So after all the Japan-flight stress (seems like a distant dream now) we arrived very happy in Auckland. All the more happy as we stepped into the 30 degree heat. We had to wait 5 hours for a bus to Rotorua, but were very happy sunbathing on the grass. Coach was pretty fun too; I got very excited about seeing countryside out of the window (and how much it did and didn't resemble home). Chatted to a nice New Zealander (Ryan) all the way - he informed me that New Zealand sits below a whole in the o-zone layer - never knew that - and we would def burn if we weren't careful.
Rotorua was really nice (it only smelled slightlty from all the sulphur). There was a park right in front of the hostel with geothermal ponds with loads of steam coming off the water. After a big fat (non Japanese) breakfast we went and scouted out Rotorua Museum - an old bath house that stood over a massive lawn - very nice. We spent the afternoon in an awesome geothermal spa, with 9 pools, all with 42 degree water. It sat right on the edge of Lake Rotorua - a huge sulpherous lake that looked like milk. We went to Te-po museum in the evening and learnt a little bit about Maouri culture (we are so ignorant lol). A big jolly guide showed us round; he spontaneously burst into song in Maouri, and kept insisting that we take photos. We got welcomed in a ceremony, watched a singing-dancing show, and saw a haka (what the All-Blacks do - though your def not supposed to say that in Rotorua). Later on they took us out to a huge geyser that was spurting out loads of steam (unfortunately we just missed its 100ft eruption). We made friends with a bizarre American family and walked round with them.
On the way home the weirdest thing happened. The bus driver asked where we were from, we replied with our standard answer: "just south of Birmingham". "Redditch way?" - "YES". Then he asked me "Plymouth Rd?" (the road I walk on to work)... and I was spooked... "yeessss". And he exclaimed: "I KNEW IT WAS YOU". Apparently his best friend lives in Redditch and the bus driver saw me walking to work when he visited. Honestly, I'd normally find it weird that anyone would even notice me walking to work, nevermind the fact that I was literally on the other side of the world. (Wow, it took me long to tell that little story- sorry).
ANYWAY, we met some nice people in the bar afterwards. And in the morning we moved on to Wellington. We spent all day on the coach, which, again, was actually really nice. I couldn't believe how much it looked like The Shire. Seriously. It didn't really look like home anymore - more like Tele-tubby land. The land wasn't flat at all, just loads of steep little hills, covered with grass and sheep. It was really lovely. We drove around around Lake Taupo ("the biggest lake in New Zealand" so a man the night before informed me). Then the landscape totally changed; all of a sudden it was flat, more brown, and rugged, (even desert-like) and the horizon was filled with huge snow-capped mountains. And then, just as suddenly as before, it was totally hilly and bumpy again. With my ipod on shuffle I was perfectly happy all day (except for the fact that dairy milks taste WEIRD here - apaz there's been some kind of outcry).
We explored Wellington today. It really doesn't seem like a capital. As we approached yesterday we noticed that it hadn't got built up at all before we came into the city (New Zealand altogther is much more sparse than home). Anyway its very laidback here, and suprisingly old-fashioned. Very nice though. This morning we got the landmark cable cars up to the Botanic Gardens, enjoying lovely views, and walked back down through the gardens into the city. In the afternoon we went in search of the weta-workshop (the place they made all the props, make-up etc for Lord of the Rings). There are adverts for LOTR tours and stuff everywhere in New Zealand, but we've been pretty sceptical about them (and being here feels like your in Middle Earth anyway). But this was free, so we thought it might feel more authentic. We weren't wrong. It was a tiny little museum (out in the sticks) but we were massively impressed by the props, and very starstruck and silly when the man (who was quite fond of us because we were clearly so excited) told us that Elijah Wood had visited yesterday. He also tipped us that the only souveneirs that used to be real props on the films were the chainmail keyrings. Yessssss. I'm imagining it was Aragorn's chainmail.
Back in Wellington we enjoyed the last of the day's sunshine on the waterfront, eating icecream, and watching the rowers. Nice. We're off to have a little drink now. Tomorrow we get an early ferry over to the South Island.
No doubt this post wasn't as fun for you as the last one. Thank you for reading.
Much Love
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