Day 45 - Whakarewarewa and return to Auckland

28.01.2015

Unbelievably, the last day in paradise. I can't believe that tomorrow morning at 9:00 I will already be sitting on the plane to Hong Kong. But first, I am driving about an hour to Rotorua and visiting Whakarewarewa Village and joining a village tour at 12:00. 25 families live in this village, which is also a tourist attraction. However, most of the residents do not work in tourism, although there are a few guides and some people who run souvenir shops and a cafe here. The name Whakarewarewa is already not easy - but the complete name of the place is about 4 times longer and is called Te Whakarewarewatanga O Te Ope Taua A Wahiao (which can also be written as one word), which roughly translates to 'Meeting place for the warriors of Wahioa'.

Entrance sign...

It's really steaming everywhere here, and steam rises from the ground next to each house. In some of the earth holes, grates have been installed and food is cooked here. In the morning, before going to work, everything is put in here and when you come back hours later, it is cooked and ready to eat.

In the middle of the village is an outdoor public bath. There are about 5 cemented "bathtubs" in the ground, which are connected to narrow streams that are diverted from a nearby hot spring. The water is very hot and not suitable for people with weak hearts or circulation. The cemetery of the small village has the graves above the ground in white stone coffins for obvious reasons. There are two churches here. The Catholics have been busy with missionary work here, as many Maori are Catholic, even though they continue to maintain their traditional customs and many religious beliefs of their ancestors.

The sky is almost black above the small tourist group that I belong to, and before it starts, I quickly run to the parking lot to get my rain jacket. I threw away my rain bag for 1 EUR from the Euroshop in Berlin before the ferry ride on the South Island, and now I actually have to dig through my big travel bag to find my rain jacket, while the first heavy drops fall from above. I barely find the jacket when a torrential downpour starts and I retreat to my car. After 20 minutes, it's all over and I see several participants in my group running soaking wet and shivering to their cars.

I get out dry and walk to the covered stage, where a Maori dance/music performance starts at 2:00 pm. The songs remind me a lot of the South Seas.

Harmonious singing with beautiful melodies. While the women swing the poi (a white ball on a string) and perform incredible movements from the wrist, women and men sing together. The grimaces in the Haka serve to intimidate enemies - if it helps! Today, it is also practiced before football games. When it's time to participate, I make a quick escape. It's shortly after half past two when I leave Rotorua and start my final leg to Auckland.

The Airport Gateway Motel is cheap and it shows. The parking lot is full, the furniture is worn out, and I have three camping beds in my room, none wider than 90cm. Because the road where the motel is located is partially closed due to construction, it takes me almost an hour to find a way here. It's a good thing I still have internet on my phone and eventually find the way with Google Maps, after going around in circles with the navigation system multiple times and reaching the wrong end of the road where there is no access to the hotel. I'm completely annoyed when I arrive at the hotel at almost 7:00 pm. I have dinner in the hotel restaurant, which - like the restaurant and hotel owners - has a menu that is influenced by Indian cuisine. But it's delicious and I treat myself to a large beer and then try to find a sleeping position on the narrow, sagging mattress. The room is hot and stuffy. I have the two folding windows open and would rather endure the car noise from the nearby highway, the planes, and the floodlight on the parking lot. It will be a short, restless night.

Daily mileage: 315