Dang! Nothing but grey outside. I had had high hopes of hiking the fabulous Tongariro Crossing today, but the forecast proved correct and we found ourselves staring out into the center of the big cloud that had enveloped the north island overnight. A peek at the Taupo weather cam showed the same mess from 50 miles away. Oh well, off to Waitomo we go.
Driving north from National Park town, thru Taumarunui, thru Eight Mile Junction we reach Otorohanga, home of Kiwiana (that's New Zealand treasures and specialties to you) and more importantly to us, location of the Otorohanga Kiwi and Bird Sanctuary. Yes, more of those cute little kiwi critters and we were there for feeding hour, when some lucky, devoted employee got to enter the pen and dole out pans of an odd soupy mixture, which we learned contained tofu, peas, raisins, and ox heart cut into lengths to simulate earthworms. No humping sessions this time. Also on display were a host of other NZ birds, many threatened: tui, pukeko, kea, falcon, morepork, weka, pig goose and a crayola pak of ducks.
Ignoring all the tacky "Kiwi-isms" on display in town, (anyone remember Kiwi brand shoe polish in those old fashioned tins??) we scored an acceptable room and a better than acceptable dinner at the Otorohanga "Club", sort of an old country club with raffles, bingo,and tables of thin, grey haired men telling exaggerated stories and slapping their thighs in glee, while competing with tables of gabbing women with big hair for the loud prize. Only the persistent call of the raffler was heard above all. But dinner was decent and inexpensive, and we got to sample DB draft and Waikato local brand beers and watch dune buggy races on the telee...
Hey, we still have Kiwi shoe polish in our cupboard!!
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