Where was I?
Rotorua
In this wondrous town. I have spent some days there and first and foremost discovered to place. Rotorua is well known for its geothermal activity. You notice it at any corner. Anywhere you go there are these steaming puddles, bubbling water from inside the earth, holes in the ground, sulphur smell. I visited the Lake Rotorua, some parks and ‘Te Puia’, an attraction about Maori Culture and accumulation of geothermal wonders (and lots of sulphurous scent). From this almost unreal patch of earth I of course took many pictures…
What can I say? It simply boils out of the ground…
Lake Rotorua
Everything seems to shout Adventure.
Seagulls are dumb and mean, I had to learn. I hope this one will be furious about her ugly picture online one day! 😀
The somewhat unspectacular pond in central park.
There’s alway restricted areas where it is especially steamy, bubbly or smelly…
Whoever urgently looks for a hobby, here is inspiration. 😉
Every part of nature has its rules…
Where did I end up here??
Some lesson in chemics. Petrified wood?
This I call art!! (and it is not mine)
Te Puia
In Te Puia it is all about Maori Culture. Because the religion forbids depicting human traits, you only see those grimaces.
Did I use the word ‘bubbling’ yet?
Mudpools. They gurgle like mom’s tomato sauce just before it’s done…
Some more for our chemists… 🙂
In Rotorua City the probably most beautiful bicycle stand can be found…
By the way I did the (for a New Zealand Trip almost mandatory) skydive. A unique, unbelievable and utmost intense undertaking.
YEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
To farewell Rotorua I decided to hitchhike. My destination was Taupo and it worked well. After some wait a retired farmer picked me up towards Taupo. We talked about agriculture and he explained the change that the land goes through from forestry to dairy use. Now I know that New Zealand indeed has more sheep than men, even though the count of sheep has halved in the past years. Cows gain popularity and the dairy business grows.
Taupo
Super nice John dropped me at the town belt and I walked on in cheerful spirits. If I learned one thing in New Zealand, it is that you can always talk to anyone. Thus I tried my luck with the first person I found, a briskly pacing girl with earbuds-filled eavesdroppers. Those quickly disappeared and it came up that she works at Pak’n’Save (a rather cheapish and bigger supermarket) which is only 3 minutes from my hostel. Now Christin wasn’t only a fine accompaniment, but an excellent navigation system as well in this foreign town. It’s worth mentioning that we met on both times visiting the shop at the checkout. You always meet thrice, right? 😀
I spent just one night in Taupo, even though this beautiful patch of (Middle-) earth is worth more attention. Plus I have seen the area from 15.000ft above already. 😉
But my plan was just like this. I wanted to meet another blogger in Taupo, who is an Au Pair there. That was well special and the sunset looks awesome whilst you have your feet in the water…
My plan held some more hitchhiking adventure for the next day. After I gradually dragged my replacement bag, which still sticks to me waiting for the desired one, over grass and stones towards the Highway 5 to Napier my thumb was being answered and Andrew picked me up. We animatedly talked about all things New Zealand (Aotearoa, as the Maori called it) and looked at the nature around in awe. Only here you find this much variety. And this many beautiful things close to each other, too.
Napier
Andrew dropped me off right in Napier and I checked in at the hostel. I was keen to get to know new people. In Rotorua I had a single room (that lets you value privacy anew) and in Taupo I only spent one night. But in this four-bed-room I am actually the only guest. 😀 Well, I won’t complain about two nights alone.
Napier (often called gorgeous) is gorgeous! The city is dominated by its Art Deco (have I ever mentioned me being a great Bioshock fan?), the water is blue, it is hot summer here as well.
I got together with Klaus and Jennifer again, who drove me to the hostel in the beginning. I wasn’t only served with delicious food, but with the offer of assisting with the job hunt, too.
Thank you dad for the Repair Job. May they prolong in service on my side, or rather on my feet…
In Napier I stood in front of the wide ocean and I stood there for some time.
My plans foresaw the South Island as Work- and Travel Destination, but in the 3 months I want to spend working towards the visa extension there might be little time left for travels. Plus I will step into my role as an Au Pair in Wellington in 3 months…
Maybe I’ll work in Hawke’s Bay and turn south later. Those are the current thoughts. But first I need to return to Wellington in order to open my bank account (this time by bus, so don’t you worry 🙂 )…
