Oceania 2024
Pages
Introduction.
May
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
18,
19,
20,
21,
22,
23,
24,
25,
26,
27,
28,
29,
30,
31.
June
01,
02.
Home.
2024-05-14
Lots of left-side driving today, but at least in daylight. Much of it was on
long-distance high-speed roads that are fairly narrow with lots of places where
you slow down considerably for curves marked with lower speed limits. They are
not unlike parts of New Hampshire Route 101 from Wilton to Jaffrey but have
narrower shoulders and tighter curves.
We drove first to the Waitomo Glowworm
Caves, which do indeed have glowing worms. The glowworms climb to the cave
ceiling, let down sticky threads, and glow to attract prey.
After the caves, we drove a short distance for lunch, then a long distance to
stop at Hobbiton (location of Lord of the Rings filming) with no time
for a tour, and continued to Rotorua.
Our hotel was adjacent to Lake Rotorua, which fills a caldera, and its
predominant feature is a strong sulfur smell. Fortunately, it was not too bad
inside the room. After checking in, we went to Mitai Māori Village for a Māori “experience”
and dinner. I think most of the performers live a modern industrial life, and I
am not sure what portion of the experience is genuine practices you would have
found one or two hundred years ago versus acts for tourists.
© Copyright 2024 by
Eric Postpischil.
