Rawiri

Although I have visited several times in the past, I'm always fascinated by Rotorua - the almost choking and totally inescapable sulphur smell that surrounds the area, the random puffs or streams of steam that emanate from the ground, rocks or, as was the case as I explored Ohinemutu Village, the drains in the street, the gentle gurgling of boiling water or the soft 'plop, plop'ing of bursting mud bubbles.  There are no surer signs that you're in an active geothermal area.  Add to that the significant Maori culture that is so important throughout the region and the mix is unmistakably Rotorua.

I visited Hell's Gate (so called after a comment by George Bernard Shaw when he visited in the early 1900's that this area must surely be the gates to hell) and saw water boiling up to 122 degrees C, saw a large 'mud volcano', steam puffing out of cliffs, found damp patches on the 'safe' walkways that were too hot to stand on barefoot, and saw sulphur crystals at the openings of fumeroles between rocks.

What I didn't see was an active geyser so decided to pop in to Te Puia and the Whakarewarewa thermal area to see of I could catch the Pohutu Geyser in action.  I wasn't disappointed, and although her display was not as grand as I had hoped, it was nevertheless a very worthwhile 'extra'.

This image is of Rawiri who I saw in the Ohinemutu Village.  I umm'd and ahh'd about whether to ask him if it would be OK to take some shots of him and his full moko.  I took the plunge and approached him.  I've learned enough to know that asking usually generates a much more positive outcome than simply shooting, and so it was today.  Rawiri was so obliging and explained that he was proud of the cultural significance of his moko which he was very happy to share with others.   I'm clearly not the first to have asked him for pictures.  We chatted about how I hoped to use the images and he was again very open and accepting of them being edited and posted.  Wanting to convey the power of the moko and the pride Rawiri has in his moko meant that I have actually taken a long time to edit the image to create the 'feel' I wanted.  I had offered to send Rawiri a copy of the image but he politely declined saying that he already had others.

After a fabulous but sulphur filled day I felt the need for some fresh air.  The sulphur smell doesn't just disappear though and I kept getting sulphur whiffs - maybe from my clothes or maybe from my  lungs - long after I'd left Rotorua.  I drove back towards the coast to a quiet wee spot just outside Katikati.  I could hear the fireworks for the New Year celebrations begin well before midnight.  I wonder what I will make of 2015?