Last Visit in Aukland before Leaving New Zealand

After completed my last tour of dolphin watching in Paihia, I took a bus to Aukland since my flight leaving NZ was in Aukland.

Spending another few free days in Aukland before my leaving, I went to visit some places including Aukland Domain and Parnell Village. The village is the oldest suburb of Aukland and notable for the cafes, galleries and shops in boutique style. By the way, Aukland Domain is located at 20 Park Road and it’s an urban public park covered 75 hectares area. As a matter of fact; it’s the oldest park in the city. During the days in city, I also did some souvenirs shopping as well as meeting up my friends.

Aukland city
 

Part of the Aukland Domain

 

Parnell Village

 

All the itineraries of my working holiday were done. Frankly, I was feeling fairly tired for my one year trip in New Zealand and I missed my home. It seemed I had enough traveling in NZ. Consequently, I changed my actual flight date to few days earlier, I really couldn't wait to return home.

Boarded the plane at Aukland Airport, I was finally leaving...bye bye New Zealand…

Just A Dolphin Watching in Paihia

After the stay in Whangarei, I continued my itinerary to Paihia in Bay of Islands for a dolphin watching. I decided to travel alone by bus for about an hour journey.  

I bought a ticket for dolphin watching in the morning before the tour and it charged me $89. I boarded the cruise in the afternoon and the tour duration was approximately 4 hours.

My plan was to watch the dolphins but predominantly swimming with them in the ocean. Unluckily, we’re told that it’s appeared not many dolphins on the day (perhaps it's due to the weather?). Thus, passengers included I had no chance to jump into the sea and swim with them. I was really disappointed; all I could do at the moment was only shooting more pictures and recording videos of the lovely dolphins and surrounding areas. 

Participating WWOOF in Whangarei

On the same day of my bungy jump in Taupo, I meant to travel to Whangarei for WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) program as arranged. My arrival in Whangarei was later than I expected and it’s dark when I reached the town. I was actually felt sorry to meet my host at the night and I intended to stay overnight in any hostel in town before I met him the next day. However, he’s very kind and didn’t mind to pick me up at the night from his house in suburb.

My host's contemporary house on the little hill 

My host, David, has a contemporary structured house in the suburb. He provided me a private room with bathroom attached. I liked the views around his house especially scenes looked from the kitchen and balcony of the room I stayed.

Scenery from the kitchen

A lakeview from my room's balcony

During the few days exchange at his house, I helped him to do some simple jobs such as weeding the field for new planting, picking organic stone fruits and uncovered macadamia nuts at home. Aside from stone fruits and macadamia, he also planted some organic olive trees and vegetables.

Macademia nuts...

....and the tools

For most of the time, we had meals together. In fact, David is a healthy man and like good food. I used to have bread with avocados he planted for breakfast and he cooked for me once a while. Owing to my cooking was under par, I only prepared a simple broccoli soup once for him. What a shame!


David brought me to the town sometimes; we also had nature walks at beaches and botanic garden when we're free.

The day before I left, I had a chance to watch a live sheep shearing done for his sheep by his neighbour and I helped to collect the wools. The wools are actually quite greasy.

The sheeps were actually feeling nervous to be sheared

Wools from one of David's sheeps

My next journey was leaving to Paihia for a dolphin swimming. Thus, it’s time to say goodbye to him and I thanked him for the great experience…

Visiting Huka Falls and Taupo for A Bungy Jump

A popular tourist destination, Huka Falls, was the place we visited before we arrived in Taupo downtown. They’re picturesque waterfalls set on the Waikato River that flows into Lake Taupo. Along the river, there’re some wide and narrow canyons perform the different levels of water flow.

The overwhelming cataract of Huka Falls

Huka Falls sightseeing at the lookout

 

A bridge over the narrow canyons

Jet-boating adventure apart from the falls 

Afterward, we left to Taupo city and later we explored the Lake Taupo as the largest lake in New Zealand. Again, we had a nature experience at one of the lakesides. It’s a leisurely pastime to rest and enjoy the quiet and soothing views on the sandy beach.

Taupo is well known for its adventurous activities and bungy jumping was the one interested me the most. I actually longing for a bungy jump long before but I haven’t had a chance yet. Hence, I planned to experience it in Taupo when it’s summer. I knew I was worried about the safety of the game, thus I checked for more information of the Taupo Bungy. My worries simply had gone when I found out that there’s no any demise cases happened in the history. When we’re in Taupo, we went to the bungy jumping site a day ahead of my real jump as we wanted to know the prerequisites we have to fulfill. Well, the minimum weight for all jumps is 45 kg and the minimum age to participate is 10 years old. Moreover, we also wished to feel the atmosphere and tested if we really could go for it. Three of us, but only one of my friends and I booked at the counter.

Taupo Bungy over Waikato River

The next morning after we had breakfast, we headed to the Taupo Bungy site. After some procedures, we got the queue numbers and lined up for a jump above Waikato River. I was excited but also somewhat nervous at the beginning...some participants were very daring to jump but some as if too afraid and regret to challenge. My friend asked me to jump after her and I agreed. Perhaps it's due to the long waiting; I didn't feel any fear when it's my turn. I seemed relax when the crew got me prepared. Slowly, I stood up from the seat, with my tight blouse, short pants and bare foot moving few steps towards the edge of the cantilever platform. I waved my hand and smiled facing the camera, as if I’m calm. After the crew commanded 3…2…1, I opened my arms freely and jumped from the 47 m height cantilever platform.

Participants were waiting at the cantilever platform from the jump

Frankly speaking, it’s very scary during the very first few seconds of the jump but I was all right and turned to be extremely excited after the moments past. I felt my flying as if a Super-girl! Soon after the jump, a boat came and picked me up back to the riverside. Wow! I finally did a bungy jumping and I felt myself extremely confident at the moment. Salute to myself!


At the end of the adventure, we went to collect our certificates, paid photos and videos before we left the site.


Taupo Bungy
Location: 202 Spa Road, Taupo.
Tel: (07) 377 1135
Website: www.taupobungy.com
Opening hours: 9.30am-4.00pm(weekdays)
9-5pm(weekends & in winter)

Rainbow Springs Nature Park and Mitai Maori Village

The next morning in Rotorua, my friends and I went to visit the Rainbow Springs Nature Park. Once we stepped inside the park, we experienced a refreshing and relaxing background originated by the existed ecology. It’s a laid-back experience to find ourselves bounded with natural surroundings; native bush, crystal clear waterfalls, fern-fringed pools and many more… 

A relaxing ecology

We’re given the chance to sightsee many protected species. For example, the kea, the kaka and tuatara.

Since the tickets we bought are valid for day and night tours, we revisit the park at night for a different experience. Rainbow Springs has colourful lighting effects added and made it a unique tour at night. By night, we walked through an open-air area to watch the Brown Kiwi. In fact, it’s my first time looked at live kiwi throughout my visiting in New Zealand. I was excited indeed to get so close with them!

Rainbow Springs Nature Park

Location: Fairy Springs Road, Rotorua.
Tel: (07) 350 0440
Website: www.rainbowsprings.co.nz
Opening hours: 8am – late, everyday


In my opinion, Rotorua is the best place to explore Maori culture and a tour to the village is a must. In fact, there’re few different village tours promoted around but we finally chose the Mitai recommended by the people in the hostel we stayed. Anyway, we prepared to be at the site in the evening. We’re brought to the actual Maori village location in natural bush.

Statue in the Maori village

Visitors were watching the Warriors Canoe performance

In the village, the performers presented the Maori cultural experience and the warriors paddling in a canoe was one of the best performances we had seen. All audiences were entertained with the legends, native songs and dances before a feast started.

Then, we’re invited to enjoy the famous Hangi, a traditionally cooked meals using heated rocks by Maori. The meal served in a buffet style mainly consisted of plain chickens, potatoes, kumara and some other vegetables yet the taste was really good and it’s a new experience to us.

Hangi meal preparation

The ready Maori meal

 The meal was enjoyed under a canopy

We’re brought for a bushwalk, Fairy Spring and glowworm sightseeing tour in the Rainbow Springs after the dinner.


Mitai Maori Village

Location: 196 Fairy Spring Road, Rotorua. (next to Rainbow Springs)
Tel: (07) 343 9132
Website: www.mitai.co.nz

Agrodome

The first tour we joined in Rotorua was the entertaining Agrodrome Sheep Show. It’s an hour live performance highlighting 19 champion rams by a presenter, followed by a sheep shearing demonstration, a sheep auction and huntaway dogs on stage.

Sheep shearing by the presenter

The sheep & dog presented on the stage

At the end of the show, children were invited up to the stage and had fun in baby lamb feeding. The most humorous part of the show we witnessed was the cow milking by audience, they're taught the gesture of milking in a funny way.

Cow milking on stage by one of the audience

  
When the sheep show came to an end, we popped round the Woollen Mill and Wool ‘n’ Crafts buildings. We had an educated tour on the wool industry of New Zealand in older days. Some of the displays included a wool carding machine, homespun and knitted woven garments.

Agrodome is sited on a great land. Except the buildings we visited, there’re other areas at the park available for visitors to explore. Agrodome Organic Farm Tour is also an interesting paid tour that visitors may possibly join. A shearing shed room, souvenir shop and farmview café are also part of the park. Interestingly, Agrodome also offers some attractions for adventurers such as ZORB spherical challenge (the one my friend tried it) and many more. The site is absolutely a place to stay longer!     

ZORB adventure

Agrodome

Location: Western Road, Ngongotaha, Rotorua.

Tel: (07) 3571050

Opening hours: 8.30am – 5.00pm daily

Website: www.agrodome.co.nz

Driving direction from Rotorua city: take State Highway 5 towards Hamilton and take a right turn into Western Road.