July 20-21, 2019 - last three days in New Zealand.
Thank you for joining me on my New Zealand tour! The last three days I’ve chosen to let go a little bit on the blog in order to spend more time with my friend and her family without as much disruption.
I’ve also been incredibly exhausted! It was almost like all the energy just went out of me after the WETA tour. I couldn’t stay awake to finish the blog post that night (which I had been doing religiously) and was barely able to finish it up the next morning.
Right now I’m at the airport in Auckland waiting for a boarding gate to be announced for my flight to Vancouver. I don’t expect I’ll be able to finish my comments about the last three days before I leave, so I’ll probably continue in Vancouver. Also not sure about the ability to download/upload pictures here or there, so this may not be finalized for over 24 hours.
Anyway…. To get started now….
Arrived at Mt. Doom (Mt Ruapehu) on Friday evening, July 19th. We went out to dinner at the Powderkeg Restaurant near the house Tash’s family had rented for a few days during their Winter School Break. I had the salmon, while Tash & her brother, Justin (thanks for having an easy -Trudeau - name to remember, Justin!) had the steak. I know the others ate, but I don’t remember what they ordered. They raved about the steak and I thought the salmon was really excellent. They had a good selection of beers on tap - I had a Guiness.
For desert Justin got the apple & cranberry <?> crumble, Isabella had an ice cream sunday (more ice cream than sunday, but it had caramel topping), and Eloise had a very very rich slice Chocolate pie/cake.
The rental house was very comfortable with many sleeping rooms and a living room area that included a wood burning stove. The kitchen was fully supplied with dishes, cutlery, & things. Most importantly, the bedrooms were comfortable for crashing out after a long day….week….fortnight….
Next Day …. 7/20/2019
Skiers skiing…. Tasha, Eloise, & Isabella were set on skiing today. After a leisurely breakfast everyone got packed up into their ski gear & loaded up the car for the mountain - Mt Ruapehu. Things started out rainy, but turned into blizzard conditions by noon and the up mountain driving was shut down by 4pm.
Nonskiers hiking… Todd, Justin, & I opted for a mountain hike since none of us are skiers. We found a nice hour long hike and took our time. We did experience some drizzle that turned into heavy rain just as we were finishing up, but mostly we worked on identifying the flora (trees, mostly… Everything else was mostly ‘fern,’ ‘moss,’ or ‘epiphyte’) - filled in some gaps from my previous hike up Arthur's Pass. 
Ok, so the Mahoe Tree looks like it is where the epiphyte and the moss are growing. I am not sure whether the “Jews Ears Fungus/Taranaki wool” that grow on the dead trees are the same as the epiphyte growing on live trees.
Ok… found it. The epiphyte is a lichen called Reindeer Lichen. There are several other similar varieties and not being a specialist in the field I would not want to discount those. If you would like to take a look at the options for yourself. http://www.terrain.net.nz/friends-of-te-henui-group/local-lichen.html
Rimu - Red Pine - Another common coniferous tree. I was thinking they were deciduous…. I’m not very good at the herbology game!
There are a lot of trees…. Miro… Tawa… Kamahi… Putaputaweta (a weta bug host)... Black Maire… Totara…. Toii (Cabbage Tree…. Basically the same as Florida’s).. Ongaonga…
After hiking, Justin jumped on his bike and rode down to the train station. Todd drove me back to the house so I could spend the afternoon reading. He joined the ladies on the mountain (Mount DOOOOOOM!) for building a snowman then we all rejoined for pasta dinner and The Mask of Zorro for the evening movie. Nice and cumfy!
July 21, 2019 - Sunday
BEST DAY EVER!!!!
Ok…. maybe WETA day was BEST DAY EVER!!!.... Or maybe not…. All of them are BEST DAY EVER!
On the drive to Rotarua Tash and I stopped at Lake Taupo, a caldera lake made from the remains of a volcanic eruption… or several. There is a lot of dark basalt laying around, but also pumice FLOATING around the edges of the lake water where it is drifting ashore. There are pumice rocks of many different sizes and we were able to collect a sample for me to take home.
The lake is gorgeous and has many thermal vents around select areas on the edge of the lake. The vents smell of sulfur (that lovely, rotten egg smell) and frequently has left yellow deposits on the surfaces of the rock near where gases are venting.
We stopped for a picnic lunch of fruit, brie, nuts, yogurt, and things, then head out again to the mud pools and geysers.
Te Puia and the Maori Arts Institute are located just outside the town of Rotarua. Within the town they capitalize on their proximity to the hot vents by having many spas and thermal baths, but the natural wonder itself is at Te Puia.
There are many hot pools where volcanic thermal gasses are bubbling up through the water. There are some areas where the water is very clear and then others where the mud pools give a “blub blub blub” of bubbles emerging ominously from the thick dissolved clay materials below. It is not very pretty, but some of the spas will offer the benefits of their mud packs from thermals.
In some of the clear waters there are not only thermal waters bubbling through, but also geysers.
Some Geysers are extinct because of the locals tapping into the natural hot waters by surrounding homes in the previous century (some of which are still in use), but some are still fully functional. The largest geyser we were able to video record for several moments as the water erupted through the small opening -- pushed through by the pressure of steam building in the extensive caverns below. Long Geyser Video - Click Here
Awesome Geyser Video, Short - Click Here
This geyser is reported to erupt three times per hour. Though not quite so timely as “Old Faithful” it is every bit as impressive!
Progressing from the Geysers, Natasha and I found our hotel for the night. A very classic structure from a century long gone.
We also had the opportunity to take advantage of the hot waters of their thermally heated pools. There were three pools….. Temperatures were Really Warm, Hot, and Crazy Hot! We don’t recommend trying to walk immediately after removing yourself from either of the hotter pools.
Hopped through the town obstacle course (Adult/kid mixed Playground in the village shopping center - ain't it grand!!?) to our way to dinner.
Then the culmination of the day -- the clouds had cleared and we had the clearest view of the southern sky as any time during my trip! We were in town and very tired, so we didn’t see much of it. But we did see the Southern Cross and we were able to find Jupiter & Saturn along the orbital plane. It was awesome!
SOUTHERN CROSS (above)
Jupiter (left) and Saturn (right) - confirmed with Star Chart app
Southern Cross later that evening, lower on horizon appeared larger
July 22, 2019 - The Neverending Monday!
Overnight accommodations at the Princess Gate Hotel were excellent. Breakfast was even better! Continental breakfast plus order items from menu. I had Salmon Eggs Benedict & Natasha ordered a Salmon Omelet. Yum!
We walked around Rotarua the rest of the morning (to work off breakfast and the Irish dinner! The lake there is crystal clear, with more thermal vents at different locations around the rim. 
We stopped in to visit an Anglican church that was set up in the same spiritual space as the Maori community center (Marae). Both structures are built with a similar coloring and thoughtful design. The Marae was shut down for a private function today, but the church was open for viewing and photography. The carvings in the church were thoughtfully designed and carved. 
The glass windows (etched, and stained glass) are also beautiful. The glasswork included examples from pre-Raphaelite, american Tiffany style, and modern etched glass.
The return trip was an additional three hours drive. We stopped off at Tash’s house again to pick up some items I had left, then she drove me over to the airport at 5-ish for my 8pm flight.
So this is where Monday was supposed to end… but no…. I’m flying Eastward around the globe…. Across the International Date Line (where I lose a day, just as it hits midnight).... So when I arrived at Vancouver…. It’s the beginning of Monday all over again!
So at this point I’m sitting in the Vancouver airport at 8pm…. And my flight still doesn’t leave for another 2 hours. It’s almost Tuesday in Virginia. But not here. My Monday has already had a night, a day, a night, and another full day. I think I’m going to miss most of Monday night, honestly. I’m hoping for some sleep on this Vancouver flight, but I am not highly optimistic.
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