hour spent trudging round in the heat
whilst watching the odd vapour escape
from the ground.
Sulphur, sheep and singing
An hour’s drive from Taupo was our
penultimate stop, the stinky town of
Rotorua. The smell is courtesy of its
geothermal activity and the reason
Rotorua is also known as “Sulphur
City”. I had booked us on a tour of
the Tamaki Maori Village (www.
tamakimaorivillage.co.nz). Once you
arrive at the village, the three-hour
experience is a great way to learn
more about Maori culture, from
weaponry displays to traditional song
and dance performances. My daughter
and I took part in a traditional dance
using tethered weights called
poi
.
(She was a natural, whilst I bounced
around whacking my head with the
poi
.) Then we all had a laugh as my
husband learnt how to do the
haka
,
a Maori war dance. The evening
finished with a traditional
hangi
meal
with more singing and dancing.
In some ways, Rotorua is like the
Orlando of New Zealand, with its
theme parks and attractions. Rainbow
Springs
),
part zoo and part theme park, is good
fun. Of course, you can’t visit New
Zealand and not pay homage to sheep.
The Agrodome
)
has a wonderful show that lasts for
an hour and includes lots of audience
participation. I glowed with pride
watching my four-year-old on stage
milking a cow! After the show, you are
allowed inside the nursery to pet the
baby animals.
A blissful way to unwind after
a day of adventure is to head to
one of the area’s many hot springs.
We had wanted to drive out to the
beautiful thermal pools of Waikite
Valley; however, the kids were having
tantrums so we stuck to the Polynesian
Spa located in the centre of Rotorua
).
City of sails
The finale of our road trip was a
few days in Auckland. This is one of
those cities where you walk around
thinking, I could live here. After
nights of motels and B&Bs, I decided
to stay at the boutique Hotel Debrett
), right in the
heart of the action. If you can bribe
your partner and kids for the time,
Auckland has cool shopping, from
stylish Britomart
.
org) to trendy Ponsonby (www.
iloveponsonby.co.nz). You’ll also find
a stretch of lovely beaches just ten
minutes from the city centre. We chose
Mission Bay, complete with park and
playground, and home to the best fish
and chips I’ve ever eaten, from the
Fish Pot Café.
No trip to Auckland can be
complete without a visit to the Sky
Tower (
,
the tallest man-made structure in
New Zealand. The views from the
observation deck are incredible and
give you a great perspective on just
how much water surrounds Auckland
and why it’s the “City of Sails”. I also
recommend eating at Depot – located
opposite the Sky Tower – where the
food is delicious, especially the lamb
ribs.
Our brief dalliance with the
North Island was pure family-friendly
fun. Yes, the South Island may offer
more in the way of scenery, from
its glaciers to dramatic cliffs of
The
Lord of the Rings
variety. However, the
North Island serves up a rival slice
of cosmopolitan cities, culture and
landscape. And, the best fish and
chips I’ve ever had is, frankly, reason
enough to visit.
May 2014
103
