Wednesday, August 6th 2003 – Day 169
I had booked a tour to Waiotapu yesterday. Well I booked the entrance ticket for 16.50 AUS and the bus (20 AUS) separatly. The bus left at 9.20am from the tourist office and it takes about 30 minutes to get there. It was very cold during the night and I used two duvets. It was very cold again this morning with frost and mist.
Waiotapu is a intensive and colorful geothermal exhibition. It’s open daily from 8:30am to 5pm, and you’ll want to allow 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The best features here are the reliable Lady Knox Geyser, which performs around 10:15am daily; the spectacular Champagne Pool; New Zealand’s largest bubbling mud pool; and the vivid green Devil’s Bath–the greener the water, the higher the arsenic content.
It was quite good, the geyser is made active by dropping soap down to break the surface tension. After watching that the bus brought us to the main park. We get a map each with three trails on it. To walk the three trails takes about 1 hour. The bus was ready to bring us back at 12.15.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – Waiotapu Thermal Reserve (06-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – Waiotapu Thermal Reserve (06-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – Waiotapu Thermal Reserve (06-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – Waiotapu Thermal Reserve (06-08-2003)
After I got back at 1.00pm, I walked to down to the lake foreshore a few minutes away. It is quite impressive and the sun was out. You can see much from here. I then decided to take the free shuttle bus to AGRODOME from the tourist office. It is a 20 minute drive from town. Its a farm show and a adventure park.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – The Rotorua Lake (06-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – The Rotorua Lake (06-08-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – The Rotorua Lake (06-08-2003)
When I got to the adventure park, I decided to buy a package. It was 99 AUS for a ZORB and a bungee. As the zorb was 40 AUS, the bungee was only 59 AUS, which is VERY cheap. Well worth it.
Where else are you going to find yourself inside a giant plastic bubble, with the option of being wet or dry as you roll 250m (820 ft.) down a steep, slippery slope? It’s like nothing you’ve ever done before. A dry ride will cost NZ$40. I took the wet option. I hired shorts and a t-shirt for 2 AUS. Basically you get into the ball barefoot at the top of the hill. They pump in hot water. You must do it water to make it an experience. You then have the choice of rolling straight down the hill or down a zig zag course. I did the zig zag as it meant to me better. It was great fun been thrown around the inside the ball, slipping and s;sliding doing 360 and 180 head over heels. It was so good I had a second go for 20 AUS. It was great craic. You get soaked but you get a towel and a changing room at the end.
I then took a shuttle bus to the bungee zone.
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Rotorua – New Zealand – The Zorb (06-08-2003)
Rotorua Bungy & Swoop, Agrodome Leisure Park is where you can leap from a 43m (141-ft.) tower. There was no messing. I got weighted and before I knew it, I had signed away my rights and was been lifted up in a crane. As soon as we got there, he opened the gate to jump. He said the longer you mess about the less likely you re to jump. Within second he was counting 1,2,3 and I jumped. I have jumped in Thailand before and I was scared. This time it was ALOT easier. I jumped straight away and jumped correctly like a swimming pool dive. I enjoyed it and felt great after. I stayed there until 3.30pm and got the shuttle bus back to town.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Rotorua – New Zealand – Bungee – Yep, thats me in the picture and my certificate (06-08-2003)
I asked to bet let out at Skyrides which is about half way back to town.
Skyline Skyrides is still far and away the number-one visitor attraction in Rotorua, and for the panoramic views from Mount Ngongotaha alone, the ride up is definitely worth it. It was 29 AUS for the ride up (and return) and 5 LUGE rides. You descend down tracks on karts –the regular scenic luge, an advanced luge track, an adventure flying fox, the sidewinder, or the chairlift.
Once you get down you a chairlift back up. I did three intermediate and 2 advanced.
It was good run and you pick up great speed as its all gravity. Even passed out 1 or 2 people. In the advanced the bends and dips are very severe and nearly lost control once or twice but by pulling back on the steering wheel, you can brake. It was getting very cold and dark by the time I had finished my 5th ride. Its a slow process as you have to get a 7 minute chairlift back up.
It was 6.00pm before I got a public bus back to town. I shopped locally and bought the New Zealand Herald. I cooked in the hostel and watched some TV. I had a few beers with another guy in the hostel t the hostel. Its a great hostel with every facility you would need and its very spacious. I would recommend it to any body intending to stay in this town.