First day in Rotorua - a trip to the moon!

My first day in Rotorua was quite a big one!

Rotorua is a quiet city of about 60 000 inhabitants, 230 kms from Auckland. It is situated on the edge of a big lake, in the middle of a thermal area. 35% of the population is Maori, and it is thus the perfect place to get to know this culture.

Map from www.tourism.net.nz

I staid at the Kiwi Paka hostel, close to the Kuirau Park. The wind was regularly bringing some strange smells from there, so early in the morning, I decided to go and have a look at what was happening... And this is what I discovered...

Steam was coming from behind the trees...

The wooden path brought me to another world...

The heat emanating from the water was quite strong in some places, making it difficult for trees to survive.

This was an ever-changing landscape! It felt like being on another planet.

The ground too was interesting, displaying a whole range of unusual colours.

Water was bubbling...

Mud was boiling...

Then I walked till Ohinemutu, a Maori village on the edge of the lake.

In the central square, the marae (meeting house) and its beautiful carvings.

A bit further, this one was pretty funny!

Here too, steam comes out of the ground...

I sat down on the grass and had a picnic enjoying the view. But I suddenly felt a strong heat under my poor bottom... And realized it was not a really safe place I had chosen. Indeed, the ground was not exactly stable...

The lake is populated with a whole colony of black swans, famous for attacking people feeding them...

They were very gracious...

But not completely black!




I found many people to talk to!


It was family-day around the lake...




A beautiful Maori canoe was sitting there.






Little by little, the water was becoming whiter and whiter because of the high level of sulphur in it.


Even the stones and the sand were becoming colourless.

A pool of boiling water along the way...

During the late 19th century, this area became famous among Europeans for its therapeutic properties. It is said that some of the pools emitted hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide gases, which produced uncontrolled laugher, and eventually fainting, making bathing quite dangerous.

I was suddenly back to civilisation for a while, in the Government Gardens and their touches of typical British culture.


This former spa is now the Rotorua Museum of Art & History.


Opposite is the Blue Bath, one of the first places in Rotorua where families could bathe for fun.




The Band Rotorua was built in 1900. At that time, two local brass bands, one Maori and one European, played during the tourist season.

A group gathers for a sporting event in the gardens, c. 1910 - Rotorua Museum

There was a lot of art spread around the garden...
Below: Waitukei sculpture - 2001, by Rotorua artist Lyonel Grant.

After a close look at the bowling game, I went back to the wilderness...

Not many plants can survive in this environment. But this tea tree is very common here. It was used by the Maori as a remedy for many complaints.

I really felt I was on the moon... The most surprising thing is that it is just about 20 minutes walk from the city. But you feel like you're alone in the middle of a strange universe...






The more I walked, the more dead and carbonated trees...




And those sign posts everywhere were starting to worry me a bit. It was a long time since I hadn't crossed anyone on the path...


Then even the track became unsure. There where steamy holes right in the middle...

It was time to go back to a safer spot!

About an hour later, I was once again in the welcoming park close to the hostel...


During the day, the water level had increased, and mud pools were bubbling even stronger than in the morning.


I had a small rest and enjoyed a well deserved foot bath in the park... That was hot!!!