Tuesday – March 4, 2025
I had a hard time choosing today’s topic because there were a couple others that were just as stunning. However, today we saw kiwis (the animal, the fruit and the people) in the flesh. We have never seen the kiwi animal in any zoo but had the opportunity to see several in a specially designed habitat to protect what little vision they have. Photos were not permitted by any source so I took a photo of a replica to use as the featured photo. We saw the kiwis at Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve in Rotorua.
Today was one of the most beautiful sunrises we have seen the entire trip. As we approached the harbor in Tauranga the sun lit up the sky in brilliant orange shades. It definitely signaled the beginning of a day to remember. We originally signed up for a tour to visit some of the sights used in the filming of the Lord of the Rings movies but that tour was cancelled when our schedule changed. In place of that we chose a tour going to Rotorua – about 45 minutes South of Tauranga.
Daniel was our driver/guide for most of this journey. I’m not sure why, but regardless of the tour we take it seems we are always sitting in one of the last 2 rows of the buses. As long as we can get an unobstructed view guess it doesn’t matter – just takes longer to get off.
On the way to Rotorua we traveled through an area that has become a big part of New Zealand’s income – kiwi farms and lumber. Didn’t get to see the kiwis growing up close but it was as common as cornfields are back home. The kiwi is susceptible to wind so many of the fields were planted with tall hedges surroundiong them or the plants were covered with netting. The lumber that is grown for export is radiata pine. It has a fairly fast growth rate and can be harvested in 25 years. We passed forested areas yet to be harvested (with ferns growing at the base of the pines) and areas that have been harvested and replanted. Lumber and kiwi fruit are 2 of the top 5 exports by dollar amount.
Our first destination in Rotorua was the Whakarewarewa thermal area and Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. Think of the thermal area as a mini-Yellowstone – mud pots, caustic water, geysers and thermal vents. We included lots of photos and video of those. Near the entrance were carved totems of Polynesian gods – like Maui. Around the corner was a Maori meeting lodge replica with actors dressed in traditional Maori garb. They performed a welcome for the visitors and invited them into the lodge. But that was not to be a part of our visit.
We had a guide from the Maori Institute named Mikie. Our first stop was the enclosure with live kiwis (the animal kind). Kiwis have bad sight and are nocturnal. Jan read an article that summarized a study indicating the kiwis are going blind by natural selection. Here is a link to a summary of such a study. We were cautioned not to use any phones or cameras in the kiwi enclosure to avoid damage to whatever sight the animals still had. There were 3 enclosures each with a kiwi. I saw an active bird in 2 of the three. They use their beak to search out and grab food. They look like a ball of feathers with a couple stick legs and a big beak.
Following the kiwi enclosure we went to the “stinky” part of the area – the mud pots, geysers and thermal vents. There was no lack of sulfur smell! Good place to unload without asking someone to pull your finger! After walking the thermal field we boarded a tram that took us back to the entrance area.
Next we visited the Maori arts and crafts institute. Mikie showed us the areas of Maori culture that are continued at the institute – stone work, wood work, woven and fiber work. First up was the stone work that ranged from large pieces to those that would become jewelry. I caught a couple photos of workers designing and working the stone to completion. The woodwork is done primarily with touri – a protected type of wood that has characteristics suitable for carving. We saw artisans working on pieces with multiple faces and completed pieces – totems and stand-alone statues. A shop for using palm leaves for weaving and clothing was next. Mikie showed how the fibers were retrieved from the leaves, woven and dyed and turned into finished products. There are a few photos of these as well. This visit was a great source of more information about the Maori culture.
Included in this tour was high tea. I thought that meant we would have some of those gummies like they sell in Colorado along with tea – I was wrong. We stopped at a boutique hotel named Prince’s Gate for high tea. Our group was ushered into a dinning room and offered tea or coffee. We sat at long tables across from each other. The servers brought in 3-tier servers with finger sandwiches, cookies, cakes and other desserts. There was a server placed for each 2 people at the table. You can see a couple photos of the food in the media. After eating Kelsey found a bright red Ford Mustang that reminded her of a friend from home who also has a bright red Mustang – so we took her picture with it and sent it to Susan.
Climbed into the bus and we were off for a short drive by Rotorua Lake. Daniel pointed out that the lake had areas open to the thermal activity so sulfur was being released into the water. As a result, fishing was not good in the lake because the pH of the water wouldn’t allow fish to survive. That drive ended in the Government Gardens parking lot. You’ll see lots of flower photos (courtesy of Kelsey) from the gardens.
On our return to Turanga we captured more video of the forests and kiwi farms. Once on the ship we got ready for dinner and discovered tonight was Carnival Night. We had forgotten that today was Mardi Gras (or it will be in New Orleans when Tuesday reaches there). In the media you’ll see a couple meal selections.
For tonight the young people on board had a special show for us in the theatre. That is the first clip you’ll see after the food. After the kids was an authentic presentation of Maori dancing and singing/chanting put on by 4 men and 4 women. The greeting pose they struck during the dances involved sticking out their tongues. You’ll see that in the presentation.
The exposure to some of the Maori culture today was interesting and gave us a little better understanding of how the Maori have shaped New Zealand to the way it exists today.
5 responses to “Kiwi”
You’ve seen so much, how do you digest it all? Just WOW🤷🏼♀️🙀. I’m with you Kelsey that car is great, good color.
In answer to your question concerning digestion, we take lots of probiotics and, of course, eat large quantities of fish! Kelsey was hoping to find a tie-dyed mustang but the red will do.
beautiful sunrises. You guys all look so nice. Did you take a dip in Racheal’s pool to get that youthful skin?
No dip in the pool. It comes from not having to lift a finger for anything while on this ship! But thanks for asking.
The geysers are beautiful! Who knew there was a kiwi animal? The sunrise picture super awesome! You are a great photographer for sure. Enjoying everything as well.