Hong Kong

We had an extra half day in Hong Kong as result of a delayed flight. We had to rush for a tour which started 30 minutes after we checked into the hotel! Just about worthwhile but such a culture shock after the peace of NZ. The weather was cool, decidedy cold when we were at the top with a hazy view down onto the skyscapers. So many huge buildings in such a small area - so many people, most of whom seem to make suits, sell rolex watches or give dodgy massages. The riverside area was great, devoted to cinema with many handprints in concrete (where have I seen that before) but not of stars we knew, although we did recognise a larger than life statue of Bruce Lee. I don't have any enthusiasm to see Hong Kong again and certainly not after the beauty of a holiday in New Zealand.

Rotorua

This is such a popular area that I was expecting it to be overun with tourists and not to enjoy it at all, but it was really good!
Rotorua itself is a strange place - looking quite normal with shops, hotels and the rest, but then you will see an area that is producing steam from a hole in the ground, or there is a lake steaming away, and then the smell of sulphur everywhere. The Museum is great and we enjoyed that. It has a lot about Maori history and culture and how the area was used for treatment.
We chose to explore in detail the 'thermal wonderland' at Wai-o-tapu. It has everything, a geyser induced to erupt with a bar of soap, silica formations, hot pools in colours from pea green to turquoise, orange and green deposits and a pervading sulphurous smell. Many holes in the ground with evil looking mud bubbling away.
We finished our NZ trip having great fun on th luge and I will never know how Ian didn't come off as he overtook me at great speed on the final bend. Finally a Polynesian spa and massage - very luxurious!

White Island

We stayed in the White Island Rendezvous in Whakatane, the base for the trip to White Island. 50km off shore White Island is an active volcano and our trip began on the 8.30 boat. I only just survived the 2 hour rough sea crossing. Then equipped with hard hat and gas mask, we were into an inflatable, across to the shore, up the ladder and onto the jetty - dry land at last, but a definite frying pan to fire feeling.
It was a very inhospitable place. Once inhabited by sulphur miners, one group of which were killed in the 30's when an eruption bulldozed them and all the buildings into the sea without a trace being found. Economics finally put paid to the mining. The last major eruption was in 2000 and changed the geography considerably. It erupts throwing out volcanic bombs, from small car to football size - I was so pleased I had a hard hat on! Quite regularly there are events which result in a pool disappearing or forming and land shifting. The crust is thin - our guide threw a large stone onto the ground and it echoed - one day it will go straight through. Steam issues forth from many fissures, some of the ground is too hot to walk on, sulphur is brought to the surface in many places giving beautiful yellow colours. Most of the island is the crater from a huge eruption many years back but there are areas where gannets nest and some regrowth of vegetation is occuring in a corner of the island. I shall be watching the web site for future activity, from a safe distance!

Gisborne - a disappointment

We stopped in Gisborne because it is the most easterly town in the world! The plan was to be the first people in the world (except for a few on remote islands and they were probably sensible enough to stay in bed) to see the sunrise for that day. You can't keep going east since you hit the international date line and suddenly it becomes tomorrow, or is it yestersay, but certainly not today! However we didn't take account of the weather and although two of us were up, on the beach and gazing at the horizon at the time the sun was due to rise (6.15) all we saw was a vague glow, no splendid glowing orb.
The best laid plans...