Blogs from Central Plateau, North Island, New Zealand, Oceania - page 3

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Central Plateau March 17th 2008

Well here we are off again on another Central Otago Holiday, not sure what it is that keeps drawing us back to this amazing part of New Zealand, but both Sheryll and I thoroughly enjoy each trip we have made over the past few years. This trip is starting off differently in that I am leaving home before Sheryll and taking "Sammy Surf" our 4WD, our home away from home for the next month, down to Wellington via Kimbolton to see my daughter Aimee and son in law Jason and our grandson Jack. It was a great trip down, the weather was sunny all he way and the traffic was light, this was the first time I had seen Mt Ruapehu with no snow in many years, evidence of the great summer we have had in ... read more

Thermals, Tongariro, Taupo & Disappointment

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Central Plateau October 21st 2006

Lady Knox Geyser Erupts

T L

Well... this blog should have regaled you with tales of sky diving and of climbing volcanoes. There should have been unforgettable images of freefall and of the inner steaming vents of Tongariro. Unfortunately, the weather man had other ideas for our Central Plateau stay.... First day in Taupo, we were booked to sky dive at 9am. We awoke early and for the first time since making the decision to drop and committing to throwing ourselves out of a perfectly good plane, we were no longer scared but really excited! We opened the curtains on this big day, to be greeted with grey skies and the spit-spotting of persistent drizzle. The jump was off! They don't drop in clouds, only on clear skies and so they put the jump back to the next slot two hours later, ... read more

White Water Rafting - River Valley

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Central Plateau » River Valley June 20th 2006

The Rafting Teams

Team Handsome

Went to a secluded valley in the Central Plateau of North Island, where we stayed in a river lodge right in front of the Rangitekei River. This is one of the foremost rafting rivers in the country, with Grade 5 rapids. Team Handsome clearly dominated in our raft, with our guide being gobsmacked at the outstanding levels of oarmanship, skill, courage, power, arrogance and, of course, handsomeness.... read more

On the road again . . .

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Central Plateau February 5th 2006

Lisa J Allen

My travels with my aunt Janet have begun! I know I've been a bit lax on the blog writing, but fear not, I will try to write more frequently while I am traveling. I left Base on the 22nd of January and spent a week staying at my friend Allison's in Riccarton (a suburb of Christchurch). We spent the week making smoothies and watching Scrubs :) It felt so good to leave Base and spend a week not having to make beds and clean bathrooms, but I missed my fellow roommates. I have no desire to ever enter a Base Backpackers ever again . . . ever. My last day at Element was supposed to be on Friday, but it ended up being on Thursday because I was sick on Friday, vomity sick and alcohol wasn't ... read more

Lake Taupo and the Tongariro Crossing

Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Central Plateau February 24th 2005

Pete and Scary Freddy

PeteSarah

The same day we left the Thermal wonderland we drove to Lake Taupo - I was booked in for a skydive that afternoon and didn't want to miss the appointment! The Skydive At this point in my life I have got to say that the exhilaration from the skydive - the feelings of freefall and the accompanying visuals - is the purest feeling I have ever felt. I was on a buzz for a long while afterwards, replaying the first seconds in my head like a videoclip. We arrived at the Taupo Tandem Skydive office with plenty of time, and proceded with choosing what altitude to jump from and whether or not to have a personal camerman (and suchlike other choices). I opted for spending $100 extra on going to 15,000 feet instead of having all ... read more

Brief history of New Zealand

The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year...more history

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