Nature Balm: Rotorua — Athena Rhodes

This last month or so has been tough. I am talking beef jerky wrapped around an old boot, level of toughness.

Around five weeks ago, my mum had a freak accident. My sweet sweet puppy, Willow, run full force into her leg - and fractured it. My mum ended up in hospital needing surgury and from there it has been a bit of a tough journey.

I have donned a nursing hat and looked after her during this recovery. When I am not being nurse, I am at my 9-5. So like a ping pong ball - I bounce between the two.

This does not leave much time for ME. And the thing is, if you are constantly on the go and not having that time for yourself, burn out is invitable.

I felt the creeping of burnout. Felt it in the yawns, the thousand mile stare I would sometimes fall into, the fact that getting out of bed in the morning felt akin to climbing Mount Everest. The signs were there.

So, I arranged some time for little old me.

The Nature Balm

I knew what my mind, body and soul needed was a wander through nature. Without any obligation pulling at me, without any time restraints. Just a nature ramble.

I picked Rotorua as my destination for a few reasons. One, it is a close drive from Hamilton. I really did not feel like being in the car for hours. I wanted the green on my skin, the wet earth in my pores, not the car.

Rotorua is also a nature lovers nirvana. There are lakes, there are forests, there are mountains, there are geothermal wonders.

Rotorua has it all.

And I wanted to be there.

Rotorua : Hi my Old Friend

When we lived in our car for a year, we spent quite a lot of time in Rotorua. And we got some of our favorite spots.

Our first spot, the best toilet in Rotorua. We needed a pit spot - and the toilet in the Government Gardens is the best toilet in Rotorua. Hands down. Clean, remote, not a cubicle. Hands down. The best.

As we were pulling up, a noticed a flash of white in my periphery. A basket fungus - I exlcaimed to my husband. I was pratically vibrating with excitment. I had not seen one this season, so I was a happy lass.

After quickly going to the best toilet in Rotorua, I bounced my way to the fungi in question.

Basket fungus are so named, because they resemble well, a basket. They are latticed fungi that pop out of the ground and are quite striking. And also apparently quite smelly - but I have not noticed anything. And I was quite close.

In the same patch of bark near the loos, we spotted stinkhorn. One of my personal favorite mushrooms. And not just because of the name. Though I wont lie and say I don’t love saying stink horn to people when I point it out. And this one does indeed stink to high heaven. There is a reason why it is covered in flies haha.

After we had our fill of stinky mushrooms and clean toilets, we ventured to another one of my favorite spots in Rotorua. Suphur Point.

Sulphur Point

Sulphur Point is a geothermal wonderland and a wildlife sanctuary. Black billed and red billed seagulls raise their chicks on this warm sulphuric ground, and in the lake you can spot swans, scaups, dabchicks, and geese. Zooming over the water are swallows catching the clouds of bugs that float above the surface. There is a walk that goes around this area and it is worth a wander. To see the geothermal and the birds. Just make sure to stick to the path as one - it can be a danger to you to wander and get caught in a hot spot, and two - birds do nest here and it is illegal to disturb them. So keep to the marked path.

After getting my bird nerd time and talking to the swans and the gulls, and also maybe inhaling way too many bugs to be healthy for a vegan, we ventured on to another favorite spot in Rotorua. This being the Redwoods.

Redwoods

The first time I ever came to the Redwood forest in Rotorua, it was pouring down with rain. I remember I stepped in for five minutes before running back to the car soaked to the bone and promising myself that I would return on a nicer day. Since that first time, I have been here many many times. And I will return many many times in the future. There is something about wondering with these giants of the forest. Something humbling.

There are many walks in the Redwood forest. Short walks and longer walks. Information on this can be found here https://redwoods.co.nz/walk/

It is pram friendly and dog friendly as well - so bring the whole family to enjoy this nature marvel. Just remember to take dog poop with you and rubbish. The amount of dog poo I saw on this walk - just crazy amounts.

While walking through here, I was also trying to spot mushrooms. We spotted a few. Not a crazy amount, but a few cute little buttons.

After that, I was tired and ready to head back home.

With a short stop for a sushi break, we were off home. And I felt a lot more like myself and less of a burned husk of a person haha. Nature is my healing balm.