Rotorua, New Zealand - Day 1

This last weekend I took a trip with another student teacher, Camylle, to Rotorua, New Zealand. It is a city just a little south from Hamilton that is built on top of a large geothermal area. It isn't a very small city, but it kind of had that vibe to me. Most of the buildings were only one story high and were full of shops and restaurants. 

There is also a local art club called RAVE which hosts art events in Rotorua and as you are walking around you can find many examples of art pieces that have been created by them. I was very intrigued by the interesting details and shapes, and you can definitely feel the Maori influence in many of the pieces.

As you walk around the main section of Rotorua there is definitely the feel of a place that makes most of its money from visitors, but if you venture towards the outer parts you can find some very interesting features. Looking around there are signs everywhere of the geothermal activity bubbling just below the surface of the city. Journeying past one of the various parks in the area you might see steam rising from one of the countless fenced off hot springs and mud pools. As the air changes directions, you'll occasionally would catch a whiff of the potent sulfur smell steaming out of hot vents. 

Rotorua has many activities available for people of all types. Since I’m a little more adventurous and I like culture and nature, those drove my choices for what to do while I was there. We had a limited time and Rotorua has so much to offer so I couldn't have even scratched the surface of possibilities, but I will share with you the four activities we did do.

 1) OGO Rotorua

For those of you who have never seen one this is an OGO ball:

Essentially it is a large ball with an outer plastic layer, a layer of air, and then an inner plastic layer. The idea is to crawl (or jump) into the ball and then get pushed down a hill!

It’s quite a fun activity and it turns out the inventor of the ball is from right here in Rotorua. There is another place  Rotorua, ZORB, that offers the same activity, but they came after the OGO people. You may have also seen these in other countries since it has become quite a popular activity since its invention.

This was our first activity in Rotorua and we headed out for it immediately after getting our stuff settled into our hostel. It was a quick ride on the #1 bus from the local bus depot which drops you off right at the front gate. As you approach along the path you can see people rolling down the various tracks in their own little plastic balls.

You have a few options to choose from. There is a straight track you can ride, or the Sidewinder track. You can be a single rider, or you can have two people. You can ride with a harness or free flying. Also, you can choose whether or not to have them fill the ball partially with water or not. Camylle and I decided to do individual rides with water inside and we picked the package that allows you to take one ride down each of the two types of track.

We chose to first ride down the straight track which was much faster, but which, of course, meant it ended quicker. When you go with a friend you have the option of racing them down the hill. However, it honestly becomes into more of an uncontrolled tumble since it turns out it is actually very difficult to stand up and control a large plastic ball falling down a hill that has been made slippery with water

The second track we did was the Sidewinder track which is filled with switchbacks and hills. We ended up having to wait about 15 minutes in between rides though because they have a strict wind speed limit. If they have a gust over the limit then you have to wait until they can confirm that the high winds won’t continue. (Wouldn't want to get blown away from the track in a large uncontrollable ball that is shut from the outside would you??) However, the facilities include a nice warm hot tub to stay warm in while you wait.

The Sidewinder track is definitely a different experience. You are not going as fast, but you end up tumbling around a lot more! I found it hard to figure out which way was forward as the direction I was travelling was constantly changing. However, it was a lot easier to stay standing up and I was able to push the ball around a bit more (although that’s still not saying much!)

Overall, it was a really fun activity and a wonderful way to cool off from the hot summer sun. I would recommend a visit to OGO if you are ever in Rotorua and are brave enough to see what a hamster really feels like inside those little plastic balls…

2)  The Polynesian Spa

After a stressful week at school, Camylle and I decided that for our second activity in Rotorua we would take advantage of the fact that we were in a geothermal area and visit one of the several hot spring spas in the area.

The Polynesian Spa is definitely one of those built up touristy places, but regardless the water is natural, warm, and relaxing. They have several different areas at the spa that you can choose to enter. They have their Lake Spa which features more natural surroundings, a great view of the nearby lake, and 5 pools of varying temperatures. You can alternatively pay for one of their private spas. It is cheaper of you’re just looking at dollars, but there is a time limit and the spas are less natural feeling. There is also the option of entering their Adults Only pool where clothing is optional.

We opted for the Lake Spa. We didn't want a time limit and we wanted the more natural surroundings. You could tell the pools were still man-made and the temperatures were highly regulated, but the company did a very good job of surrounding the pools with lots of natural plants and rocks to make it feel more natural. Plus the view of the lake really was quite good.

We spent our time there going through the different pools. The coolest one was 35 C and the hottest was 40 C. I found that my favorite one was the second to hottest pool. While they were a lot of people there, it still didn't seem too crowded. The pools were a decent size and oddly shaped so there were generally little niches you could go to for more privacy.

It was a very nice experience and offered a great way to relax and get away from the hustle and bustle. We even got the chance to see a rainbow form over the lake.

I would recommend a visit to anyone who enjoys soaking in hot water and doesn't mind that it has been piped into fake pools. If you are looking for a more natural experience, there are hot springs you can drive and/or hike to out in the nearby area for those who have the inclination, transportation, and time to get there.