Saturday, November 3, 2012

Rotorua Day 5, New Zealand


Day 5 Rotorua

Today is the extra day that I was planning to visiting an uncle and aunt. It was a little chilly to start off with this morning although I was woken early by the hustel and bustle of the people in my room who are a family, but making loads of noise and thinking opening curtains were what they do best. Luckily I was meant to get up to go find food and I think I was that person you should ignore unless you want something like the power points.

The day before I had ordered a taxi to pick me up and drop me off at my uncle and aunts place. I had done this online and hoped they would. For some unknown reason they never picked me up as I was waiting earlier and until around 20 past the hour that they were supposed to pick me up. I went into the hostel to order the taxi, which did come. The amusing part is this is the exact same mob I had tried to order online 4 years ago when I was in Christchurch after catching the trans alpine line from Greymouth. They never got my order at all and I was lucky there were taxis then. They were the blue line taxi company. Seems they have not lifted their game, not impressive as they are a service that is depended upon.  The taxi driver was not that bad and we talked about what I was doing and that I studied history and he was happy that I was going and meeting my uncle and aunt at their place in the retirement village. He did want me to call him when I was finished, I told him I would.

Meeting with Eve and Phil went really well. They were happy to see me after so many years. I filled them in what was happening. I found they had not received my letter that I had posted around 3 weeks before. They were happy when I told them about getting into contact with Nigel my natural father. They had not actually been told that he was in contact again after so many years apart. We spoke about what were were all doing and I filled them in on what I could with my sisters wedding. We spoke about or research into the family tree and I pulled out what I had on my netbook and showed them how far back that I had actually gotten. The information on several especially the occupations were correct. I think I got a better view of the staiths as they were along the river in Newcastle in the UK. I did find out about some family members including one who seemed to be in Christchurch who was into Quantum physics and the Hadron Collider. I did have lunch and was given a lift back to town as it was raining and I was planning on the walk back. Still nice to be dropped off and back to my hostel and I will see them again next time I visit the town of Rotorua.

It only rained for around an hour or so before it stopped and the sun came out. That was when I decided I would take a wander and see what I could find before it became dark or I was after something to eat. The Rotorua Hospital was something I walked around on the outside, not the inside. I had been told this place had been built on a volcano that might or might not erupt in the next 20 or so years. I do not know how true this actually is, but I don’t want to be here if something like that wakes up. I think I found some Maori dwellings near the hospital and the buildings maybe nice to look at, but I was not sure if I was allowed anywhere near what I think is actually a Marae. It was something nice to look at from a distance. Today is my last day in the city of Rotorua and I am off to Wanganui in the morning.

Tip
When looking for accommodation, have a look at how far you are from the bus / train station you were dropped off. Dont want to be walking several Kilometres just to get to somewhere you are staying with a bag on your back or dragging one behind you. Many decent places are close by. If you know the area well then decent places can be found.

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