By the numbers
1 bus
12.76 kms
18,517 steps
Throughout the night I had noises and did wonder what people
were cheering at around 3am in the morning and again at 5am when something
collected the rubbish, which just sounded like bottles. I did not have long
once I got up to get myself to the bus stop and I needed to strip the bed and
brush my teeth. I soon found after two days of nice decent weather that it was
cold enough to wear a jumper and that I had no problems of wearing all the way
to the stop. I was actually pretty nice and snug. All I had for breakfast was a
muesli bar.
The bus did not take long to turn up actually since Gisborne
was its beginning and termination place. I was happy to give the guy my bag and
then get onto the bus for the main stop at Whakatane. I had my headphones on
and trying to listen to a podcast about the Magna Carta from the British
archives and had what kiwis seem to be really good at and that is playing their
music out loud. I was trying to ignore someone playing Middle Eastern or Indian
Bollywood type music though it seemed to last for an hour before stopping and I
didnt even notice it had stopped, but it was before we got to our comfort stop
so I could get a pie to eat. The drive through the hills were interesting and I
was happy not to be driving as the road was wet. There were several information
panels and a monument along the river, although I don’t know what they were
about. I was happy once that I made my way into Whakatane as I wanted to get
out and explore the area.
I was very lucky at the time to check in when I did before
12pm. Also the people running the place were the new owners who were at the
time fixing up what the previous owners had not fixed. I am staying in the room
at the top of the local pub, which I am fully aware that will mean it will be noisy.
I was given the wifi password that I was told that it would not work in the
rooms even though the techs had been in that day. That proved to be a headache
when the password did not work and the manager tried to sort out the problem. I
found out she was from Whangarei originally and they had gone from a mechanic workshop
to a hotel. She even thought this was my first time travelling. I thought that
was funny. Soon I had the wifi password after some sorting out and a towel that
was reserved specially for the non backpacker guests. No we wont tell anyone,
but thank you. At least I was helping sort out the teething problems or else
things might not go so well.
Before taking off I wanted to have some lunch and got myself
a Kiwi Bastard burger. That was what it was called and I could have sword the
chick serving me giggled. I had done some short wandering around and I could
feel the lack of coffee hitting me. The sun was hurting my eyes, but after a caffeinated
drink. I was ready to go. I learnt from my Battlefields guide on the New
Zealand Wars that there was a museum and that Te Kooti had retired here after
the government gave him land. I could have sworn I had seen a road by that name
near Ohope and the guide had confirmed it, but that would be too far for me to
walk. The museum I found was only open several times a week and not while I am
in town as it has a display on the NZ wars. Still I have plenty to keep me
occupied as I headed off towards the mouth of the Whakatane river to have a
look at the entrance.
I had a tourist map, but not a real map that could give me
all the historic locations, but all I needed to do was keep my eyes open. I
wanted to look for the tour group that I had put down for the White Island
experience and found they had a nice building with accommodation too. I was
impressed as it was like their very own resort with magnets and touristy stuff.
I spoke to the lady at the counter and found I would get a call later and I
said I had looked at the weather on the bus too as Monday looked good, but
Tuesday would be crappy. White Island was a old Sulphur mine and an active
volcano so that should be pretty fun. I had been told about a Marae called
Mataatua had travelled around the world only to return to Whakatane. It had
been to Sydney in the 1800s, London, Otago and then back again. Like a Hobbit,
but a building.
My map had several other points of reference that included a
cave that was Tapu called Te ana o Muriwai where the lady had actually died
within in the 1960s. I dont know if the cave was deeper other than it could
house 60 people. Down at the entrance, which looked to be a touch unsafe and
treacherous there is a statue to someone called Wairaka. The Waka that were
nearby, I had thought I had seen pictures of them being suspended or something.
They were locked up and looked like they were ready to use. The foreshore had
its bit of history where land had been reclaimed and Maori did protest the
works. The locals had changed their entire environment completely with all the
works that had been done. I had stopped to read some bar crossing information
while ignoring some kids hiding behinds the signs popping out saying hi, trying
to get my attention. I pretended to ignore them as I had music going on my
ipod. I think they were onto me that I could hear them. I did see something for
a lookout and wanted to see that with the views of the harbour or the bay. I
was in the bay of plenty and Gisborne was in the bay of poverty so it was a huge
difference. Before I went up the stairs that I hoped would take me to a decent
look out I stopped at a sacred rock y the name of Pohaturoa that was used for
blessing the dead and people for certain events. There was a memorial to a
chief who died after WW1 and also Maori war roll nearby on a shelter. The rock
had been modified so much with the creations of roads in the area that it was
smaller that it used to be.
I wandered up the
stairs that would take me further up the hill. I found the words redoubt that
got my attention and that was defences during troubles with the Maori and
another that was across the road that eventually had armed Constabulary stationed that was once a fortified Pa well known in the area
before white man. I could have walked further to another lookout, but I was
slowly running out of time. I did go looking for a waterfall that was in town
that was one of three spots chosen for Maori settlement, the other was the cave
and I cant remember the third one, but it was pretty interesting. White
settlement used the water for their use and had a mill there too. I found after
I had a shower that I received a phone call to let me know tomorrow was on and
I was happy then that I was off on an adventure to an island. I did have a
steak for dinner as I wanted to try an X-rated traffic light. That had two
shots of vodka in it and I think that was cool that I even tried it.
A dolphin I learned called Moko lived in the area and had
status like Opo and Pelorus Jack. Moko apparently followed a fishing boat from
Gisborne to Whakatane.
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