Australia and New
Zealand geographically are almost directly down under Bali, where we live.
After a short 5 ½ hour flight to Sydney, Australia we spent
a week with family.
I always try to plan our trips so that we hardly use hotels.
Having a home
in Bali makes it very easy to obtain free home and car exchanges around the
world.
Last year we went straight across Canada, including staying
in one place that normally charges $6,000 a week. The cost was zero.
When you’re travelling with a family of four hotel costs can
be exorbitant, so I highly recommend this to anyone who are avid travelers like we are.
New Zealand Here We Come:
After our first week in Sydney we flew 3 ½ hrs. to Auckland,
New Zealand.
We stayed one night at a hotel there and the next morning
caught a bus for another three and half hours to the middle part of the North
Island of New Zealand, called Rotorua.
Rotorua,
a town set on its namesake lake on New Zealand's North Island, is renowned for
its geothermal activity and Maori culture. In the Puma’s Whakarewarewa Valley,
there are bubbling mud pools and the 30m-tall Pohutu Geyser, which erupts many
times daily.
The home exchange had two bedrooms upstairs and an
additional two bedrooms downstairs.
It had a beautiful view of lake Rotorua.
Included was a relatively new hot tub which I enjoyed the
first evening.
It featured a recently built first-class kitchen, which my
wife, Azizah admired.
The boys enjoyed having their own large-screen TV in the
bedrooms.
The town Rotorua,
is a very popular summer resort town, which in New Zealand means from November
until March.
It has plenty of restaurants pubs etc.
Rotorua
is famous for its thermal springs.
When we first obtained our car, we thought there was a
problem with the smell of sulphur.
We found out later that the sulphur was from the springs
around Rotorua.
During the few days that we had there we had little time to
explore the many attractive sites which include several thermal hot spring
baths.
We did manage to do some bowling which was fun for all.
After a few days we drove to our other home exchange with
the same hosts.
There we checked into a three-bedroom luxury apartment right
on the famous Taupo
Lake.
It is in the caldera of the Taupo Volcano. With a surface
area of 616 square kilometres, it is the largest lake by surface area in New
Zealand, ...Wikipedia
The apartment was gorgeous and well-equipped.
With three televisions everybody could watch whatever they
wanted.
It features a thermally heated floor which provided heat throughout
and was certainly nice to walk around on.
Like the Rotorua exchange it included a very modern kitchen with
everything you could want.
What attracted to me to this apartment was a thermally
heated swimming pool and hot tub along with Gym and sauna.
All of which we
utilized, especially after our first day of skiing for the season. Aches and
pains of muscles rarely used that first day melted away in the Jacuzzi.
It has a very scenic beach walk directly in front which continues
all the way into town. We enjoyed a lovely walk on it yesterday. The views are
magical.
To enjoy either of these locations plus several more as an
exchange or rental you can contact Ms. Meryl
Crump. She is an extremely professional host. Call her Directly at 021 898-696.
One of their websites is www.lakeviewaccommodation.co.nz.
As a TripAdvisor Hall of Fame award-winning hotel manager, I
certainly know my accommodations and their two apartments deserve my highest
recommendations.
Skiing Whakapapa:
The main purpose for this home exchange was its proximity to
what is billed as “the largest ski field in New Zealand”.
The ideal way to go there is to rent your skis and equipment
the night before at “Ruapehu Alpine Lifts” The next morning they will load it
onto a bus for you and take you directly to the lifts at Whakapapa.
Whakapapa, on the northern side of Mount Ruapehu in
New Zealand's Tongariro National Park, is one of the
mountain's two commercial ski fields.
The ski season is generally from late June to late October,
depending on snow and weather conditions.
The terrain at Whakapapa Ski field is divided up as 25%
beginner, 50% intermediate and 25% advanced. Access to the ski field is by
Bruce Road, a 2-lane, 6 km sealed road. Limited accommodation and
refreshments are available at 'Top o' the Bruce', at the entry to the ski field,
and elsewhere on the mountain.
Mount
Ruapehu's two ski fields, Whakapapa and Turoa, are considered to
be the largest ski resort in New Zealand.[citation
needed] Both are operated by the
company Ruapehu Alpine Lifts.
Like mountaineers who are asked why they are climbing a
mountain and they answer “because it’s there” seasoned skiers like myself are
the same. We want to ski every mountain in every country in the world.
So far, I’ve done most of North America and Europe. I even
skied the Big Island of Hawaii, which entailed waiting anxiously for the two or
three days of the year that there’s snow and then hiking up volcanic cones and
skiing down with your life in your hand.
Since there was no snow in Taupo and rarely does it go below
freezing I was wondering if there was enough snow on the mountain itself.
As we progressed on the beautiful lakeside drive in the bus in
the early morning hours my first glimpse of the mountains eliminated my fears.
There was obviously plenty of snow.
John the bus driver explained to me that there are three
mountains here.
I asked him if this volcano was the source of the North Island
itself and he explained that actually Taupo Lake is an extinct volcano which created
the North Island of New Zealand when it exploded as
a super volcanic eruption approximately 26,500 years ago
After a 1 ½ HR. drive we arrived at Whakapapa.
Azizah decided to take a lesson while the boys skied the
beginners runs.
I took off with my Nikon directly up to the top and took some of the most beautiful photos I’ve ever taken of any mountain anywhere in the world.
The views of the Pinnacles and the neighbouring volcano are spectacular.
A few of these photos will go up on my wall for fond memories.
Later I returned to pick up the boys and we skied together on the top. With even more magnificent photos.
For most of the day I was careful and cautious of always watching for the two boys until the last run. I decided to go all out at full speed down the extent of the mountain.
To my surprise and joy when I stopped halfway almost right behind me was Darius and Xander. In effect they kept up with me.
What’s amazing is it’s only the fourth time they have skied in her entire lives after I taught them up in Canada in December and January of this year.
Then we went and got mom and she walked up to the chair, feeling uncomfortable skiing after just one lesson.
Tomorrow we have decided to change our plans somewhat and
take the bus down to Wellington, one of New Zealand’s three major cities.
We will spend the night there and then the next day take a
short flight over to Queenstown which is the major skiing area of New Zealand
on the Southern Island.
All in all, it has been a wonderful first two weeks and I’m
sure that many seasoned skiers like myself have always dreamed of skiing New
Zealand.
It is unique with some of the most fantastic scenery in the
world.
That’s why it was used extensively for the movie Lord
of the Rings which we hope to go visit some of the shooting sites on this
next stage.
If you are in an avid skier I’m sure you are foaming at the
mouth after reviewing this blog and seeing the wonderful sights.
Stop dreaming and make it a reality.
For those of you that live in Europe or America’s the perfect
way to do this would to be fly to Hong Kong from the west or fly directly to
Bali from Europe.
You can stay for a week and enjoy the fourth best
designation in the world, according to Tripadvisor readers.
Instead of a small hotel room you can stay in one of our TripAdvisor Hall of Fame award-winning
Bali luxury villas.
I will offer you a skiing special of a two or three-bedroom
400 m² private luxury villa exactly as shown in this photo with private
pool, full time private housekeeper and free laundry starting as low as $135 ++
per night.
Starting as low as $135 |
From there you can catch a flight directly to New Zealand
and in eight hours you can live your dream.
Always remember life is to be enjoyed.
There’s no use in making money if you can’t enjoy it, especially
with your family.
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