Day 2 and Day 3 - Waitomo, Rotorua, Taupo

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***DISCLAIMER - I've been drinking with the locals in Taupo since 5PM (it's now 11:30PM), so forgive any typos, inappropriate statements, etc. The bartender kept giving us jager-bombs...pretty much to encourage this unbelievably brash American lady to continue to take her top off (which she did).

So, I sit here typing on my hostel computer in Taupo at the second hostel I've ever stayed at (last night was the first)...I really didn't plan to go the hostel route, although I think my fellow Magic Bus travellers would think I was a complete snob if I didn't do it. Actually, it's been really cool...granted, most of the other hostellers are at least 8 years younger than me. Last night, in Rotorua, we got back to the hostel after dinner to find about 75 drunk twenty-somethings crammed in the hot springs pool...including one who jumped off the roof into the pool. Also in the scene were a group of Japanese students trying to play pool around some European girl who insisted on dancing on the pool table. And, certainly making me feel at home, there was a big group of people playing a good old game of flip cup...I've learned some new procedures that I look forward to sharing. My primary concerns have been the community bathrooms and lack of alarm clocks, but, so far, so good.

In all seriousness, the hostel thing is pretty cool. All of the others on the Magic Bus are staying at hostels, and it makes it much easier to get to know people when you're staying around them. The bus is a very cool cultural hodge-podge - never know who will be getting on. So far, there have been several Canadians, a (hot) German girl, a guy from Belgium, an Indian couple (they don't seem to know you, Mitesh), a girl from Switzerland, a guy from Spain, a couple of New Yorkers, a guy from California, etc. The guy who has driven the last couple of days ("Cookie") is a Brit/New Zealander...very cool guy and a very good tour guide. Say what you will about how the Magic Bus sounds, but it really is cool...they make getting around to the good spots very easy and make all of our activity and accomodation plans for us.

The biggest realization I've had so far is that we Americans simply don't have it figured out. We work too hard, too much, and don't see the world like we should. There are so many people over here my age who are travelling for a year now and have plans to do more in the future. People really seem amazed when I say that I'm only here for two weeks...when most of them have been here and will be here for months. I met a girl today from Canada who worked here for several months, is now travelling until her work visa to Australia comes through (she's planning to go to Fiji until that happens), and she'll return to Canada to work for a year in December before she takes another leave of absence. Another significant discovery was the over four weeks of paid vacation that one guy from Canada who I met receives each year. What are we thinking?

Anyway...a brief summary of what's been going on...in case you're at all interested and so I'll remember what's happened.

Yesterday, before leaving Auckland, we visited the Mt. Edna volcano above the city...huge crater, great view, very cool. We then headed south in the direction of Waitomo...hiked and boated through a limestone cave there (one of many in the area). The coolest thing was the glowworms in the cave that are unique to this part of the world...the glowworms attach themselves to the ceiling of these caves and light up to attract food. We boated through one section of the cave in complete darkness, except the entire ceiling was illuminated by literally thousands of these glowworms. It was pretty damn cool.

We then headed to Rotorua, which is a very active thermal spot. Last night, we went to a Maori cultural event/dinner. The Maori tribe were the original inhabitants of New Zealand. The dinner was cool...kind of reminded me of some kind of luau, but the food was great (cooked underground) and met lots of cool people.

Today, we started with a look around Rotorua (hot springs, etc.), headed to the Lady Knox Geyser, and hiked through a very cool thermal park (the entire town stanks like sulphur). It was really cool. The terrain is unbelievable...really the most beautiful I've ever seen. That's another cool thing about the bus ride...there are always awesome views out the window. Also saw the Huka Falls today...awesome sight.

My next big accomplishment was warming up for what I hope will be some other good adrenaline rush adventures...I bungy jumped from a 50 foot platform...called the giant swing (as opposed to normal bungy, you swing instead of bounce up and down, but you still have to jump off the platform and freefall, which was very hard to do). Although I yelled a few choice expletives, it was really a rush...very cool.

The whole bungy thing was intended to warm up for skydiving...I signed up with several others to jump from 12,000 feet above Taupo today, but the weather went south, and the jump was scrubbed. Sucks, because the skydiving in Taupo is pretty much the cheapest in the world (yes, even cheaper than St. Clair County), and the scenery is awesome. There will be several other shots at jumping later around Queenstown, although I want to ski, etc. there, so I'm not sure how that will all play out. Queenstown is also the sight of the original bungy jump (43 meters...very high) off a bridge with the river below...we'll see.

Taupo is a really cool little town on Lake Taupo...the lake is the size of Singapore and was formed by seismic activity thousands of years ago. The locals are incredibly nice...and very into rugby (as are all New Zealanders). I spent most of tonight trying to figure out what the hell was going on in the game on the bar TV, while listening to the natives tell me how boring American football is...I tried very hard to convince them otherwise.

Tomorrow we head to our last destination on the North Island - Wellington. The drive will take us through much of the country where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. The weather has gotten worse here today, with snow predicted tomorrow down that way.

If you've read this far, hope all is well. I'll update more when I can.

ASN

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Comments

[Bets]

crofter
Hey- Does Crofter have bad hips? He seems like it hurts to walk sometimes.... I am going to take him in the morning if he still seems gimpish. I might give him an anti-inflammatory tonight.

[William M.]

On Holiday
Nix, sounds like you are having a great time. I did the glow worm thing too when I was over there. Send us some pics man. We need pics. Cheers.

[Lee Hollis]

Finding yourself
Bear, I'm glad you are having a great time. Please, please, please, get us some video of you bungee jumping and skydiving. I think you might guess that all of us Doubting Thomases here need documentary evidence of those un-Bear-like feats! I am also glad that you are finding yourself. I think you are absolutely right that you should work a lot less when you get back and demand at least 4 weeks of paid vacation per year. It is only reasonable for a transactional attorney like you. We definitely need you to post some pics of some of these characters you are describing... Leon

[Linda Lee]

Wow!
You are really becoming a "wild child"..... sounds like you might get to like it and stay over there! :-) I just don't know about this bungie jumping and sky diving!!!

[Herschel Walker Smith]

Uncle Andrew
Dear Uncle Andrew- I am writing you from the concrete walls of the animal hospital. Judging by your previous entries, this place is alot like a hostile. I am actually residing on the doggy burn unit and I have met some pretty interesting pups. However, Rufus, Spot, etc reasons for being here is alot more interesting than mine. You see....after my mom was hazed by several of her peeps Saturday night about the current odor that Crofter seems to give off, she decided to go "candle crazy." 986 candles all around is something neither Milly nor I am used to. Therefore, on Sunday while my mom was recovering from the night before and watching a great LIFETIME movie- I got too close to the flame and my tail caught fire. Fortunately, she had access to a glass of red wine from the night before and was able to put the fire out and I only suffered a THIRD degree burn. (DOn't worry- we are adding this to your bill. My mom went to the dollar store to get the candles and so you are still good there as well...985.00 was the total plus the 100 dollar fee that those ladies in the yellow car charged to clean her house and get the smoke smell out) The doc says I should be able to go home tomorrow. I have some down time here in the hospital and I have a couple of questions regarding you, Crofter, and my future. Before the whole candle drama, we had a home visit from one of my mom's friends who is a people doc and one of our neighbors. I think my mom was worried about Crofter due to the fact he just kinda lays there unlike me and MGC. We figured out he doesn't like the steps he has to go down to get to the backyard, the rocks he has to encounter while getting to the grassy knoll, and he would rather hang out with people who just kinda sit there. I will be the first to admit that my mom has A TON of energy and I am sure there are 100 times when you/everyone wished she had an "OFF" switch. I think part of the reason that I am so cracked out and have so much energy is because when humans tune her out- she then comes to me with all her drama and I have no choice. However, recently she has been on this kick where age is just a number. I am going to have to call BS on that after spending time with Crofter. No offense, but thus far all the evidence proves her wrong. Age is a number and the older you get..................Crofter will not play with me in the back yard. He told me it was because I am a Georgia fan. (I told him that was for only like fifteen minutes...) He smells funny. He has this ear thing going on that I don't understand. Don't get me wrong- I love him to death. I have just been taught to be proactive and fix things before they become a problem. Therefore, I would like to know exactly how old Crofter is, what his day consists/doesn't consist of, and make sure I can give him some pointers before he goes back to the HOOD and make sure I take action TODAY so that when i am old I am still fun. Maybe he just misses you.....Just promise me this....when you get back you will let him come over more so that I can teach him how to fetch, walk on pebbles, and how to keep up with those half his age. One more thing, my mom says yall will be even if you give her a gift certicicate for two to HOT AND HOT. PS- My mom just called and said HAVE SO MUCH FUN ANDREW! ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF IT. CROFTER IS FINE- MINUS THE CANDLES, THE PRADA DOG SPRAY AND THE NINE TRIPS THE MERRY MAIDS HAVE MADE SINCE YOU LEFT LAST WEEK- HE IS HAVING A BALL. :) CAN"T WAIT TO HEAR ALL ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!