January 2

Today we were at Thames and determined to find out more, if we could, about mum and granddad’s time at Waihi. It was up at 0700, a cup of tea and a proper breakfast (toast with Vegemite, of course, for me), shower and dress, then pack, pack the car and off.
I just had to take some photos of the motel before we left, so we finally departed 0810.
Given the price of fuel and the remoteness of where we were going, it was necessary to refuel and then take some photos of Thames before we left. As a matter of interest, the last time I was there, the shopping centre was fairly small and had a McDonald’s, which closed with the shopping centre for sit-down meals (eat in) but, because the outside had a drive-through, the outside (take-away) could close a lot later. The shopping centre has expanded, but it looks like McDonald’s still works the same way.
When we arrived at Waihi, we went straight to the Visitor Information Centre. Fran was looking for a gift for Jason and Lisa, which was eventually found in the Arts Centre (a wooden bowl made from the mine timbers from the Mt Martha Mine (where our grandfather, Jason’s great-grandfather, had worked) and then we arrived at the Waihi museum. Here the weather was wet, with constant and quite heavy rain. After running inside, we looked around and I filled out form for information on George Pound to be researched and then returned to me at home (volunteers do the research, but there is a payment to cover costs).
When we left we called into the New World supermarket to buy the makings of lunch at and then we drove to Rotorua. We arrived by 1300 and booked into the motel and at that time Fran booked us in for a hangi and Maori performance that evening. After we settled into the room, we had lunch.
Being iin Rotorua we couldn’t miss mud pools and such, so we wandered off to Ke*** Park for free view of mud pools (and smells of sulphur!).
We drove around town and it started to rain again. After looking at the lake we decided against seeing outside areas due to the inclement weather, so we went to the iSite Visitor Information Centre and booked a “Kiwi Encounter”, then drove there and waited. The tour was popular and many other visitors came up but the tour was full and was the last of the day, so disappointed people (only one day in Rotorua) took the walk through the gardens instead (you could see Kiwis, but you didn’t get the full story) while others booked early for the next day.
At 1600 we did the Kiwi Encounter. It was very good and had an introduction, an egg incubation area (so we saw the eggs being looked at and responding to whistles), a nursery (Kiwis recently hatched) and holding pens (for older Kiwis before being released). All through we got an nteresting commentary.
We went back to the motel and rested until we headed out just before 1745. A French group were on the same tour and we chatted before the bus arrived to pick us up. The bus called in at other motels and hostels to pick others up and went to the booking centre (where those of us who hadn’t yet paid had to pay). While travelling on the bus we spoke with an American couple.
We arrived at Tarmiki where six buses disgorged their passengers for the second (and last) occasion of the evening. The introduction was a dance incorporating meeting and challenging. Just behind us was a family from Manor Lakes (just down the road from where I live). After that we walked through an area set up as a traditional village and there was more dancing, as well as the “chiefs” from each bus competing in displays of strength and skill (if they lost, their wives were forfeit to the local Maori chief, for his sons – fortunately none lost).
After that, as dusk was falling, we went into the Hangi. At our table we met four graduating nurses from Townsville who were there on holiday before settling into working lives.
It was a most enjoyable dinner and there were some interesting performances during the meal. We left about 2200 and back to motel by 2245 after much singing and frivolity on the bus, including verses of “She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes” as we went around (and around and around) roundabouts.
I processed today’s photos, summarised today’s blog and was to bed by 2340. No Internet here so nothing was posted.