Nikki talked me into going on a day trip to Rotorua, which is near the eastern coast of New Zealand, about a 5-hour drive from Auckland. The trip was to include driving through beautiful New Zealand countryside in a double decker bus, visiting the Glowworm Caves; the Agrodome; a working sheep farm where we would see sheep and other NZ farm animals, see a sheepdog demonstration, a sheep-shearing, and view processing of wool; visit a Maori exhibit village, attend a cultural performance, visit a Maori carving school and a weaving workshop and see areas of geothermal activity; and see spectacular scenery as we made our way back to Auckland. It was pretty pricey but I decided to go anyway. I probably won’t do another pricey tour until China and I’ve saved a lot of money not going on TSS tours since the disastrous Pirates tour in Panama.
The Bus Trip
We started out early in the morning from the same place I started my trip to Hamilton, in front of the Discovery Information Centre on Quay Street. We took a seat on the top level of the bus and I soon realized what a superior vantage point it was for seeing scenery and taking photos as compared with the regular bus I’d taken to Hamilton the day before. I took a lot of through-the-window photos of scenery as we traveled and present some of the highlights here. We were treated to morning “tea” as we rode along. We had a choice of coffee or tea (I took neither but drank from the bottled water I’d brought along) and had a tasty pastry to eat.
It started out as beautiful as ever 8474
A sheep farm! 8488
The Waikato River 8490
Another view of the river 8501
Greenery on green hillsides 8505
Lovely 8507
Volcano hill in background 8510
The long and winding road 8512
8515
Natural terraced land covered with grass 8519
Another view of natural terracing 8420
Pasture land 8526
A town we passed through 8528
Pastoral peace 8532
Fenced trees – to keep away grazing animals 8541
Lovely view 8542
Glowworm Caves
The Glowworm Caves were in the hills. These caves have the usual cave features – open caverns with stalactites and stalagmites and also glowworms that inhabit the ceilings of the portion of the caves that have a river running through them.
When we arrived, our tour group of about fifteen persons were shown to the front of the line and taken to the entrance of the caverns. There I took photos of the nearby scenery and listened to our guide tell us about the caves and about glowworms.
Ticket booth for Glowworm Caves 8544
Near the cave entrance, view across road 8545
Large fern trees grew in the grottoes near the cave 8546
View of another hillside near the cave entrance 8548
He explained that glowworms are not worms at all; they are larvae that had been laid against the ceiling of the cave and produce mucus that hang down in strands. The strands glow and attract mosquitoes and other delicious food insects that glowworms like to eat. The insects get caught in the mucus and get sucked up and are devoured. We were not allowed to take photographs in the caves, so I’ll just summarize the experience in words.
We first went into the regular caverns which were lovely. The guide explained how the formations are created by mineral water seeping down from the ceiling of the caves, one slow drop at a time and harden. Over ages of time, they form stalactites, icicle-type shapes hanging from the ceiling. When a drop of water happens to reach the tip of the stalagtite and fall off, they begin over time to form a similar structure that builds up from the ground upward toward the stalactite. These form a reverse shape to the stalactite above it and are called stalagmites. Over ages of time, these can eventually touch and grow together. When this happens, they become – and are called – columns. Some of the columns in these caves were called “the elephant” because the shape is similar to the head, trunk and ear of an elephant, in profile. The largest of the caves is called the Cathedral and is a nice open space where, we were informed, concerts have been held. Kenny Rogers is one of those who has sung in that place. We were invited to sing but no one took up the guide on his invitation. The group ahead of us had sung while in there, however; we heard them singing “Silent Night.”
The guide then took us back along the route we’d already traveled and then led us down a set of stairs to the water. There was almost no light there because glowworms were on the ceiling there and couldn’t be disturbed by light. The guide pointed out that if we bent down and looked on the low ceiling above the water, we could see the strings of mucus hanging down from the ceiling. It was the only place from which we could see the mucus because there was a very low-watt light near the stairs. A canoe arrived for us to sit in and the guide helped us find our way into it and sit down for the ride through the cave. Once we were seated, he stood at the prow and commenced his commentary as he (as I eventually figured out) us along using ropes that had been strung throughout the cave. We went from the boarding area around a bend and suddenly we were plunged into darkness, except for the glowing ceiling overhead.
It was an amazing sight, to see thousands of tiny lights high above our heads. I realized that if I looked at them without using my glasses, which I always wear, I could get a better view of them. We had been asked to be silent out of respect for the glowworms and, except for a few whispered comments by two people behind me at the beginning of the ride, we were quiet and it added to the awe of the experience. We glided silently over the water through a couple of more caves and then, slowly, light was seen and we glided toward it. Finally we were at the landing place and were helped out of the canoe by our guide. A wonderful sight met our eyes. I took this photo, which also shows one of the ropes that the guides use to bring the canoes out of the cave.
Scenery at mouth of cave 8549
View back into cave 8550
Buveh at cave entrance; our canoe and guide, and mouth of cave in background 8552
Nikki at cave entrance 8553
The river flows ever on 8557
Our path back to the bus 8558
Moss-covered rock near path 8559
Fern tree at ground level 8560
Lovely little yellow wildflowers 8561
Tiki near ticket booth of caves 8562
Buveh beside tiki 8564
Agrodome
After a very brief visit to the gift show, where I bought three postcards, we boarded the bus and headed for the Agrodome and SHEEP! One of the two things I definitely wanted to see while in New Zealand were a sheep farm and the Southern Cross (constellation in the sky). Well, I certainly got to see sheep that day! We headed out and again I took photos through the bus window using my unique technique.
Sheep in a field 8568
Nice tree along the way 8572
Park along the banks of the river 8573
Close-up of the river 8576
Farm country 8579
Horses in this photo! 8582
More volcanic hills 8583
Rolling hills 8586
Scenery 8595
Corrugated metal dog building in a town we passed through 8597
Corrugated metal sheep building nearby 8598
Look at all those trees; at one time, all of New Zealand looked like that until it was cleared for farming purposes 8602
Two shots of beautiful hillsides 8606
8607
Volcanic hills 8616
When we arrived at the Agrodome, I began to see sheep in earnest!
As the bus turned into the entrance 8618
More sheep 8619
A great tree on the grounds 8623
Touring the Grounds
We got off the bus and were greeted by a young and very enthusiastic male guide. The weather was wonderful – sunny and warm with a cool breeze. I thanked him for arranging such great weather and he laughed and said, “We do try to please.” Then he asked us to board a tram attached to a tractor, which he drove. He had on a microphone headset and gave us commentary as he drove, stopped and demonstrated. We heard it over loudspeakers. I took a photo of the safety notice and the green first aid kit, noting again the contrast between this well-prepared and professionally organized tour as compared to the infamous Pirates tour in Panama when a medical emergency arose and there was neither a first aid kit nor a guide trained in first aid.
Safety sign and first aid kit 8625
First stop: ostriches 8628
Guide feeding ostriches 8630
View of the tractor pulling our tram 8639
Next stop: llama or alpaca (not sure which, but very handsome!) 8643
Lovely setting for the Agrodome 8644
Buveh and very friendly ostrich 8648
Sheep to my heart’s content 8652
Emu and deer 8654
Sheep close-up 8658
Long-horn sheep of some kind, can’t remember what and close-up lama 8672
Very cute long-horn sheep of some kind running to the fence to get fed 8676
Beautiful hills surrounding Agrodome 8678
Sheep Shearing Demonstration
Our guide drove us to the sheep shearing shed where we got out and went inside. He then proceeded to explain about sheep shearing and that New Zealanders were known as the fastest sheep shearers in the world, having won many championships. After his presentation, he did a sheep shearing for us, which was very impressive. I’d seen a sheep shorn at the South Carolina State Fair in Columbia, SC, one time and it was a very different process. Here are some photos of the New Zealand process.
Guide beginning explanation, standing on shearing platform with closed gates, behind which sheep wait, next to an open chute, down which the shorn sheep is sent. Note the apparatuses mounted on the beam overhead. They have cables that hang down into the platform area. The shearing implements are attached to these, which provide electricity for it and allow freedom of movement for the shearer.
Guide on shearing platform 8679
Guide with sheep in shearing position. The sheep is relaxed and comfortable, according to the guide 8681
Shearing gets underway; it happens fast and looks blurry in the photos 8685
Getting the underbelly area 8686
Around the legs 8687
Don’t panic, what you see in front is the pelt, not the sheep 8689
Mostly shorn; sheep on left, pelt on right 8691
Final touches 8693
The shorn sheep 8694
Guide pointing out fine points of the shearing process: around eyes and ears, under legs, etc. 8695
Shorn pelt 8697
The shearing platform after the fact 8698
Wool ready to be processed 8699
At the end, the guide asked if there were any questions. No one else asked any so I said, “How old was that sheep?” He said it was two years old and had been shorn only one time before, last year, so it still wasn’t used to being shorn but would eventually. Then I asked how long he’d been shearing and he said for three years but that it took about five years to be really good.
Sheep Dog Demonstrations
Next, he led us across the yard to the sheep dog demonstration area. There was a statue of a sheep dog there so of course I took a pictures of it.
Sheep dog statue 8700
A friendly black and white sheep dog named Kit had accompanied us on our trip around the Agrodome. It was waiting on the tram when we boarded, stretched out under one of the benches and it followed us every time we got off. I didn’t realize that Kit would be the sheep dog who would do the demonstration we were about to see. Our guide used a whistle to give commands to Kit, whether to stop or go, turn left or turn right, etc. I’m not exactly sure what we were supposed to be seeing but the did its stuff and the sheep responded in some way to each thing the dog did. Here are some pictures of the event.
Kit heads out 8701
Kit at back of bridge after getting the sheep to run from the back of the field over the bridge 8708
Kit resting after successfully herding the sheep into the pen 8712
A tired Kit heading for a spot of shade and a rest after a job well done 8713
A well-deserved rest 8714
Wool Processing Demonstration
Following the demonstration, the guide directed us into a gift shop where the milling machine was located. The machine had been made in England in about 1902 and had come to New Zealand by ship. It had been in continuous service since then. One of the most impressive things about it was the belt that stretched between the two big green wheels was the original one and had never broken or been repaired and was still going strong. They don’t build things like that today! A woman took over the tour here and told us how the wall was carded after being removed from the sheep and then placed in the hopper of the mill, where it went through numerous needled rollers to become yarnlike. When it came out the other end it could be spun into yarn to be used for making knitted items.
The milling machine 8716
The green wheels with the belt connecting them 8717
Close-up of some of the carding wheels 8718
Hopper where the wool fleece is placed to enter the mill 8722
The milled product; it comes out fine and clean 8721
Spinning the milled wool 8723
After spending a few minutes in the two gift shops on the property, we boarded the bus again and headed toward the Maori exhibit.
Trip to Maori Village
We were served lunch airline-style as we traveled from the Agrodome to the Maori Village. We had a choice between a meat curry and vegetarian. Nikki and I each choose the curry, which was absolutely delicious (and a far cry from the self-assembled sandwhiches provided our disastrous Pirates tour in Panama!).
A lake was one of the wonderful sights we saw along this stretch of our journey. It added a new dimension to the scenery.
Lake; volcano hill, green foreground 8726
Home on the lake; beautiful flowers 8728
Lakeside park 8732
As we approached the “area of great geothermal activity,” we drove through the Government gardens which had been a lovely garden/park and housed a mineral springs spa for therapeutic purposes since early in the 1900s. The grounds are lovely and the original building is still there but is no longer used as a hospital.
Entrance 8735
Building 8737
Grounds and statue 8738
Rotorua is known for the sulpher smell in the air from all the geothermal springs, mud pots, and geysers in the area. It wasn’t as pronounced a smell as, for example, I remember the geothermal area of Yellowstone National Park being when I visited it with my family at age 10. Soon we drove into the Maori village and our driver/guide turned us over to one of the Maori guides. There are several traditional-style structures on the grounds. One was on the order of an open teepee-style, with twelve tall pillars reaching for the sky. Each of the pillars has a carved figure at the bottom, representing one of the gods traditionally worshiped by the Maori.
12-pillard structure 8739
We stood inside this open structure while our guide talked in general terms about it and its religious significance. She said she would not go into detail about their religious beliefs and practices but did point out three specific deities represented by elaborately carved figures, one near the base of each of the twelve pillars. She told us that we would next go to the ceremonial grounds. There, we and the other tourists who would be attending the show would elect a “king” (had to be male; I wonder what they would do if only female tourists were there). Then we would gather in a group with the king at the front, all facing the large ceremonial building at the end of a long walkway.
A Maori warrior would come out of the building, brandishing a weapon and doing the haka, war dance, which would include handling the weapon – a long pole – and doing intricate movements with it; making fierce facial expressions including extending the tongue in an elongated manner; and bulging the eyes. She explained that this is something the warrior (the reenactor) had spent years studying and perfecting, it was an important part of their culture and we were requested not to laugh, talk loudly or be disrespectful in any way. The purpose of the haka was that, because the host tribe did not know if the visitors came in war or peace, to give a show of strength and challenge the visitors to make their purpose known.
The warrior would confront the visitors’ king and place a gift on the ground in front of him. If our king picked up the gift (exposing his neck to the warrior), it meant we came in peace. If the king refused the gift, the warrior (and those watching from inside the building) would know we had come for purposes of war and a battle would begin immediately. If we had come in peace, warriors outside the building would blow the conch shell as a gesture of welcome and maidens standing just outside the building would begin singing, the warrior would turn around and lead the king and our group into the building for the show. None of us was to walk alongside or ahead of our king. When we got to the building, we were requested to remove our shoes before going inside. We could take our shoes with us and place them on the floor under our chairs if we wished or leave them outside. Then she led us into the grounds to wait for everyone to gather for the beginning of the show. While we waited for the show to begin, I took this photo of a carved tiki at the entrance to a building across the grounds.
Tiki in front of wood building across the grounds 8740
Then a Maori maiden wearing traditional Maori clothing came out of the building and explained all the above to the group, most of whom had not heard it before, not having their own tour guide. Then she asked for a volunteer to be king and somehow a man from Russia was selected. The maiden led the king along the pathway and insisted we all walk behind him (although we could be spread out). As they proceeded forward, a warrior came out of the building and shouted a challenge.
Maori maiden addressing our group 8741
Warrior advancing down walkway, doing the haka 8742
Warrior in front of our king, doing haka tongue gesture 8743
The warrior placed the gift (a branched leaf) on the ground and our king picked it up, indicating we had come in peace; two warriors at the front of the building blew on conch shells and Maori maidens standing outside the building began singing a song of welcome, and the warrior started leading the king toward the building while we all followed in a mass.
As we head toward the building; we see warriors holding conch shells they had blown and maidens singing their welcome 8745
We approached the building, which had three steps leading up to it, where we paused to remove our shoes. Nikki and I were among the majority who chose to carry their shoes inside. The seating area was flat, not tiered, with a raised performance area at the back, so my view of the performance was between the heads of those in front of me. The guide had explained that the ceremonial building represented an ancestor with all his body parts. On the outside at the front, at the top peak of the roof was the head; the two beams at angles and extending to the two upright pillars on each side were the arms; the uprights were the legs. I can’t remember what the upright pole in the center represented. She encouraged us to notice that inside the building on the ceiling were spine (long beam at peak running from front to back); the ribs (beams extending at a slant from the spine to the top of the walls) and extending down from the ceiling was the tongue. Here is the outside photo of the building again so you can identify the outside features.
Ceremonial building representing The Ancestor: head at the top of the peak, arms estending down at angles, legs are the upright poles. 8745
Closer-up of head 8763
Ceiling of ceremonial building. Ancestor’s spine: decorated beam running the length of the building; ribs: narrower decorated beams extending from spine to tops of walls; tongue: U-shaped carved piece extending from the spine straight downward 8753
Our Maori maiden guide then took the stage and explained elements of the dances and games we were about to see. The hands represent the Life Force and are held extended and shaken back and forth constantly while the singing and dancing take place. Most of the photos of the performance are blurry for three reasons, because the performers move so fast, my camera is slow on the uptake, and I find it hard to hold the camera steady because of its shape. So I apologize but include the shots because they are better – and more descriptive – than nothing.
Maiden explaining hand movements 8754
Dancers (warriors and maidens) , singing and doing hand movement; guitar player at back 8756
Warrior doing tongue gesture of defiance 8758
One of the less blurry pictures 8759
Shot showing performers and ceiling décor 8760
Tourists leaving show and donning their shoes; upward shot of carving and decorations outside front of building 8761
Close-up of The Ancestor’s head 8763
Our tour guide met us outside and led us to a nearby small garden where various types of flax were growing. She explained how the flax plant is used to make the traditional Maori clothing like the performers had worn as well as other items such as baskets, floor mats, etc.
Guide showing most-used type of flax; other types are visible beside her 8764
Close-up of largest flax plant 8766
Then she led us along a walkway, taking a shortcut that non-tour groups didn’t realize was a shortcut, to the active geothermal area. The first thing we saw was the geyser area, with a geyser beginning to shoot skyward. She explained that the water is under the surface of the earth at that point and is heated by volcanic activity below the surface. When it reaches a certain temperature it can no longer be contained underground and is forced outward, forming the geyser.
Geyser, first view 8768
Closer view, two geysers spouting; steam rising from the hot spring pool formed by water from geyser 8770
Closeup of mineral formations made by centuries of hardened minerals from the geysers; there is also a mineral pool below the formation with adapted plants growing in it 8771.
Closeup of geysers; the one on the right is the largest but it had reached its zenith before we arrived and was diminishing 8772
View of scenery near the geysers 8773
Close-up of adapted plants 8775
Close-up of mineral deposits 8777
Close-up of steaming pool 8778
Close-up of geysers 8779
Close-up of mineral deposits near lower pool; note mini-stalactite formations above edge of water 8781
A small steaming pool nearby 8782
We were standing on a wooden bridge over the lower pool where it formed a river.
River on other side of bridge 8784
Buveh on bridge with geysers in background 8789
Buveh and Nikki with geysers in background; another tourist offered to take our picture together after seeing us take pictures with each others’ cameras 8791
Great close-up of the geysers 8792
Great view of steaming river, from above 8793
The river flows off into distant lovely scenery 8794
Sign explaining name of geyser, Pohutu, and how the geyser is formed 8796
Dramatic shot of geysers shooting skyward 8797
Our guide then herded us to the mud pots area, where we viewed this phenomenon from another wooden bridge. I was expecting mud pots more like those I remembered in Yellowstone Park from my childhood but these had their own distinct personality.
Mud pots, first view 8801
Close-up of muc pots 8802
Third view 8803
Sign about Mud Pool (how do you like its name?) 8804
From there we went to a weaving studio, where we were shown how the flax is turned from a raw leaf into material with which to weave various items. I was so engrossed with the explanation and examples that I forgot to take pictures. Sorry! Then we went to the woodcarving school, where specially selected boys attend classes and learn to do the traditional Maori wood carving. We arrived after the boys had left from the day (it was late afternoon) but one of the instructors was there, working on a piece.
Maori carver at work 8805
After seeing the woodworking shop, we had a few minutes to spend in the gift shop and then we boarded the bus. We would be making a few stops at Rotorua hotels, to drop off some of our group who would be staying there and pick up others who were on the second day of their 2-day tour. While we waited in front of one hotel, I took this picture of a statue of a Maori warrior through the window of the bus.
Statue of Maori warrior in front of hotel 8806
That accomplished, we were on the road again and I was taking photos through the bus window but the light was fading and the sky was overcast, so not many came out. However, here are the best. The most exciting were the park we passed that had steam rising from a geothermal area, of which Rotorua has innumerable ones..
Park along side of road 8809
Shrubs in foreground; steaming pools in background 8812
Another view of steaming area 8814
Out in the countryside, taking a different route than the one we had arrived on, we came to a wide plain, different from the mountainous area previously viewed. The sun was lowering and made an interesting impression on the photos I took through the bus window. We were served a nice “snack” as we traveled toward Auckland.
Plain (low mountains barely visible in background) 8817
Lovely view 8820
Farmland with volcano mountain in background 8823
Close-up volcanic hills and big volcano hill in background 8824
Sheep! Had to include this one although it’s quality is poor 8825
It can’t get better than this! 8827
Nice view of hills and sheep 8839
When the bus arrived back in Auckland, it made stops at several hotels to drop off folks who were staying in those places or otherwise wanted to get off there. Then it went to the information centre on Quay Street. Nikki and I knew that because it was after 8:00, TSS was no longer serving dinner. Of course we were hungry, so we continued walking along Quay street after we got off the bus, heading toward the Viaduct area, where there were a lot of restaurants (and also bars, but neither of us drinks, so they were not of interest). We finally found a Thai restaurant that served interesting food for reasonable prices and enjoyed a nicee dinner there. Then we walked back to the ship, arriving tired but happy about the quality of the tour.
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