding areas
and settled for an ice cream and watching a seagull trying to digest a large piece of bread instead!
It’s the simple things in life!
Phileas
thelasthurrahsite 