A Trip to Australia and New Zealand
Rotorua
Eventually a rail connection was made with Auckland and, in 1894, the Rotorua Express began carrying tourists to the area. A grand European style health spa was developed that catered to wealthy people from all over the world. Today the buildings of the bathhouse are being preserved as a museum that contains a varied collection of mildly interesting relics of the glory days of the health spa as well as a great deal about the eruption of Mount Tarawera, but for us the most interesting exhibits were those related to the Maori culture and people (photographs were prohibited).
Outside of the bathhouse were huge open lawns on which traditional British games such as croquet and lawn bowling were taken very seriously. We were hungry so, unfortunately we were not able to stay very long to enjoy the finesse with which these bowlers played, but in passing we did remark the great sartorial care that was displayed by the participants.
