Penny's mum came to visit New Zealand for the first time. We showed her around our neighbourhood so she could see where we live, but with only two weeks together, it felt right to make the most of it — so off we went on a short trip down to Rotorua.
Sheep grazed lazily across wide green paddocks, and steam rose from the thermal pools in great drifting clouds. Stones warmed from below gave our tired legs a rest, and the views spilled far beyond what any photo could hold.
The Skyline gondola and chairlift carried us up the hill where deer and rabbits roam, and the luge rattled us back down at full speed. Min loved it so much that while the rest of us went touring with Grandma, she and her dad went back two days in a row. Grandma, for her part, started each morning with a long soak in the hot pools.
There were places where Māori culture lives on, and a forest walk among towering trees. A road trip for six, slow meals at our Airbnb — these settled quietly into memory. A short trip, but a long one, kept by each of us in our own way.
More from this trip — the luge, the hot pools, and the redwoods — coming soon in Travelers.
한국어 요약
PeNnY의 어머니가 처음으로 뉴질랜드에 오셨다. 우리가 사는 동네를 보여 드렸지만 함께할 시간이 2주뿐이라, 짧게 Rotorua로 내려가기로 했다. 넓은 초록 목장에 양들이 흩어져 있고, 온천에서는 김이 구름처럼 피어올랐다. 아래에서 데워진 돌이 지친 다리를 쉬게 했다.
Skyline 곤돌라와 체어리프트를 타고 사슴과 토끼가 돌아다니는 언덕에 올랐다가 루지를 타고 전속력으로 내려왔다. Min은 루지가 너무 좋아서, 나머지 식구가 할머니와 관광하는 동안 아빠와 이틀 연속 다시 갔다. 할머니는 매일 아침 온천에 오래 몸을 담그는 것으로 하루를 시작하셨다.
마오리 문화가 살아 있는 곳들과 키 큰 나무 사이의 숲길도 걸었다. 여섯 식구의 로드트립, 에어비앤비에서의 느린 식사가 조용히 기억에 자리 잡았다. 짧은 여행이었지만 저마다의 방식으로 오래 간직할 여행이었다.
Yussi
Writer · Social work student, Massey University
A mother of three girls and a Korean immigrant making Mairangi Bay home — writing about starting school, home learning and everyday life on Auckland's North Shore.
More about Yussi →Frequently asked questions
- What can you do in Rotorua with grandparents and young children?
- On our short trip: the thermal pools, where Grandma started each morning with a long soak; the Skyline gondola and chairlift up a hill where deer and rabbits roam; the luge back down; places where Māori culture lives on; a forest walk among towering trees; and slow meals at our Airbnb.
- Is the Rotorua luge worth it for kids?
- Min loved it so much that while the rest of us went touring with Grandma, they went back with Dad two days in a row.
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