I heard briefly from Katie while she was at the Brisbane airport. She was sock shopping and not finding a darn thing. Now I'm really glad I slipped my pair into her bag. Viber seems to work pretty well too!
Other than that, I don't expect to hear from her for awhile. They are in Hobbit country and after their tour of the movie set, they spent the night on a farm and today are off to learn about the town they are in and the natural beauty surrounding it. Apparently Rotorua has hot springs a lot like Yellowstone so there should be some cool stuff to see (and smell - that sulfur smell is memorable).
They join the Maori people tonight for some dancing and singing and then sleep there on the Marae (links below). I found a photo of this cool Maori Meeting House - I wonder if they will see something like it there.UPDATE: Katie sent a very short video of the guys doing their Maori Haka dance. You might have to watch it a couple time to get it. It should look something like this.
From the People to People Itinerary:
Located on the shores of Lake Rotorua, the city of Rotorua
has a long tradition of Maori culture and history.th century
by canoe from Polynesia. The area is a geothermal wonderland, much like
Yellowstone Park, with spouting geysers, boiling mud pools, and warm hot
springs.
The first Maori inhabitants
arrived in the 14
- Say farewell to your farmstay hosts and exchange addresses and contact information so you can keep in touch!
- Experience an official civic welcome at the Rotorua Council Chambers by a member of the City Council, who will share insights about local government.
- Visit Mount Ngongotaha via a gondola and enjoy a bird’s eye view of Rotorua.
- Test your courage during an exciting luge ride to the bottom of the mountain!
- This evening, spend the night in a Marae – an authentic Maori meeting house and the focal point of the Maori culture.
- Learn about Maori culture through songs, stories and dances.
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| The gondolas going up Mount Ngongotaha. |
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