Day 4: (Parts of) This Day Blows!

...cause I went to a geyser. And they blow. Get it? But also there were some hurdles to my day and I am mighty tired.

First, I need to start this post by telling all the mothering types out there that I AM FINE.

Secondly, this:

Frank had to have a little work done today and it was more than a little frustrating. [Edit: I apologise for the ensuing rant, feel free to skip.]

About 7 hours after picking up the van, Frank started making a bit of a scratching noise. By the afternoon this had developed into a full-on scraping sound so I called the rental company to let them know that I thought there might be something affecting the front brake. No answer. Also, the travel sim I picked is fine for data but not letting me make or receive calls, so I'm begging phones from all manner of strangers, tour guides, and business owners. 

After two non-pick ups I sent an email. Nothing. Then I contacted them through the website. Nothing. Not exactly a ringing endorsement here is it?

Meanwhile, the scraping is getting louder. Finally, yesterday, I get onto the company and explain the situation and they say they'll try to get me an appointment with a mechanic and will email me when they do. No follow up.

Today I try and try to get back to them but decide enough is enough and go out to find my own mechanic. But of course, being New Years. NOTHING IS OPEN. And I can't call and check because of the aforementioned phone problems. I go to six different mechanics in Rotorua (they were all rather close together, it must be a mechanic mecca) to no avail.

Finally, I see a guy pulling up the garage door on his shop and I pop over. Turns out it's the owner, Hayden, and he's not actually at work today and is super busy, but he agrees to take a quick look in the hopes it's just a rock or something he can sweep out. No. The brake pads are completely gone and the rotors are shot. He is completely appalled, saying there's no way the van should have been rented out at all.

He agrees to find the time to do it but first, he advises me to get confirmation from the company as they can be extremely picky about who works on their vans. Fine. But of course... no response.

I decide to hop on the bus, go see the attraction I was there for and try them again when I'm done (details on this more pleasant aspect of my day below). When I'm done, the information booth attendant kindly lets me into his office booth to use the phone. A long convoluted conversation later (in which I inform them I will not be paying for this), I have the approval to go ahead and do the repairs.

But when I get back the mechanic is gone. Because it's his holiday and he has a life. I then spend the next hour and half on the phone (of the glass company next door) bouncing back and forth between the rental place and roadside assistance explaining why all their 'solutions' are unacceptable.

And then. My knight in grease-covered armour (not really, he was very tidy) appears in the form of Hayden from Haywire Rotorsports. He has returned and has already been across the road measuring up the van for the parts I needed. Very pleased to give my phone calls the flick, he zips down the road to pick up the parts and within an hour I have two shiny new rotors and brake pads. Frank drives like a dream now.

Thanks to Hayden I was able to avoid a 2-day delay and money lost. He didn't have to help me out, he was well and truly closed for the day, but he went above and beyond and I couldn't be more grateful.

So yes. Sigh. A day of frustration and phone calls and unhelpful situations over. I missed out on a few things I wanted to do this afternoon but nothing major and hugely better than waiting and falling completely off the itinerary. Plus, you know, now I won't crash.

I know there are at least three people who are going to yell at me know for not saying anything earlier, so let me have it.

Rant over.




Te Puia Māori Village, Rotorua

I write this entry from my place at Rotorua Holiday Thermal Camp and so can still smell the sulphur wafting on the wind. It really is such an interesting and unpleasant smell, but totally made up for by the great interlude of actual sightseeing I had in my otherwise crazy day.

The Māori Village, located at the base of the Te Puia mountain, is home to thermal hot springs, geysers, and mud pits. These thermal pools get up to 98º and the area was highly sought after not only for its resources but its a defensible position in times of war.

The Te Tohu and Pōhutu Geyers visible from quite a ways off.

Much like the Waitomo Glow Worm Caves, the guide was a young Māori man - though he says the porcelain mud from the mud pools has made his skin look more youthful than it actually is. He was very informative and funny and pointed out all the highlights and shared the way the geothermal landscape has played a role in Māori culture and history.

The steam and hot water just poured out of the rock formations at a steady stream the whole time I was there and it really was quite the sight to see.

From the geysers we went and saw the kiwi conservation area and did manage to see two kiwis out and about despite their being nocturnal. Pictures were prohibited, but I was pleased to see them and surprised as they were much bigger than I was imagining.

Te Puia is also home to the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. Part museum, part tertiary education, the Institute is comprised of the National Wood Carving School, National Stone and Bone Carving School, National Weaving School, and a Tā Moka (tattoo) studio - I didn't get to see this last one.

As intriguing as the geysers were, the arts and crafts really were my favourite part. I loved seeing how the traditional crafts and methods of production were being kept alive, and getting so see some of the work being done by up close was wonderful. I even saw two 2000-year-old trees that had fallen and were about to be carved into canoes. They were massive and mindbogglingly old.

Carving jade, or greenstone

Our guide demonstrating the harvesting and plying of cord from harakeke, or New Zealand flax

This was a day of highs and lows for sure and, despite the huge car rant (sorry), I really did love visiting Te Puia and met many kind people here in Rotorua. Back on the road tomorrow - got to put those fresh brakes to work!

NOTE: Thank you to those who have been leaving comments, but can you please include your name in the body of the comment. You're all coming up as 'Unknown' and it would be great to know who I'm talking to. Thanks!

We're ignoring the three hour gap where I forgot to record yesterday and am annoyed at myself.

Animal sightings

• 2 Kiwi
• The ubiquitous cows

Today's Playlist:

• Stuff You Should Know: How Abandoned Cities Work
• The Bechdel Cast: Little Women
• Sawbones: John Kellogg’s Odd Prescription
• Sawbones: Weight Loss
• Stuff You Should Know: How Murphy’s Law Works

Daily stats:

Kilometres travelled: 98 (557 in total)
Times hit my head on the van: 1 (5 in total)
Number of strangers phones I had to borrow in order to sort out the van: 6
Times I apologised to the Roadside Assistance lady for taking my frustration out on her: 4
Biggest win: Hayden the mechanic
Biggest fail: Did I mention the lack of brakes?