Whats that Smell?

Up at the crack of dawn. Another misty, rainy morning although breaks of sun started to shine through. Today, top on the agenda was the match between Samoa and Namibia which was a rare, weekday afternoon match. Okay, Samoa you’ve probably heard about, but Namibia? Well it is a country in southern Africa, in fact it use to be part of the Republic of South Africa before gaining its independence in 1990. It is named after the Namib Desert which is one of the oldest deserts on the planet. It was settled by the Germans and has a heavy Afrikaner influence.

Out of Gas

The match was played in Rotorua, which is not even close to where I am located in New Plymouth. It is about 350km away. So, after a quick breakfast at McDonald’s I set off for the drive. Well, I did not realize that my drive would take me through the remote interior of the North Island. So with about 136km to go, I happened to glance down at the fuel gauge and realized I was VERY low. In fact, the the trip computer on the dash stated I only had fuel for another 90 km, well short of my destination. I checked the GPS, or as it is called in the UK and NZ: SAT-NAV, and it showed the nearest petrol station being about 76km away. Whew! Well, this was very remote country and I passed by a turnoff I should have taken and did not realize it for a bit. Once I did, I quickly double-backed and took the correct road, but suddenly, it was looking like I would coast to a stop, out of petrol, in a very isolated mountain valley on a road that I had not even seen another car since for 30 minutes or so.

Then off in the distance, I saw a bunch of cows, then a shed. As I got closer I saw a ‘town’ of like 2 houses, one of which had a ‘market’ sign on it and a gas pump out front. Please be open.....Yes. The Kiwi that filled me up, yes they still do that for you here, noted that I must have been on my last liter of gas.

With a full tank, I was able to finish off my drive through incredible countryside dominated by a major river and gorge, towering cliffs, wildlife and birds I could not even begin to recognize as they do not look like our birds in North America. 

What’s that Smell

Then I descended into a valley and noted a very strong sulfur smell. I knew I had arrived in Rotorua. It is famous for its smell as a result of all the geo-thermal vents, hot springs and mineral pools. In fact, on the road into town, several geysers line the road shooting off tons of steam and water in the air.

The Rugby

A huge Samoan crowd packed the stadium adorned in costume, with Samoan flags everywhere. The rain before the match gave way to sunshine through the cloud breaks. But it was windy and cold.  During warm-ups, a Samoan folk group took the field to entertain. Then the local Maori tribe sent their warrior onto the field to summon the teams to the stadium for battle. Once the game kicked-off it was all Samoa. Finally in the second half Namibia scored a try and the crowd roared. Late in the game they got a second try. Final was 49-12 in favor of Samoa.

Meanwhile, up north of Auckland, Canada took on Tonga. The game was a back and forth affair with Canada getting a late try to seal the win, and upset, over Tonga. Then, on the South Island, Scotland kicked-off against Georgia. This match was a very tough, physical affair with Scotland barely able to eek out a win over the Georgia. Honestly, Scotland has not looked good this tourney and could find themselves knocked out soon.

Thursday

Tomorrow is a big day in New Plymouth. It will be USA vs Russia and a huge crowd is expected at Taranaki Stadium. I’ll be there as well. Photos from today coming....