Back Again

My last day in Cairns was spent recovering from the night out with Sanne and the dive boat crew; it was a fab night out and the next day I just concentrated on getting a Tan (though I should sun bath at least once whilst I was away).

On Tuesday I got up checked out and headed to the airport, fate was having fun with me though, I was meant to be getting a cab as it was only $5 more than the shuttle and took 5 min instead or 40min, but I was ready early and the shuttle happened to be outside picking up one of the boys in my room so I hopped on. As I was chatting away to him someone got on and said "hello" I looked around and after a few seconds realised it was Emily (girl I came away with who no longer likes me), she had dies her hair ginger so it took me a few seconds to register who she was. Shame really but that all we said to each other even though we were on the same flight and she was sat on the seat in front of me.

I am a pain on flights I like to get up and walk about a lot but I also like the window seat so it made me uncomfortable as I had to keep getting the lady next to me to move and she kept huffing and puffing suppose I can't blame her, although I did sit still through the Librarian (a film that’s a cross between Indian Jones and the Da Vinci Code, really bad film) which was a who 120min of the 4hour 30 min file. After the flight I went through security they make you feel like you have done something wrong with all the x-rays customs etc, I was worried they would tell me off for bringing my carrots (forgot to chuck them earlier) but they just took them off me. After that I was in a bit of a daze and headed towards the shuttle I hadn't even remembered to change up money. Then I heard "Tori" I thought for a minute, decided I couldn't be me, as I didn't know anyone the looked around anyway, there was David (a guy I met in the Whit Sundays) and his ex girlfriend Angie (they are now travelling together and trust me it's not odd). I had arranged to meet David later for a drink but as he had been in the area and Angie needed to use the showers (they have a camper van) they had decided to pick me up. It felt good to be met from the airport, David drove to the city centre then we managed to stumble across my hostel. I went in dumped my bags and went back down to the camper van and we all went to a pub where David had also arranged to meet some other friends (Emma and Kate I think).

Later Angie and David dropped me back to my hostel before finding a road to park in for the night. During the corse of the evening we had been discussing what I could do with my five days. Although I originally wanted to swim with dolphins I decided it was too cold (it was raining) and also I can do that in most countries. So I decided to try and do the Tangriro Crossing as it was closed last time I was here and it is meant to be one of the best walks in the world. David was also keen to do this so he agreed to pick me up at 10am and we would all go to Toupo together to do the crossing. We arrived in Toupo about 2pm had some lunch then went over to the isite centre to get some information on the crossing. We had looked it up in the ever inaccurate lonely planet which stated you could do the crossing alone, it also advised there were huts up there so if you walked some of the tracks that lead off the crossing its possible to stay up there for a night. That’s what we had decided to do. However when we got into the isite there was a board explaining you need specialist ice walking equipments, ice picks and other similar objects to do the crossing. So we enquired at the desk where we could hire these. The scene that followed must have looked funny to any bystanders including Angie and now I think about it was. I asked the lady about hiring equipment and she said you can't do that but it's all included in the tour. She then said that the only way to do it was a day tour as it's not possible to stay up there at this time of year. She then said she would phone and see if the crossing was open as it hadn't been for the last two weeks. She put here phone on to speakerphone and a recorded message was played back to us confirming the crossing was closed at least until Friday!!! David and I just stood there dumfounded. I thought that this time as I had a few days to play with it would be open at least one of the days. I didn't know what to say. The lady asked if we had a plan B, we shook our heads, I think I was hoping she had a plan B. But we all stood there just looking at here. Angie eventually pulled David and I away in slight embarrassment saying what do you want her to do. It was funny but you probably had to be there to see David and I just looking at the lady in shock.

So what next?? We decided to go to Rotorua for a few days and phone from there to see if we could do the crossing on Saturday (this was my last chance I was flying to Hong Kong on Sunday night). We arrived in Rotorua found a lovely hostel for me called Cactus Jacks; it was set out as an old American cattle station. The place was clean and the people friendly. We then wondered around town for a bit. We agreed to meet later for a drink and I was to buy dinner in payment. My hostel had given me five free drinks vouchers for a local pub so obviously we went there. The Pig and Whistle, I had soup and David had nachos, Angie wasn't hungry, as she had already had a traditional backpacker dinner of pasta. Over drinks we discussed our plans for tomorrow, we all agreed on Te Puia a thermal active park with a Maori village.

David and Angie picked me up again at 10.30am on Thursday, hoping today would be more successful than yesterday we went to Te Puia, it was interesting to see another Maori show it was very different to the evening one I went to last time, it wasn't as details but there was a cute Maori warrior this time. They did the Haka as always with these shows and I have videoed it on my camera. David found the warrior scary he said, "I'd run if he was coming towards me like that" I have to admit I would have too. Then we got to see Geyser or Geezer as David kept calling them just to annoy Angie. It is a jet of water that shoots up into the air, amazing what nature can do really.

After some lunch we drove out to The Buried Village and area what was buried by a volcanic eruption, however it was $25 and the last tour left at 4.30pm and it was now 4.45pm. I was glad we missed it was we had already payed $50 for Te Puia and later when talking to a girl in my room who had been I was given a step by step guide of the place so that I felt like I had been then I was informed by here that it really wasn't worth the money.

Again I managed to get some more free drinks vouchers for The Pig and Whistle so we went there for our last drink as David and Angie we leaving for Toupo the next day. The Crossing was still closed so I decided to sty one more day in Rotorua then spend a few days in Auckland. After our drinks we said our goodbyes and after making them both hug me (they both hate hugs) we agreed to meet up in England.

Friday I had a bad hangover, I don't remember drinking that much but as I said in my last blog I cant have more than 2 or 3 drinks anymore. I was booked into Hells Gate for a mud bath and was due to be picked up at 11am. When I finally got up 9.30am (this is really late for a hostel as you are normally woken up by other people going out) there was no one in my room I had for the first time since travelling actually slept through people getting up. I went to The Fat Dog for breakfast, which took them ages to serve so I had only had 5min to try and gobble down all I could before running back to get the bus to Hells Gate.

On arrival at Hells Gate I was told that first I would walk around the park then have the mud bath and spa. I really really liked Hells Gate compared to all the other thermal parks I had been to there was a lot more activity. I particularly liked the Steaming Cliffs. It was really clear where the name had come from it did remind me of what Hell might look like. I then went to the spa, there were no mud baths free so they sat me in the sulphur spa for a while, it was really really hot and considering I want a both so badly you would think I'd be happy but I felt like I was going to pass out. When I got in the mud bath this was just as hot. I didn't really like the mud bath as it felt like I was getting in a bath that hundreds of other people had been in before me and also I started to feel really lighted headed and dehydrated from the heat (and the hangover). When my 20mins was finally up I was relieved. I got back in the sulphur spa for half an hour before showering and getting the bus back to the hostel.

That night I watch American Pie Band Camp and most of series 1 and 2 of Mr Bean, I had forgotten how funny Mr Bean is, it also provided me with a nostalgic feeling of Saturday nights at home as a kid especially when the Thames Television logo came up.

Saturday I boarded the Nakedbus back to Auckland. I had been lucky as I booked the bus originally for 8th September (I have no idea where this date came from), but last night I had realised, hopped on the net and rebooked it for Saturday. Sometimes I seem to be in a complete daze lately.

The journey was quick and I was luckily dropped near the hostel I was booked into (Queen Street Backpackers recommended by two girls I had met in Rotorua). I then went shopping to buy some more gifts to bring home for you all. After shopping I bumped in to two girls I had met in Rotorua they invited me for a drink later and said they would meet me at 7.30pm. However by 7.30pm I was feeling really ill so I went down to let them know I wasn't coming then sat in the TV room for a few hours, I watch a film with Richard from Friends in (Monika’s boyfriend) it was awful I'm not even completely sure what it was about other than he was a cop and getting divorced, the I watched North Country a really compelling film with lots of faces I recognised but couldn't tell you there names. It was a really good film that nearly made me cry. Then I thought I'd hit the sack, silly me thinking I would get any sleep, I'm so glad this was my last ever night in a hostel. There was so much noise form the street, horns bibbing, what sounded like a night club underneath although there isn't one and people in the street screaming. I finally managed to get some shuteye about 3.30am only to be woken at 5am then again at 6.30am by the two girls in my room who had early starts. I did manage to get back to sleep at 7.30am but I had to be up at 9 to get packed and check out by 10am. As you can imagine I am knackered today.

Being my third time in Auckland I was determined to see it this time. I walked up to the sky tower the tallest building in the southern hemisphere but it was pouring with rain so they said it was not worth going up there. Then I was going to go to the aquarium but the free bus didn't turn up, by then it had stopped raining so I walked down to Victoria Market then around the harbour then back to the hostel. There really isn't much to see or do in Auckland and it is the ugliest city I have been in, it is all metal and skyscrapers with no character. Oh well at least I've seen it.

Now I have 3 hours to kill before I have to get the bus to the airport (which takes and hour) then have a 3 hour wait before my plane leaves tonight oh joy this has to be the most boring day of my trip so far. But woo hoo Hong Kong in the morning.

---

---