Nothing To Luge
With not much on today’s agenda other than a game against the Ngongataha Chiefs – not scheduled until the late afternoon – most of the day was free. It was suggested that the team catch the gondola up the mountain to the Rotorua Luge, which was rumoured to be great fun. It was also suggested that the five tour mums form a breakaway party and go for a massage. With endorsement and encouragement from all the dads, of course we jumped at the chance, eager to put this worthy suggestion into practice. We followed it up with some further investigation and enquiries at the front desk. The dear old lady manning the reception was particularly enthusiastic about one specific massage place down on the Lake. She raved about a thermal spring water massage with “real” thermal water (unlike other pretenders that artificially heated their water) and credited these massages with giving her her vitality and good health. She armed us with a map and then proceeded to give us atrocious directions that, had we followed them would have led us on a wild goose chase. Fortunately Nicki spotted the place from a long way off and we found it.
Not really sure of what we were getting ourselves into other than the knowledge we’d be “as bare as the day we were born” we waited with eager anticipation for our names to be called. Once beckoned in, we understood what all the fuss was about. Lying face down on the massage bed, a mechanical arm was pulled across and positioned right above our bodies; a line of shower heads raining gloriously hot thermal water from our heads to our toes, while the masseuse, oiled and massaged us underneath the water. This mineral water, gurgling up from the underground and piped through to our massage beds did have a slight sulphur/eggy smell to it. Sandra asked whether we needed to shower afterwards but was told not to worry, no one would notice because she’d just smell like a local!
The brochure for this “AIX Massage” promised a “gentle and relaxing massage experience that embraces the essence of Rotorua” and that it certainly did. None of us had experienced anything quite like it and as we compared notes we were all as impressed and relaxed as one another. It was divine.
Floating weightlessly along the lake foreshore, we settled on a cute little cafe for a late lunch and returned to the football team feeling incredibly rejuvenated and relaxed, (if not a little bit pruney!)
Meanwhile, back at the luge…everyone had a ball and there were no major stacks (just one of the dads came unstuck a couple of times!) a cable car transported everyone up to the summit and from all reports, the view from atop the mountain was brilliant, looking right out over Rotorua and across the pretty lake. The buffet lunch at the top was a hit as well!
Upstairs at the Citizens’ Club, where we are staying is somewhat of a maze. All the rooms are off corridors that come from a central square and they all look the same. If there were mirrors on the doors you may as well be at Luna Park. It’s so confusing! The girls returned to a veritable hive of activity in the maze, with the boys all buzzing around frantically trying to get ready for the game. I noticed Toby wasn’t ready yet and then saw the look of panic on his face when he revealed that he couldn’t find ANY of his gear! His jersey, shorts and socks were missing. Uh oh. I knew I was the last one to have them and I swore I remembered putting them in the bag back in Auckland. We upturned Toby’s bags and searched the entire room (which with 8 teenage boys in it looked like a grenade had gone off in it and was no mean feat). I hurriedly searched the rest of the family’s bags and checked backpacks, bus and bathrooms. A quick call to the holiday park in Auckland confirmed that they weren’t left behind so I had packed the gear but WHERE??
The departure time for the game was looming and poor Toby was shirtless, the elusive No. 3 jersey nowhere to be found! ! I felt so bad! Dylan, who is injured, came to the rescue and lent Tobes his jersey and he scrounged some socks from somewhere. Phew!
The Ngongataha Chiefs were a school boys Rugby League team, a year younger than our boys. While not as menacing looking as the Auckland team in stature, they were skilful players nonetheless and gave the Avalon Bulldogs a run for their money! Our boys came through with a convincing win in the end though, playing so well! Ben Spears & Seb came away with man of the match honours. Well done Bulldogs! An enthusiastic haka before kick off was a highlight for us all too! The ground and facilities were brilliant and we were given complimentary blankets to snuggle under in the grandstand. As the sun went down and the enormous full moon rose between the goalposts, the air temperature dropped substantially and those blankets were a welcome treat as we tried to stay warm!
The Chiefs extended some more Kiwi hospitality, having us all back to the clubhouse for a delicious meal. The boys practiced the haka, teaching our fellas some chants and it was so nice to see them all mixing with each other and getting along so well.
Just a footnote: after feeling so awful about losing Toby’s gear and extensive prayer that I might find it, I returned to our room to unzip the one pocket on my bag I was yet to unzip and what should be in there? All of Toby’s footy gear!! Thanks God!
