Sapphire Springs Holiday Park in Tahawai - 새피어 스프링스 홀리데이 파크

Our recent 2-night, 3-day trip to Sapphire Springs Holiday Park was truly memorable. The first day was absolutely fantastic. Upon arrival, we set up our tent and spent the day exploring the surroundings. The park offered so many activities that the kids absolutely loved. In the evening, we enjoyed a delicious barbecue meal, which tasted even better under the twinkling stars in the clear sky.

However, the second day presented some challenges. Although the weather forecast predicted rain, it was expected to clear up by the afternoon, so we weren't too concerned. But the rain persisted throughout the day. Nonetheless, we decided to make the best of it and headed to the hot springs pool. It was a great spot for the kids to play, although the rain made it a bit chilly. After about two hours of fun, we returned to our tent.

Upon returning to the tent, we found that the rain had started to seep in, making the inside damp. We were all taken aback by this. Realizing we couldn't delay any longer, we rushed to the reception. Initially told there were no available rooms, we were in quite a predicament. Thankfully, a woman who seemed to be the manager arrived and upon hearing our situation, she asked, "We do have one room available, but you'll need to check out tomorrow morning. Would that be alright?" Grateful just to have a room, we naturally agreed, and hurriedly packed our belongings to move to the room.

The new room was a humble cabin, but it was a hundred times better than the wet tent. We had a simple dinner of tteokbokki and noodles, grateful to have a warm and dry place to eat, despite the circumstances. However, we were worried about leaving the tent and other belongings at the campsite since we had hastily moved to the cabin.

After dinner, I instructed the kids to play in the room while I donned a raincoat and returned to the tent site to pack up. I only took items that could be quickly packed into the car, leaving the tent as it was. We planned to tidy up the tent and tarp the next morning.

When I woke up at 6 am the next day, the rain had stopped. I quickly began packing up the tent and tarp. Everything had turned into mud due to the rain, so I had to fetch water from the tap to clean them. It was tough doing it alone, but there was no other choice, so I hurriedly did my best. Eventually, after clearing everything up, we checked out and headed to Katikati Bird Gardens.

Katikati Bird Gardens was a truly amazing place. It was like a vast park with various birds, and the kids loved running around and observing the different birds. Exploring this place while having breakfast was a truly special experience. If you have kids, be sure to visit!

On the way back, there were many farms around, and we bought avocados, persimmons, and organic eggs from the unmanned stalls at the farm entrance. We could buy large and fresh produce at a low cost. We wished we had more cash to buy more, but we were short on cash. Next time, we'll make sure to prepare enough cash before visiting.

Overall, our trip to Sapphire Springs Holiday Park was truly enjoyable and memorable. The first day and the hot springs pool were the highlights of the trip, and despite the rain on the second day, we still had a lot of fun. The park staff were very friendly and understanding, especially the manager who provided us with a room at the last minute, which was a huge help. Despite the challenges due to the weather, the trip was worthwhile thanks to the beautiful natural surroundings and the variety of activities. While we plan to be more prepared for rain on our next camping trip, this experience left us with unforgettable memories and valuable lessons for our family.

우리가 최근에 다녀온 2박 3일간의 Sapphire Springs Holiday Park 여행은 정말 기억에 남아요. 첫째 날은 완전 최고였어요. 도착해서 텐트를 치고 나서 주변을 돌아다니며 하루를 보냈어요. 공원에는 할 게 정말 많아서 아이들이 너무 좋아했어요. 저녁에는 맛있는 바비큐를 해 먹었는데, 정말 맛있게 먹었어요. 날씨도 아주 좋았고, 별이 반짝이는 하늘 아래서 식사하니 완전 힐링이었어요.
하지만 둘째 날은 좀 문제가 있었어요. 날씨 예보에서 비가 온다고 했지만 그칠 거라 해서 별걱정을 안 했거든요. 그런데 비가 계속 오는 거예요. 그래도 긍정적인 마음으로 온천 수영장에 가기로 했어요. 온천 수영장은 아이들이 놀기에 딱 좋은 곳이었어요. 따뜻한 물에서 신나게 놀았는데, 비가 와서 좀 춥더라고요. 결국 두 시간 정도 놀다가 텐트로 돌아왔어요.
텐트로 돌아와 보니, 비가 계속 내려서 물이 텐트 안으로 조금씩 스며들기 위해 시작했어요. 텐트 바닥이 점점 축축해지면서 우리 가족 모두 당황했어요. 더 이상 지체하면 안 될 것 같아서 곧바로 리셉션으로 달려갔어요. 다른 방이 있는지 물어봤지만, 처음에는 방이 없다고 해서 정말 난감했어요. 그 순간 매니저로 보이는 여자가 와서 상황을 듣고는 "방이 하나 있긴 한데 내일 아침에 체크아웃해야 하는데 괜찮겠니?"라고 물어봤어요. 방이 있다는 사실만으로도 너무 감사했기 때문에 당연히 괜찮다고 했고, 우리는 급히 짐을 챙겨서 그 방으로 옮겼어요.
새로 옮긴 방은 정말 초라한 기내였지만, 젖은 텐트보다는 백배 나았어요. 우리는 간단하게 떡볶이와 국수로 저녁을 먹으면서 비록 상황이 좋지 않았지만 따뜻하고 건조한 곳에서 식사할 수 있음에 감사했어요. 그러나 다음 날 아침까지 체크아웃하려면 준비를 모두 마쳐야 했기 때문에 급하게 기내로 옮기느라 텐트 및 다른 짐들은 그대로 텐트 사이트에 두고 왔다는 사실이 걱정이었어요.
저녁을 먹은 후, 나는 아이들에게 방에서 놀라고 하고 우비를 입고 텐트 사이트로 돌아가 짐을 챙기기 위해 시작했어요. 텐트는 그대로 두고 정리할 수 있는 짐들만 챙겨서 자동차 안에 넣어두었어요. 다음 날 아침에 텐트와 그늘막을 정리하기로 했어요.
다음 날 새벽 6시에 일어나 보니 비가 그쳤어요. 나는 서둘러 텐트와 그늘막을 정리하기 위해 시작했어요. 비 때문에 모든 것이 흙탕물이 되어 있어서 수돗가에서 물을 받아 가며 텐트와 그늘막을 정리했어요. 혼자서 이 일을 하려니 너무 힘들었지만, 다른 방법이 없었기에 최선을 다해 서둘렀어요. 결국 모든 것을 정리한 후, 아이들과 함께 체크아웃하고 Katikati Bird Gardens로 향했어요.
Katikati Bird Gardens는 정말 멋진 곳이었어요. 다양한 새들이 있는 넓은 공원 같은 곳이었는데, 아이들이 여기서 너무 좋아하며 뛰어다니고 다양한 새들을 관찰했어요. 아침을 먹으면서 아이들과 함께 이곳을 탐험하는 건 정말 특별한 경험이었어요. 아이들이 있다면 꼭 방문해 보세요!
돌아오는 길에는 주변에 많은 농장들이 있었고, 우리는 아보카도, 단감, 그리고 유기농 계란을 농장 입구의 무인 판매대에서 사 왔어요. 크고 신선한 농산물들을 저렴하게 살 수 있었어요. 현금이 더 많았다면 더 많이 살 수 있었을 텐데, 현금이 부족해 아쉬웠어요. 다음에 방문할 때는 현금을 충분히 준비해야겠어요.
전반적으로 Sapphire Springs Holiday Park에서의 여행은 정말 재미있고, 기억에 남는 시간이었어요. 첫날과 온천 수영장은 여행의 하이라이트였고, 아이들도 비록 비가 오긴 했지만 많은 즐거움을 느꼈어요. 공원의 직원들은 매우 친절하고 이해심이 많았어요, 특히 매니저는 마지막 순간에 방을 제공해 준 덕분에 우리가 큰 도움을 받았어요. 비록 날씨로 인해 어려움이 있었지만, 아름다운 자연환경과 다양한 활동 덕분에 여행은 가치 있었어요. 다음 캠핑 여행에서는 비에 대한 대비를 철저히 할 계획이지만, 이번 경험은 우리 가족에게 잊지 못할 추억과 소중한 교훈을 남겼어요.