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Published: October 1st 2009
Hola and happy new year to all...MOT that is...
This is sort of a hodge podge of adventures that we have done recently--short, sweet and to the point---please check out all of our action photos!
Before work began for me, we decided to take some advice from a fellow American ED doc (thanks Julie) and drive out for a good hour in every direction out of our home town of Rotorua. On one trip south to Taupo, we decided to explore our first high adrenaline native Kiwi adventure: Hi-speed jet boating. This, on the banks of the Huka Falls. Not your typical hydroplaning jet boat, but shaped more like a larger carriage on an amusement park roller coaster...about 4 or 5 rows that can hold 4 people in each row. And let me tell you, the boat goes FAST!
We got all strapped in, life jackets and raincoats firmly affixed, and then the pilot took us on a death defying thrill ride. He jacked up the rpm's and headed straight to the banks of the river. At the last moment, when we think for sure this is it, and we're about to smack a bunch of trees, he narrowly
averted disaster with a last second swerve! A few more minutes of this, and then the real ride began--he spun us like dreidels on Hannukah...doing multiple 360 degree spins in the water, and of course, underneath the Huka Falls. After 30 minutes, we were still living and breathing, and looking back on a very fun boat ride!
Being adventure seekers, Candice and I decided to head back to the waters of northern New Zealand and try our hand at whitewater rafting, on the mighty Kaituna River, which features multiple grade 5 rapids. It's only an hour trip, but it's packed with thrills and potential spills (a friend got ejected from the boat a few days earlier and was under the water for approx. 5 seconds before getting spit back out into a calm pool). Anyway, the first few rapids got us prepared and acclimated to the different commands we had to undertake under the leadership of our rafting guide and native Kiwi, Mark. The big deal to come--the largest commercially rafted waterfall in the world---7 meters--or about 21 feet. Approx. 1 out of 20 boats flip on the waterfall. I had the duty of flipping the silverfern--a native
leaf--into the water. It's green on one side, and, duh...silver on the other. If it lands on green, typically, it foreboads a smooth rafting of the waterfall. As you may guess, it landed silver at my hands--which caused everyone to give me a nasty glare!
Whatever, long story short, we paddled to the edge, got a last second "GET DOWN" call from our guide, slid into the middle of the boat, held onto our paddle in one hand, and a rope in the middle with our other, and went shooting over the waterfall. Awesome! we made it...no flipping, everyone laughing and screaming with enthusiastic whoops, and not very wet...that is, until our guide took us to an innocuous little water fall which got everyone soaked!
So, a few days later, after that excitement, we decided to slow it down a bit, and explore what is truly native to New Zealand---SHEEP! there are far more sheep--40 million, than there are people, 4 million, that live here, and to see all of the varieties, all you have to do is go to the agrodome in Rotorua! A sheep shearing expert puts on 3 sheep shows a day, trotting out
all 19 different varieties of sheep that are found in NZ. One of the most popular of course, is the big fat, and very valuable Merino sheep--I'm sure most Michiganders have a merino wool sweater! It was very interesting to see all of the sheep, watch one being completely sheared in about 5 minutes, and then seeing sheep herding dogs come onto stage and wrangle a few sheep. It's amazing to see the dogs respond to various whistle calls. Very smart, attentive dogs!
That's all for now....it's up to the Coromandel peninsula this weekend for a dig in the Hot Water Beach, a dinner at the Church, and a sea kayaking trip to Cathedral Cove--Shalom! Til next time, Aaron and Candice.
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Aunt Janice
non-member comment
are you two insane?
Cool boat ride....might be fun at Parlin Pond?? Love the sheep, could use some in my rughooking!! do you work at all? still 100 degrees in Tucson!