BE WARNED!!! Picture overload

This has been an unbelievable week!   Monday started as normal as can be with my walk on the beach for a spectacular sunrise.   Had an office planning meeting and some doctor appointments for missionaries to arrange.

Tuesday was zone conference held right here in Takapuna.  Love those opportunities to be with the missionaries.

Wednesday noonish, Sister Lucas and I began a 5 day adventure to the central North Island town and area of Rotorua which is a geothermal “hot bed” of New Zealand.

Wednesday evening we met up with Elder and Sister Mayberry who had gone down on Tuesday.  We had dinner with them and then enjoyed the night version of the treewalk at the Redwood Forest.

“This award winning attraction is great for all ages and at 700-metres long, is a one of a kind New Zealand treewalk consisting of a series of 28 suspension bridges, which traverse between 27 majestic 117-year-old Redwood Trees. The treewalk sits at 20-metres above the forest at its peak and the walkway has been specifically designed and constructed to preserve the trees, plants, and the surrounding natural environment by using a uniquely constructed New Zealand-first technologically designed sling, which is suspended from the Redwood trees.”

We arrived early enough to get a view before it was too dark and before the lights were turned on.

We ate at Atticus Finch.  The Mayberry’s shared a platter of tasty offerings.
I had a grilled corn salad served on lettuce cups.

This video shows Elder Mayberry walking across one of the sections of the treewalk.
 The spans don’t swing much side to side but rather bounce up and down. 
It is a little difficult to walk across when there is more than one person on the walk.

Thursday morning we went to tour the living Maori village of Whakarewarewa.  Whakarewarewa was first occupied in 1325.  The full name of this place is Te Whakarewarewa-tanga-o-te-ope-taua-a-Wāhiao: The Uprising of the Army of Wāhiao.   Today, 21 families live in Whakarewarewa and continue to utilize the same magnificent geothermal resource as their ancestors.

So that this blog is no longer than necessary, I would invite you to read this interesting information and history of this village.

This arch is the entrance to the village.  It is a memorial to the men from the village who
died serving in world wars.   The top picture is the front of the memorial.  The bottom is the backside.

Some people you just have to watch all the time or they get into trouble!!

The homes in the village are right on top of the geothermal site.

There are remnants of homes that have been swallowed up in sink holes.

Most all of the meals are cooked in these outdoor steamers (Huge crockpots)
When the lid is on top of the box, it means dinner is cooking.

Vegetables and desserts – anything not greasy- is cooked
in the large hot water (200 degrees) pool

Our treat from the pool

The veggie garden.   All planted in boxes because it is too hot in the ground.
 I took off my sandal to feel the ground and in some places the paths are
too hot to walk on bare footed.

Geyser basin.  It is difficult to see the water erupting due to the steam.
There are 3 geysers in this terrace.  The highest one goes to 33 meters.
They erupt sporadically about every 15- 20 minutes.

These “warriors” protect the pathways in the village

A portion of our guide’s farewell 

Afterward, we had lunch before the Mayberry’s left. 

I had grilled shrimp on greens

Sister Lucas and I then took an evening walk.  We intended to walk along the Rotorua Harbor Boardwalk but that turned out to be a very short walk so we began walking along the sidewalk.  

We were about to return to the car when we literally stumbled into a geothermal park right in the middle of the city.

This park is literally on the side of one of the major streets in town.
All around the town you frequently see steam escaping from the ground

Other beautiful sights as we walked back to our car along Rotorua Lake side.

Friday morning Sister Lucas and I left early for a walk/hike to Blue Spring and Te Waihou Walkway.  It is a beautiful 10K roundtrip walk along the Waihou River to Blue Spring.  

“The Blue Spring at Te Waihou Walkway is internationally acclaimed with water so pure it supplies around 60% of New Zealand’s bottled water.

The spring is fed from the Mamaku Plateau where the water takes up to 100 years to filter through; the resulting water is so pure and clean that it produces a beautiful blue colour while being virtually clear.

The walk to the springs follows a track alongside the Waihou River, through wetlands, across rolling pastoral land and features views of small waterfalls, native bush and the famous Blue Spring with glimpses of trout along the way.”

If you would like to read more, you may learn about the spring here.

The beautiful bird is the swamp hen or pukeko

I called this river the Waikato but it is actually the Waihou River

About the middle of the video, you will see a single duck in front of a
dark looking grotto.  I was told this is where the Blue Spring emerges.

Friday evening, I was able to meet up with a former missionary who finished her mission about 4 months ago.  We picked up Sister Kingi and had an enjoyable evening meal and got to catch up with how life if post mission.

I had salmon salad

Saturday morning we went back to the Redwood forest for some hiking followed by a trip to the Buried Village. 

“The Buried Village is New Zealand's most visited Archaeological Site, where stories of the 1886 Mt Tarawera Eruption come to life.

Te Wairoa was established by a Christian missionary in 1848 as a model village, but survived for fewer than 40 years before it, and the nearby Pink and White Terraces were obliterated by the eruption of Mt Tarawera.”

You may read about the history of the village here.

We had heard about the wonderful waterfall at the village.  We had to see it!  

Stream above the falls

The sign at the top of the gorge was intimidating but also issued a challenge.  

If you zoom in on the words, you can see the challenge.  LOL

A small portion of the STEEP stairway down to the bottom of the falls

A view of the falls about half way down

From close to the top of the falls

From the bottom

Sign on the gate at the top of our climb out of the gorge.   It was worth the effort.

Saturday afternoon we went to the Polynesian Spa to soak in some heat.  Didn’t get pics as I left my phone in the locker…..

“Polynesian Spa is a developed geothermal spa facility in Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. 

Local Māori acclaimed the therapeutic benefits of the water and bathed for centuries in the acidic pool 'Te Pupunitanga', now called Priest’s Bath.”

You may read about it here.

Sunday morning before heading back to Auckland, we met again with Sister Kingi to attend her ward’s Sacrament Meeting.  We met these two sisters serving in Rotorua.  Sister Vave, between me and Sister Lucas, is from our Takapuna Ward.

We arrived back in Takapuna before dinner time.  What an extraordinary trip we had!  We were both able to do our work and take care of our missionaries from a distance with no emergencies in our absence. 

As we walked the path at Te Waihou Walkway, Sister Lucas and I couldn’t help but liken the path we were following to the path of life.  Sometimes it is hard!  Sometimes it is easy and sometimes you wonder what is just around the corner.  It can be shady/cool or sunny/hot.  It can be dusty and dry.

The path can be well marked

OR it can just be plain confusing…..

The true way to get through life is to follow the path set for us by our Savior.  He has marked the way.  We just have to look for his guidance in the scriptures and through the words of our living prophets.

Have a happy, healthy and safe week ahead.

I love my Savior.  I love you my family and friends.