WITH TENT AND CAR

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 112, 17 November 1928, Page 26

WITH TENT AND CAR

THE THERMAL REGIONS 'APPROACH MvOM HAMILTON (By "Trip.") (All Bights l.eservod.) We who live in New Zealand often imagine that the virtues of our little country must compel tho respect and admiration of the world. In actual fact wo are probably more widely known on account of our scenic and thermal attractions than through our productive farm lands, and of all our natural wonders Eotorua has attracted the greatest attention. Here, within tho short space of a few miles, one can sec every conceivable typo of thermal activity, together with some of the most glorious lake and bush scenery in tho world. Littlo wonder then that it has becomo a happy hunting ground

for tourists, and the Mecca of every | New Zealimder. Tourist resorts havo to caterifor ai special class of traveller, and asi a result their charges aro almost invariably higher than those made under ordinary circumstances in the towns where traffic is not purely seasonal. In this respect, Kotorua is no different from any other tourist resort. It is possible to secure every comfort and luxury available in these days of simplified travel —at a price. Naturally tariffs vary, and. there are cheaper places but in the season a holiday at Kotorua for a family is at best an expensive proposition. Tho possesion of a. car completely alters tho situation and makes it possible to sec everything for a very modest sum, well within the reach of most purses.. There are those who like Ihe stir arid gaiety of the large and fashionable hotels and who would find a camping holiday a meagre substitute, but to many the freedom of such a tour is infinitely preferable to the more conventional method. FREEDOM OP MOVEMENT. Apart altogether from the fact, that a car makes travelling cheaper where the family is large, it gives freedom of movement aud makes camping easy. To reach tho many delightful camping spots in the Kotorua district would be an expensive matter unless yon were travelling in your own car, and it is almost, invariably the case I hut suitable camping spots are some distance out of tho towns visited. It will be obvious to most that where live or more persons are travelling together, car travel, even in heavy models, will bo cheaper than train or motor service faros, and those who have motored and camped know how very much less expensive this method proves. The journey as far as Hamilton via tho West Coast has already been described, so iv this article we will cover the district between the nourishing centre of tho Waikato and Kotorua. The distaucc is only a matter of seventy miles, and the road for the greater part of the distance is good, but in wet weather the. lower portion of the road, towards Kotorua, becomes a veritable quagmire, and at times the Mamuku is absolutely impassable. This road is, however, being steadily improved, and before long will be an all-weather road. In any case an alternative route is open to the motorist, this going through Atiamuri, and being always passable. CAMBRIDGE. The first place of interest after leaving Hamiltou is Cambridge, .-^progressive little town of about. 2000 population. Like Hamilton, Cambridge in a dairying centre, and within a few miles there are half a dozen largo factories. It is an exceptionally pretty place, and the domain, with its beautiful lake, sets off tho rolling countryside to perfection. Tho motorist can camp here, close to the centre of the town, in a delightfully secluded spot, and if he prefers' it will find numerous places along the route. Prom Cambridge onwards the rolling green country of the Waikato gradually turns to the poorer pumice country of the Rotorua district, and the motorist is passing through land which has given very great, cause for concern during rocent years, owing to the sickness general in tho stock grazed on it. Fortunately remedies have been found, and the settlers on this country yro slowly improving their position. The road runs through Tirau and one or two other small townships until at length tho Mamuku hill is reached. There is little need to describe this, as practically everyone has seen or heard of this quagmire iv which many a tourist has met temporary defeat. Once over the hill, trouViSrs aro finished, aud after passing _STs{«igotaha tho road skirts the lake and enters Rotorua. STAYING AT EOTORUA. Once having ventured as far as Kotorua it is, of course, essential to stop some days and see the many varied ■wonders which the district. contains. ..lose to all th" places worth visiting there are spots where camp can be pitched, so I hat sight seeing is .simplified. For one nr two id' the best trips, the car cannot be used, as these. «re mad- across the lar.es, but for ✓ Tit-n- \Vli..l-':.r"V...i.-..u and oilier .ii-rihiii'l journey-- it will prove ideal, <:i:'i ..ive : iii.- delays and inconvenience

often experienced iv connection with transport during the busy season. It is difficult to adequately describe Kotorua, for here, within tho compass of a few miles, will bo found every conceivable typo of- scenery, and every kind of thermal activity. There arc lake (rips, door stalking, fishing, shooting, and other outdoor sports in plenty, including golf, and there are dozens of different" trips where varied forms of •geysers, mud springs, etc., may bo seen. In'tho town itself .is tho bath house in which the visitor can have his clinico of dozens ot! different kinds of mineral and mud baths. WHAKAREWAREWA. | The show place of Kotorua is Whakarowai'owa, some two miles out. of the town iJ self, and it is hero that the greatest thermal wonders are to be teen. Thoso who arc pressed for timo usually see this, make ono of the roundtrip journeys across the lakes, visit tho fairy springs, aud then go away imagining'that thoy have seen all that li'otorua has to o'ft'er. It is hero that Uie Maori village is situated, and in seeing this, most people cannot help fooling a little-sorry that the independent Maoris have become such professional showmen. Many of tho shapes taken by the boiling mud aro weird and wonderful, ami the visit to the model pah makes it possible to visualise tho excellent generalship of the Maoris in the days before the white man came to the country. It is possible for tho motorist to visit most of the lakes by car, and he can, in his own car, do the popular "six Jakes" trip. With timo at his disposal [ho can camp by theso beautiful lakes,

and thus enjoy the visit much more deeply than the casual visitor, who has to content himself with a fleeting glimpse from a service car. OTHER SIDE TRIPS. Apart from the road journeys round the lakes, there are several launch trips that are well worth while. Launches leave Rotorua every morning and cruise about the lakes for tho day, and it is. difficult to imagine anything more beautiful than these bush-surrounded lakes in perfect weather. By driving ,to tho top of some of 'the high hills in tho district, excellent glimpses of the whole of the ■ Bay of Plenty can be secured,. and at various points along the roads there are hot springs and mud pools, all of which have a fascination of their own. Makoia Island, in Lake Kotorua, is worth visiting, and most tourists will want to try one or other of tho balhs, some of which have excellent healing and curativo properties. With lime available, a visit should 1)0 paid to Wairakei, a place which in somo respects is even more wonderful than Kotorua. It is slightly under sixty miles from Kotorua, aud can be reached by car without difficulty. AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE. Owing to the danger of bad weather holding one up on the Mamuku Hill, it is advisable to know of the alternative route from Kotorua which goes through Atianntrt—and which itself leads to many further points of interest with which it will bo impossible to deal in this article. • This road is mainly pumice, but is metalled in places, and is seldom impassable. From Kotorua to A.iaimtri junction is about thirty miles; the road throughout is very uninteresting, passing through tussock country. It is near Atiamuri that the gigantic Pohuturoa rock is to be seen, and a by-road which can be used in line weather runs to some very line rapids. This road through Atiamuri turns off at Tirau, so the motorist who is making for Eotorua from Hamilton turns off -tear Tirau an.'! then makes through Putaruru to Diehfield and Atiamuri. Closo to: Putaruru the road to Arapuni loads off; this journey is well worth making if timo is available. One of the very great advantages of uio.tor-eattipiug iv 'this area is tho accessibility of ' suitable camping places. .Throughout the wholo of the Rotoruas district closo to all tho lakes there ar.e ideal camping spots and with •tho line weather usually experienced in January and February, tho journey becomes one of the most pleasant it is possible to make in a country which 'seenisto have been specially adapted for camping in all its forms.