Author: Sam

Five things to do in Rotorua on a budget

Rotorua is an absolute must if you are visiting the north island of New Zealand. It’s a 3 hour drive from Auckland and offers many natural things to see, as well as adventures to part-take in.

You can spend a stack of money and try to do it all, or you can be selective and do many things for free.

This is what we got up to but is in no means exhaustive.

  1. Visit the mud pools

On the way to Wai-O-Tea the thermogeographic springs are two sites that are free and definitely worth visiting. You can go into the tourist park for $32 per adult and walk around and see the colourful springs and geothermal marvels.

On the way to the tourist centre is a geyser (where Mother Nature lets of some steam in a long vertical “spit”). Called Lady Knox Geyser, this one sprays at 10.15am every day. But only once a day.

Another marvel is the mud pools on the way in. It’s barely a detour and worth getting out and witnessing mother earth as she let’s off some steam. The clay mud is used in beauty treatments and facial masks/moisturisers and of course for anti-ageing. You can purchase most of these at all the tourist shops but don’t be surprised to fork out a lot of dough in exchange for a dollop of mud!

  • Visit the Polynesian Spa

We arrive into town late from Auckland and are very happy to discover that the Polynesian Spa is open until 11pm.

With multiple hot tubs (more like pools) littered throughout the grounds and idealytically located on the rim of Lake Rotorua, it is the perfect place to relax and unwind.

The hot springs are straight from the earth subterran and are steaming hot and very smelly.

Bob around the various pools to find your temperature and don’t be spa rookies like us and find the “hottest” corner and nearly pass out from over heating.

You can take your own supplies in, so make the most of it.

There is another spa near Wai O Tea which is cheaper and apparently nicer according to a local, but I really like being able to sit on the rim of the lake.

  • Visit the Redwood Forest

A little out of town is the majestic Redwood Forest.

There’s a bit to do here and a great place to defrag from life.

You can catch a shuttle to the top and ride a mountain bike through one of it’s many trails, or you can walk along the forest floor without paying an admission fee.

If you would like to experience the trees at a higher height, you can purchase a pass along the sky walk, or after hours you can walk through the forest top to an illuminated light show. It is actually very pretty and worth the visit.

  • Visit the thermal springs in town

If you are after something a little closer to town, or don’t have wheels, check out the Kuirau Park right in town. It is a large park with many geo active ponds and steaming creeks to give you an idea of the uniqueness of the area.

On Saturday mornings there is a modest food market and is nice to stroll around.

  • Visit Kerosene Creek

Out side of town is Kerosene Creek. It is definitely worth the effort and will take about 20 minutes to get there from the centre of town.

A slippery path weaves along side the warm creek and offers many places for you to enter and bath in the warm waters of the creek. It is only  warm and can get quite busy but we venture all the way to the end of the trail and discover an absolute treat. A private part of the creek where there are no people and the creek bed is steamy hot. Relaxing in the waters in the middle of nature is truly amazing.

Unfortunately the down side is the human foot print – beware of broken glass and bottles that people have left behind and thieves working the car park!

There really are many things to do and the skyline is also a must. On the sky line hill there are activities such as mountain biking, luge,

A minimum 2 night stay if you are going to Rotorua.

Alpha Street Kitchen and Bar

Hading down to Rotorua can be a slightly long drive. The looping gentle knolls are truly stunning and there are a few river crossings and lovely sites but I would recommend a stopover in Cambridge.

A little town south of Hamilton with a BIG pride and the home of an absolute find of a restaurant, Alpha 1.

We swung into town not expecting much but eager to find a place for lunch.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a statute older style looking pub. Pub grub crossed my mind and certainly would have filled the bill.

We decided to venture into town a little more. A very clean and colourful town.

A vineyard nearby and of course Alpha 1.

Somehow the parking angels parked us directly infront of this gem.

Walking in we are greeted by the French Maitre D.

A warm fire size welcomes us and a very understated menu. Not overly inspired by the menu. The Maitre d’ fills us on in the oyster special. Well you could have blown us over with a feather.

The oyster dish was a signature dish to celebrate Mauri Week.

We asked him to run over some of the other dishes and by the end of two we are salivating.

We order the oysters, the pulled pork belly and fish and chips.

The parred wines are also winners – esp the Malabec.

The menu is here.

VR Rotorua Lake Resort

Accommodation in Rotorua is tricky.

At one end you have dorm style back packer and at the higher end you have some boutique resorts.

Finding something in between is a challenge and weekends are particularly challenging (and a bit pricey). If you have the option plan ahead or do what we did and stay a little bit out of town.

The VR Rotorua Lake Resort is a family friendly hotel about 15 minutes outside of Rotorua on it’s own lake. Lake

The friendly staff are really helpful and the facilities whilst a little older are just fine!

Our room has quite a romantic feel with a spa tub that opens onto the main room. The main room opens on the grassed area infront of the lake giving us direct access to the jetty and vast lawns. It is a really tranquil and beautiful spot.

We arrive late so head straight for a hot tub and sauna. Both are delightful. The pool is a 28 degrees.

In the morning we get to use the kayaks free of charge and have a quick paddle on the lake. The lake is actually a series of locked lakes that cover a wide part of the country side.

We don’t eat at the resort but the restaurant serves until late and breakfast can be purchased additional to the room. There are tennis courts for those keen for a hit. All in all, we decide we will be back and might even bring the kids.

The Pig and Whistle Rotorua

Rotorua can get cold and when it is you will want a big hearty feed and a fire side. The Pig and Whistle offers both and a very friendly vibe. We arrive for the tail end of lunch and it is packed. The meals look incredible as we enter and the staff greet us and let us know upfront how long the wait for meals will be.

Over to the fireside and a leisurely beer and New Zealand wine.

It is really relaxing watching the flames and people enjoy themselves then our lunches arrive.

I order the brisket and it is delicious, cooked to perfection and a meal I will have flashbacks to for years. The way brisket should be cooked.

brisket

My partner has the pork schnitzel, also a very generous serving and equally as yummy. I definitely would recommend stopping by for a meal and drink. Apparently they have a dance floor on the weekends

Pork Schnitzel

Volcano Winery Rotorua

It’s a dramatically cooling off day in Rotorua and a must-do is the skyline hill. There are a swag of activities to part take in, including wine tasting.

We head out to the Skyline and purchase the gondola ride (which is actually really worth it and reminds me of Switzerland) and 3 luge passes. The costings and options are here.

The wines are NZ wines and if you are not planning on going to a specific wine region this is the next best thing.

It’s actually quite an OK deal if you are traveling with children.

So off the gondola to the top. The ride takes you over the international Mons Extreme sports track which is stunning. We spot a herd of deers happily munching on the slops and as the climb continues draw breath at the quite spectacular views.

Once at the top, the clouds open up! Like teaming rain.

We decide to take shelter in Volcanic Hills Winery.

So we figure a wine is a good pause, especially as we are about to challenge ourselves to luge.

The staff at the winery are extremely friendly and feel like old friends. Even Georgia who assures us she is an introvert.

Delightfully indulged with wines (very approachable wines I might add), chit chasing with Johnny about his life and him inquiring about our, we whittle away a lazy few hours taking in the views of Rotorua.

It’s a wonderful incidental side trip.

OH – we decide not to luge as it was really cold and raining and very nicely they staff extended our expiring on the luge so we can revisit in a few weeks and use the passes then.

Highly recommend.

Pooleys Vineyard Tasmania

For years I have been traveling to Richmond just outside of Hobart and have passed by the Pooleys Wine Sign. I was pleasantly surprised to find a world class facility offering world class wines when I ventured in the other day.

The vineyard has been around for years and the grapes are sourced from 2 of their vineyards.

On the wall by the tasting bar is a cool cross section of the terraine of the different properties which are vastly different even though they are only 20 minutes away.

The wines themselves are great – pricey but worth it.

I particularly like the subtle flavours of the reisling and chardonnay.

Tastings are $5 pp but if you purchase a wine this is waivered. I highly recommend popping in on the way into or out of Richmond and if you go on the weekends they can be very busy with their woodfire cafe outside.

Nepal after the Earthquakes

Nepal after the earthquake 2016

It's our world, our village. Let's all chip in if we can.I have a gofundme page set up www.gofund.me/s97vjqxn or you can donate to www.journey-nepal.org.Would love it if you could share xx

Posted by Sam Beau Patrick The Health Queen on Saturday, 23 January 2016

This is a face book live while driving through Nepal after the earthquakes.

Bluesfest Byron Bay

The Byron Bay Blues Festival

AKA Bluesfest

It’s my “many-ieth” time to the Blues Festival experiencing the eclectic line up of blues and rhythm artists from around the world.

In the past I have seen James Brown, Elle King, The National and many amazing artists.

This year is also special but I have time on my hands and it is a whole different ball game.

With a 5 day pass and VIP pass you can really relax and not race from tent to tent trying to squeeze in as many artists as possible.

I’ve decided to camp – which is great. You meet fellow festival goers and can make new friendships quickly. The thing I really like about camping is the ability to bubble out from the festival madness and have reprieve.

The thing I don’t like about camping at the festival is that the days can start early if a baby is crying and the nights can go long if people decide to start a mini party. Both of which happened on the same night on my stay.

The toilet facilities are basic at Blues and it really makes you value the luxuries of a home shower.

The staff are really friendly at the festival although beaurocracy seems to have gone a bit mad with multiple people involved with the process to “manage” people to find a camp site. None of which is needed at other festivals.

Beer, wine and water ran out by early afternoon on Sunday which left a lot of people disgruntle this festival. I couldn’t understand why water had run out and how that could occur in 2018!

Skye Edwards fronting Morcheeba

Alas fortunately for Blues Fest this year, the artists got the festival over the line. Seal, Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crowe, Rag Man, and Bones, Morcheeba, Prince’s back up band, John Butler Trio and more… made for another sensational year.

One day is fine, 2 days better and VIP a must.

You can grab tickets here.

Nusa Lembogan

Finally I have had to resign myself to the fact that today I can only squeeze in a massage and snorkel at most.

As Western though patterns and chasing leaving my body, so does stress.

I feel myself decompressing like a tension chamber that has become unaccustomed to it’s own internal pressure – in actual fact using it for fuel to chase down more business. I need to step back and I have.

Yesterday I jumped on a plane to Bali with a small back pack, some face masks to deliver to Solemen ( A charity I support here) and little else. I had a sense that escaping to Nusa Lembogan would provide me with my next life lessons, poignant and gentle as Mother Bali delivers, so headed for Sanur to catch a ferry.

There are plenty of ferry companies that cross the 45 minute stretch all day. No need to book ahead and it shouldn’t cost more than 400 rupiah return.

I had to wait a while for mine, but I have learned that the waiting is part of Bali unravelling you from what you know, to where you need to be.

I relish in the wait.

With no accommodation booked, I figure that I could do something about it while the ferry is coming. Incredibly I secure a room in a hut that is truly magic and I feel so incredibly grateful to have been directed here.

A generous local drove me to the villas and would not accept any money for the trip. It sounds naive but I know the favour will be returned one day.

My digs for the night are out of this world – incredible views, and I feel I have arrived at the cusp of heaven and earth.

I settle in, have some mandatory spring rolls, a gin and tonic then go exploring.

It is a full moon and the night light makes for easy walking to Dream Bay.

Today i will explore more and post more tomorrow.

My creative flow is back and I feel alive again. Thank you Mother Bali. 

The Gabba and cricket

Affectionately known as the GABBA, the Brisbane Cricket ground,  home to the Brisbane Lions… is an iconic sporting field in Australia.

On this night, my son and I are venturing to watch a short, newly introduced, cricket game.

It’s called twenty twenty cricket (20 overs each team), or the BIG BASH LEAGUE. It is like speed cricket. Really good if you like seeing a result in sport. It’s especially good in a sport like cricket, which has BIG history as a sport but it typically played over 5 days. Even one-day games require a whole day.

The 20-20 big bash is a perfect family sport. Hard hitting, big knocking, smacking a hard red ball around a BIG part. The Gabba is perfect for the fun, action packed game.

Kids love it and as a parent it is pretty awesome too.

The Gabba (affectionately nick-named after Wooloongabbba – the suburb which is in located in) is a Queensland icon. It is very central to the city – a little too so. Fortunately free public transport moves people in, and out really quickly.

The food is average. I find a cafe/coffee house that had a salad which was pretty good value and reasonably priced. The “other food” is rubbish. Hot dogs, chips, pies RUBBISH! I do struggle to understand the blatant opportunity of sporting venues to drive home how important nutrition is to our youth… but now I sound like a wailing nutritionist who cares…

There is beer on hand, wine is much harder to find. Which suits me as it is a coffee and salad night for me with my son.

We decided to stay at Southbank, and I would love to recommend the hotel, but I can’t. There are plenty though, and for those of us who don’t live in Brisbane, coming in the after noon, going to the art gallery , walking along Southbank, then the Gabba, makes for a great day!

The game of 20-20 cricket is excellent.

Great entertainment with lots happening.

The pitch (where the sporting action happens) is non stop.

The crowd there for a good time which means an electric atmosphere.

The facilities, views, and access to toilets, exits etc exceptional.

I like the Gabba. It has a really good vibe!