Day 8 - Kids Play on Luges & Rotten Eggs

19th December - Rotorua @94 on Springfield 

Wake at 6.30 and go for a shower. Coleen makes tea. Pat and Chris are up and about. Are all older people like this, or are we still suffering time delay/jet lag? We are on holiday and strolling around at 6.30 like lost pensioners in an old peoples’ home. Pat and Chris go back to bed.

Coleen is desperate to buy some Rice Crispies. We drive to the nearby shops as soon as it seems shops would be open and buy Crispies. Back at the ranch (the house is sort of ranch style), Pat and Chris are laying out the breakfast, including Julie’s home-made blueberry muffins and the homemade loaf she has left us. Breakfasts have been gourmet afairs so far.

Lazy breakfast looking out the glass fronted lounge onto the golf course. Joggers disgustingly trot by the drive on Springfield and women walk their dogs. Meanwhile we (except Coleen) munch into the scrumptious muffins dusted with icing sugar. Yummeee!. Coleen eats her Rice Crispies.

Shopping At new World

Lazy morning after the long drive of yesterday. The women are itching to do something, so we go to the nearest New World (supermarket) for evening BBQ supplies, wine and beer and other less essential supplies like milk, eggs, butter, etc. The range and quality of meat is superb. They must send all the rubbish meats to Britain, as the lamb steaks are out of this world. Checkout  "No we don't take Nectar cards, but we do have petrol discount vouchers. Girls are pleased we have another reason to visit supermarkets.

Nice Traffic Cop

Coleen is in the driving seat. Leaving the NW we head back on the main road to @94. Half a mile and flashing blue lights behind signal us to stop. A bearded police traffic officer approaches the car from behind and Coleen winds the window down. Do all traffic cops have beards at some time or other? Must ask Clive when we get back. He advises her of her speed in the built up area: 65 kph in a 50 zone. She needs to produce her driving licence. She says sorry and tells him her licence is back at the B&B. He asks how long we have been in NZ and after a firm, but friendly telling off reminds her of the fixed price penalty of $NZ150 for speeding and wishes us a pleasant holiday. He’s the sort of guy you could invite to your BBQ. Coleen is furious with herself, but it reminds us all that all towns have at least a 50 limit which is about 30 mph.

Behaving Like Children – Luge Rides.
Cruised around Rotorua and eventually arrived at Skyline the Gondola and Luge park. Great price NZ$35 for Gondola and 3 luge rides and NZ$24 for Coleen who didn’t want to ride the luges.

The views over Rotorua and the lake were worth the entrance fee.

Brilliant luge rides. Like a cut-down fairground bumpercar with a brake and gravity for an engine. First off we try the scenic run - slower and less steep. Because you are sitting on the floor they seem to be going faster down the concrete runway than they are. At the bottom you push the carts together like supermarket trolley park and head for the ski-lift to go back again. The luges are automatically grabbed by the ski chairs and whisked up with you. Helmets are compulsory and the intermediate and advanced runs show they are sensible. Advanced run was shut so we did the intermediate. Pat was in pole with me then Chris third on the grid. On a tight lefthander I out-braked Pat to shoot by on the inside - yes!!

Coleen watched our childish antics. Afterwards we went for some lunch, but unlike American adventure parks the food had run out and we made do with dried pies and overcooked chips. Is this to be the worst food we are to endure on our travels?


"Sulphur City" Rotten Eggs Capital Of The World

Late afternoon we went into the main town (city) – the gushing steam clouds cast a pall of sulphur smelling gas over parts of the centre. Stopped by a park and went to see the boiling volcanic mud pools and lakes first-hand. The parking and entrance was free. So where are residents only parking signs? The bubbling mud holes slurped tunefully like a bronchitic Mike Oldfield piece. Chris and I filmed everything, though the end result would be just a load of mud holes and steam.

Shopping Trip

Into the main town and some shopping. Coleen buys a eye mask because of the moonlight in the bedroom. Meet Pat and Chris near the car for a coffee. They are well inside the almost empty cafe, some sort of  'elf 'n safety nonsense means they can’t sit near the door. (like being at home).

Julie's Little Treats
Back to @94 and Julie has brought us a tray of her home cooking, she’s worth taking on the rest of the holiday just for her cooking alone. Fresh bread, gluten free loaf for Coleen, rice pudding, spicy pancakes and a fruit bowl.

Had drinks with Julie and Des before getting the BBQ going. New Zealanders are so friendly. We get a potted history of the house. Des owns a computer business and fixes our apartment wireless internet connection, but it’s patchy. Des is a Spurs fan and watches their games on Sky - the "Nearly Men team". He’s never heard of our club, Reading, but has heard of Steve Coppell our manager. We must be the only club in the world where the manager is more famous than the club.

Gas BBQ (none of this old fashioned charcoal nonesense)  produces great pork steaks, yummy sausages, salad and potatoes. Great grub washed down with copious amounts of wine. Ahhhh!– should sleep well tonight. Will the eyemask do the trick?