Whakarewarewa, the Living Maori Village, is a great place to find geothermal activity and Maori culture. We enjoyed the hangi pie, cooked using the natural geothermal activity, and the presentation of Maori dances, songs, and the haka. There are several places to walk and observe the geothermal features of the area. Here are some photos from our trip there.
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Tips for Becoming a Super Saver
In her book “Rich Enough? A Laid-back Guide for Every Kiwi,” Mary Holm, “New Zealand’s Most Trusted Money Expert,” gives several suggestions for becoming a super saver. By following this advice, you should be able to save more than you think you can in a shorter time span.
Super Saver Rules
The first rule is to set yourself a goal. If you play point and click games, or old-school video games, you know that racking up points is good, but having a destination is better. You can do the same thing in your savings. Have a goal, so that you can motivate yourself to get to the next level. Just be sure it’s a SMART goal.
Know what you’re saving for. What is it that you want to achieve through savings? Find a pictorial representation and put it where you can see it. Use that as your motivation.
Start small. Even if you’re just putting away $10 a month at the beginning, you’re doing something for your future. As soon as you have enough to open an interest-bearing account, get your money in there. Choose an account that will penalize you for withdrawing funds.
Use a mental trick. Holm suggests imagining your job paid you 5 percent less. Where would you cut back? Make those cuts and put that 5 percent into your savings.
Pay off a loan? Find a cheaper company for services like Internet, cable, or electricity? Paid less taxes? Got a tax refund? Take half the savings that you realize and put it into your long-term account. Do the same thing if you get a raise; put half of it in savings before you adjust your lifestyle to the increase in funds.
Any one-off payments can be put into your savings account as well. If you get an inheritance, you can use some of the money, but put most of it towards your goal. Follow these suggestions, and you’re on your way to becoming a super saver.
New Zealand: Photos from Rotorua
Rotorua and its smell of sulfur was a great place to visit. They had an amazing used bookstore, Atlantis, where we found several books for cheap. (I should have bought more.)
Continue readingNew Zealand: Lake Rotorua Photos
We took the lunch buffet cruise on the Lakeland Queen. It got stormy that lunchtime, so they had to change the route they took on the lake.
Continue readingNew Zealand: Government Gardens in Rotorua
The museum in the Rotorua Government Gardens has been closed because of concerns about earthquake safety. There are places for lawn bowling, geothermal attractions, and a pool.
Continue readingNew Zealand’s InterCity Bus: Right Price, Right Time
New Zealand’s InterCity Bus from Wellington to Rotorua was super easy to take. All we had to do was talk to the driver and give him our names. With a more-than-reasonable taxi fare to get to the bus stop at the Wellington train station, using the bus to go from city to city in New Zealand makes a lot of good sense depending on your schedule.
Continue readingNew Zealand: On the Intercity Bus from Wellington to Rotorua
Taking the bus from Wellington to Rotorua is less expensive than flying and better for the environment. You’ll also get to see more of the countryside. At Flat Hills, I had one of the best pies I had eaten during our trip. Here are photos from our trip from Wellington to Rotorua.
Continue readingFor New Zealand History Grab McNab’s ‘Murihiku’
Robert McNab’s “Murihiku” (affiliate link) is a history of the southern islands of New Zealand that focuses exclusively on the European experience of discovery and interactions with the sea, land, and sometimes, the Maori. Even though this book was published in 1907, McNab points out the flaw of not exploring the Maori experience. He is aware that his research only examines white man’s exploration. McNab traveled the world looking for documents related to New Zealand’s early history. He found newspaper accounts in Australia and log books in America. He also researched information from Russian and Spanish sources.
Continue readingNew Zealand: Te Papa Museum in Wellington
It was a stormy day when we arrived in Wellington. Wind and rain drove us indoors and into Te Papa.
Continue readingNew Zealand Chocolate: Go Big, Go Whittaker’s
To look at the size of a Whittaker’s 250-gram chocolate block is to be overwhelmed and awed. These New Zealand chocolate bars just look too big for consumption. While they do offer smaller bars and squares, you should really treat yourself starting with the 72 percent Ghana Peppermint block.
If you’ve ever had a York Peppermint Patty, you have a vague idea of what this bar is like. While that’s the closest American connection I can make, it doesn’t tell the whole story. The Ghanaian chocolate is crisp, sharp, and dark. The mint is creamy, smooth, and bright. Where the Peppermint Patty was often similar in texture, Whittaker’s offers a delight in both taste and feel.
If the block is too big for you, the smaller specialty bars may be the right size. The balance of the Fijian Ginger & Kerikeri Mandarin with 62 percent chocolate is a wonder to behold. No flavor dominates the other, and they all have something special to contribute to the taste experience. The Wellington Roasted Supreme Coffee artisan bar is another masterful blend of flavors that you can sit back and enjoy.
If you want something more unique, try the New Zealand soda-inspired L&P or the Tweats mini-slabs. These white chocolate bars feature pop rocks in a twist to your normal chocolate experience. For a more traditional chocolate bar, try a peanut slab or go just a little Kiwi with Whittaker’s take on Hokey Pokey.
Whittaker’s Chocolate was founded in 1896. If you want to experience Kiwi chocolate, they’re the company to start with. Of course, you don’t want to miss out on other New Zealand chocolate companies. Check out Dunedin’s OCHO, and the specialty shop in Auckland and Wellington, Bohemein.
Penguinate! Positive Creativity 