Skydiving and climbing Mount Doom

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On the way to Taupo the tyre of the bus pretty much tore off, so whilst we were waiting for that to be fixed we had a little party (few beers and some music) at a petrol station, and worried about whether we'd be able to get to the skydive place in time for the jumps that day whilst the weather was good. In the end a little van came over to pick up the jumpers, and we popped over to the airport.

With the skydive you can choose between 12 and 15000 feet, so I did 15 as you get longer freefall time. Its really quite high up. We were on oxygen when we got over 12000...

View over lake as sun was going down was amazing, and then the whole jumping out part was also good. You go very fast all things considered (about 240 km/h) and it's all very noisy, and cold, and quite a strange feeling, especially as your cameraman jumps out first, so he can film you all the way down, and then you roll out with your man. When the chute opens the first thing that's strange is the silence- its very quiet up there, and the views are unbelievable- will post video on here if I can. Photos are cool as well, and I got a red tshirt. Result.

By the time I'd got back to the hostel after food shop for hike in the morning I was ready for a beer, and the boys had already started. I was still grinning all over the place, more so when who should come to say hello but Dave. Amazing. Watched the DVD of the skydive, then had a few beers.

We were getting up the next morning at 5.30 to catch the bus to hike the 13 mile uphill Tongariro crossing (one of the best one day walks in the world apparently, and understandably), so we thought that the best possible idea was to go out on a (cracking) night out, not really to sleep very much, and in the case of the other 6 guys that came, not to bring any water, food or spare clothes. Honestly sometimes they amaze me.

First part was pretty hard going as was up the devils steps, which were difficult for various different reasons. Not least the no sleep and residual tequila.

I, on the other hand, had all the kit so was safely and sensibly going about the hike. I'm so good. Walk was amazing, went a bit of the way up Mount Doom, and took loads of photos, all on facebook soon.

Got back around 3.30, and slept until 7, when we went to Pizza hut, got take out, came home, ate it and went to bed again straight away. Brilliant.

Next morning we were off on the bus again, this time to a place called River Valley, further south again. Had a very good pie on the way, and stoped off for a little 2 hour walk to see a waterfall, then again to jump about 10m or so down into another waterfall, which was really good fun, and also very cold. Got to river valley late afternoon, this was supposed to be where we were white water rafting, but because its summer there was bugger all water. On the plus side there was a sort of slide rope swing thing into the very cold river, which was very entertaining. That evening was spent having a very good roast dinner in the lodge, before a few beers, a late night dip in the river (not me as i'm staying safe) and then the hot tub to warm up (i didn;t need to warm up as I wasn;'t cold having not gone night swimming dangerously)

Next morning we packed up and spent about 2 hours trying to do the giant crossword in a trashy magasine. Four words eluded us (the whole bus ended up getting involved) including Neonate, which is a stupid word anyway.

Back on coach after swim and lunch heading to Wellington.

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