Brilliant Black Water Rafting

---

16/2/09 = Black Water Rafting

Woke up to sound of loud voices. Stirred for a while until finally looked at watch and saw was 6am. Loud voices at 6am? Can't be. Tried to doze back off and back came the voices...no, the voices were not in my head! Loads of people in room getting up to check out early; not whispering like a normal/decent human being would at 6am, but using a normal speaking voice and actually shouting at times...to some particularly lazy guy, who, like me, did not want to wake up or get up! Didn't want to get up to tell them off because didn't want to wake up properly myself, so put head under pillow and fingers in ears. This is dorm living! Next woke up at the much more reasonable time of 8am. Hadn't made plans for day, but was already too late to do Tongariro Crossing, so decided on Black Water Rafting option.

Went for breakfast and chatted to one of Hull guys (Bobby). They doing crossing tomorrow, so made plan to join them. 7hr walk probably more fun if done with a group. Got shower then and just lathering on soap when Deb burst in telling me that only one spot available on rafting at 12:30pm. 2 hr drive away and already 10am, so now had only 30mins to get showered and set off. Stress! Washed as quick as humanly possible (although don't know why...only going into a dirty cave to do rafting!), got changed, packed up and jumped into car bang on time at 10:30. Got v.annoyed with self then when realised needn't have packed up at all, because staying there another night! Doh! Shot off on journey with me driving and have to admit, was speeding a little for all of journey...only a little though...and roads were really quiet. Stressful drive all the way there, but managed to get there again bang on time at 12:30. Checked in, paid up, and could finally start to get excited whilst waited for instructors to come and collect us.

Headed down to equipment section and guides explained everything we needed = rubber socks, rubber suit, rubber jacket. Rubber socks = o.k., just a little wet. Rubber suit = o.k., just a little big. Rubber jacket = definitely not o.k. Stunk of the worst B.O. imaginable...the kind of B.O. I hope I have never smelt of. Had to scrape it against my body so that it was skintight and zip it up so that all smell was trapped on my skin. Had to breathe strictly through mouth to avoid sickness. Good job whole outfit looked so funny; was only thing that took my mind off it! Got helmet and boots on to complete look (v.attractive), then went off in mini bus to river. Picked up our black tubes here and had to push bum through holes to make sure got a good fit - wish hadn't eaten so may cakes lately! Bums in tubes, sat on floor and practised few moves for river. Then had to go to river edge and do a jump into water. Watched in disbelief as she demonstrated what she expected us to do = stand on a high ledge, on tip toes, facing backwards and jump backwards into river, aiming to land bum in newly selected ring. Oh no...had been so stressed this morning, didn't have time to think about Black Water Rafting maybe being scary. Got into middle of queue - no way could go first - and what got to my turn, she counted to 3 and pushed me in. Hit water and all could feel was cold. Cold filling up every preserved area of my wetsuit and soaking into every available space. Even worse, jump made me lift arms up, which in turn allowed some of B.O. smell to be released! Great...not only have I got to contend with the activity of rafting, the cold water and the dark...I've also got to worry about the smell of death being released from my armpits every time I lift my arms up! Why me?!

Trudged out of water cold and smelly, then got back onto bus to get to Ruakuri Cave. Cave entrance looked really small...like REALLY small. Another thing didn't have chance to think about this morning...claustrophobia. Oh no! Turned helmet lights on and one by one, sat on bums and slid through tiny hole into darkness of cave. Had to sit at bottom of hole for a while letting eyes adjust and listening to safety talk, then off we went for Black Water Rafting. Had to walk at first with tube over arm; even that was hard because floor was so uneven and stony and couldn't see anything either. Had to use feet as feelers to sense unsteady stones out. Soon got to deep water though and was time to get into tube. Just got in and started to think how much fun it was going to be when came to really low ceiling. Had to lay down completely flat, balancing on tube and face was still only mm's away from rock ceiling. Not enjoying it now...just totally claustrophobic. Heart rate picked up and found myself taking lots of deep breaths, but before got too much chance to panic, ceiling retreated back up high and could breathe again. Clambered out of tube into shallowish water and hobbled along rocky ground some more, trying not to touch and damage stalactites. Not too much walking until arrived at first waterfall...not excited! Scurried my way back to middle of queue, but then when came to my turn, stood on edge facing backwards like practised, only toes on, then 1...2...3... jumped off edge an landed in freezing cold water in tube.....well....not quite. That';s what should have happened! I however, jumped a little too hard, landed on my tube as should of done, but then bounced back off it with impact and splatted face down into freezing cold water! Ha! Came back up gasping for air and chuckling as had to scrape myself back into tube...at least didn't have to worry about bum showing this time! Although didn't quite work out, really enjoyed it and started getting excited for rest of it.

Cruised in tube for a while, then all had to get out and walk. Had to all walk on right hand side until came to a narrow part of cave with hardly any water in...was the glow worm cave. Looked up and it was awesome. Hundreds and hundreds of tiny, flourescent lights littered across ceiling...like a starry sky but close up and with a green tinge. Sat down underneath them and guide started to tell us about them. Can't remember everything, but know she said that actually they are all maggots. They have a tiny cocoon (which have hatched out of), and have threads dangling down to catch prey that fly by. They do all their eating in this maggot stage and the glowing you can see is actually they're faeces...v.nice! They then turn into insects with huge genitals and no teeth, so they are unable to eat. Instructor asked us to what we would do if we had large genitals and a limited lifespan and Deb made hilariously innocent comment of “I would eat my genitals”. Ha! All laughed, ate some chocolate that instructors gave us, then headed off for next, bigger waterfall. Nervous and excited now.

Before waterfall, had to have another safety talk due to the giant hole positioned in front of it. Crazy instructor jumped down it to demonstrate how deep and dangerous it was. She was down for ages before she finally came back up again...didn't fancy that. Stepped v.cautiously around that one and edged up to drop of 7m waterfall. Was a lot higher, but excited this time. Just need to concentrate on landing in tube! Turned round, heels over edge, then...jump! Hit the cold water, but this time with my bum wedged down my tube hole...success 😊 Awesome fun. Paddled over to side to wait for everyone else, then all got together to do the eel down next part of water. Had to put legs round person in front, all grab hold of each other, then floated down river in a big chain, looking up at all glow worms on celing. V.nice. Hands freezing/numb at this stage, but still nice. Didn't last long as were soon clambering out again and walking. Had to squeeze through another cave hole and came to a 65m high tomo where could see daylight...not far from end now. Was at this point that all had to turn helmet lights off and play a game. Thought instructor was kidding at first when she told us to find our own way out, but then they were both gone and we were all in pitch black. Amazing how much difference mini helmet lights had made, because now weren't allowed them, was pitch black...no matter how much tried to get eyes to adjust. Had to feel about in dark and listen to each others voices to get out. Sitting back in tubes at this point so had to really carefully paddle along with arms, careful not to bang arms against cave walls that were somewhere close by. Did bang hands a few times because was impossible to even sense where walls were and even managed to bash head against dangling stalactite...good job had helmet on. Spotted some light after 5/10 mins though and pushed off towards it. Were then climbing out of cave into daylight of Waitomo Forest. So many good things about that activity. Was awesome...really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it 😊

Went back to main block then to get showered and changed. Had forgot about B.O. suit with all excitement, but got an instant reminder as lifted up arms to take suit off. Was now worse than could have feared. Smell had rubbed off sweaty suit and was now ingrained in my skin. Ran into shower to wash off, but didn't matter how hard rubbed, could still smell it...not just in my armpits...but all over my arms, all the way down to my wrists. In desperation, got handfuls of handwash and scrubbed at arms over and over again, until they were red and smelled of the cheap, bleachy soap. Better than B.O. Went into cafe then and really pleased to find hot soup and bagels waiting for us. Ate lovely cup of tomato soup and toasted bagel with arms firmly down, then checked out photos, but weren't too impressed, so didn't bother buying. Headed off in car back towards Taupo and stopped in first big town on way to post a card and ring a lady about hiring bikes. Did neither of jobs well, because forgot card and biking office closed early...typical! Set back off, but then 10mins into journey, hit loads of roadworks:
“This can't be right...we didn't drive through any of this on way here” said Natalie.
“Maybe they're just really fast workers over here” said Debs.
Road had been totally relayed and gravelled for at least 2kms...definitely not right. Drove a little further (because had no other option) then checked map again and realised had come completely wrong way for last 30mins. Had to drive back through all road works again towards the town had been in, posted the card that realised I had packed in a weird place, then finally drove back to Taupo. Straight to hostel and was 6pm when got back. Booked some accommodation for next town = Wanganui, then off to supermarket for dinner and lunch for walk tomorrow. Made usual pasta dinner (carbs for energy for big walk tomorrow), then chatted to Hull guys. Early bedtime went out of window as sat with tea and biscuits (bought some beautiful peanut brownie cookies as treat for walk) until after 11pm. Then scuttled off to bed - pleased light still on - and packed up bag for early get up tomorrow. Didn't take too long, but not looking forward to 5:10am get up!

---

Photos

Ha!
I am pointing to the extra fold around my waist...no it is not food...or fat...it is the baggy wetsuit!

Sexy ladies...
...looking good!

It just keeps getting better.
Brought the outfits home for our Saturday nights out...think they would go down well in Wakefield!

All of us!
Didn't get any photos in cave for obvious reasons :(