Where adrenaline meets sulphur

BY ROSIE DAWSON-HEWES

When Captain Cook first sailed into the Bay of Plenty, he was greeted by friendly locals with offers of food and supplies every time he stopped along the coast.

Warm welcomes there are obviously a tradition in the region, because this was how my husband and I were treated in Rotorua. From the moment we arrived, after a long drive in the rain, we were met with broad smiles and impeccable service.

Check-in at the contemporary Regent of Rotorua, right in the central city, was a delight. The concierge was extremely helpful at all times, night and day. We never saw him without a smile on his face.

Our room had everything we city- dwellers needed for a winter escape - sky television, iPod dock and free Wi- Fi for husband and a huge bathtub and monsoon shower for me.

With an outdoor heated pool and a mineral spa, the Regent had all the facilities you would expect from one of Rotorua's top hotels.

After the drive from Wellington, the de-luxe pools at Polynesian Spa were exactly what the doctor ordered. As a light drizzle fell on the native bush surrounds, we worked our way through the four mineral rock pools, ranging in temperature from 36 to 42 degrees Celsius.

At $42 entry for unlimited time, it's worth paying the extra to soak in child-free, sparsely populated pools. While we were there, a tour bus of about 100 people arrived to use the family pools, so I was very pleased to be in a quiet spot.

I left husband soaking away his pains, while I had a half-hour Vitalising back therapy ($85, includes pool entry). My therapist, Nathalie, started with a manuka honey and lavender exfoliating scrub, followed by a manuka honey pack.

Smothered in honey, my back was wrapped in foil, while my legs got an invigorating brush-down and massage. Once unwrapped and de- honeyed, it was time for a good, firm back massage.

I was just drifting off when Nathalie asked, "How was that?"

"Amazing. I could use a nap now," I answered.

"I know what you mean. We need a sleep room."

In the absence of a sleep room, I came to my senses in a "relaxation room", complete with waterfall. I then rejoined my husband in the pools for one last soak. We left without any tension, like walking jelly, before I fell asleep there.

We soon discovered there is more to Rotorua than just sulphur and geothermal goodness. We had our fair share of adventure too.

Early the next morning, we headed to Agroventures, which combines five extreme sport activities, individually owned, on one site.

From the pinpoint accuracy of the Agrojet, New Zealand's fastest jet sprint (with a Chevy V8 engine and 450 horsepower) to the Freefall Xtreme skydiving simulator, there is a fix for any adrenalin junkie.

Be warned, though, the Freefall Xtreme involves a rush of freezing cold air blowing in your face.

I wasn't prepared for skydiving hair or the DVD we were given of photos capturing the madness.

Prices range from $45 for one activity to $240 for a VIP package with a turn on everything.

My favourite was the Swoop - a 40-metre high giant swing. My husband and I were strapped into conjoined "sleeping bags" and lifted by a crane until we were left dangling 10 storeys high.

At the top, while I enjoyed the view, husband had the unenviable task of pulling the strap to release us.

Seconds of sheer terror followed as our bodies plunged in freefall towards the ground. But once the rope caught, it was great, with beautiful views of the rural surrounds. It was the best wake-up I've ever had. Adrenalin beats caffeine, hands down.

Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park has native bush, trout, kea, tuatara and kiwi so close you could touch them, but it's against the rules.

Kiwi really are odd birds, and seeing them run around right in front or you is an experience.

For one entry fee of $26, you get access to the park for 24 hours.

While geysers and mudpools are great at ground level, it's hard to get a sense of how Rotorua's geothermal activity has affected the landscape, until you're airborne. Being flown over the living, breathing landscape by Volcanic Air Safaris was a real eye-opener.

I thought Wellington had hills, but the capital has nothing on the western Bay of Plenty. This region has more lumps and bumps than a 15-year-old's face.

A good job has been done of smoothing out the city's streets, though. They are wide, flat, sparse and quiet. Being accustomed to the rush on Lambton Quay, at first the quiet was eerie, but I came to appreciate the slower pace and personal space.

Tutanekai St is known locally as "Eat St", with good reason. It has many restaurants, bars and pubs. We had a fantastic meal at The Traditional Thai Restaurant. The huge serving sizes were perfect on a cold winter's night, and there is nothing quite like having your plate brought to you while it's still hissing and sizzling. Yum.

By the end of our trip, we had just one hill left to conquer - Mt Ngongotaha. No holiday in Rotorua is complete without a trip to the luge track. No matter how many times I visit Skyline Skyrides, I always leave with sore cheeks from grinning.

Although the food at the restaurant is average, it has spectacular views and the luge is a guaranteed good time. Just make sure that if you hit a corner, you don't do it on the one with a camera, like I did - such an embarrassing moment captured for eternity. Perhaps I didn't conquer that hill after all.

LINKS

Regent of Rotorua Service; Polynesian Spa Service Agroventures Service; Rainbow Springs Service; Volcanic Air Safaris Service; Skyline Skyrides .

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