Up to my arms in freezing water, climbing down a cliff at night and rolling down a hill

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So back on the fun bus after breakfast for the longest drive (Hopefully) on this North Island to South Island trip. Passing fantastic valleys, hills and forest during the 6 hour journey gave us the home views that the countryside and even scenes out of "Lord of the Rings" which was filmed here in New Zealand.

Glow-worms and deep, deep caves

Waitomo, in the central North Island, is an area renowned for limestone caves, glow-worms, adventure and fun, and is a place not to be missed. The name Waitomo comes from the Maori wai, water and tomo, hole or shaft. Activities centre around a small village called Waitomo Caves (or simply Waitomo) where the Museum of Caves is the focal point.

For more than 100 years the Glow-worm Cave of Waitomo has attracted millions of people from all over the world. The Glow Worm, a small glowing insect no bigger than an average mosquito, has fascinated and intrigued people from all walks of life. The walk-through guided tours of the Glowworm and Aranui caves may seem tame in comparison to the adventure caving trips, but are still well worth doing to see the exceptional beauty of these caves.

After checking in another nice hostel the group made its way to Caveworld and experience the magic of Backwater Rafting through Te Anaroa; a majestic cave famous for unbeatable glowworm displays, beautiful cave formations and the longest Blackwater Rafting stream way. Action packed and loads of fun. We sign our lives away (common practice when Death could be a result of this madness) and change into our very sexy rubber wet suits. We then sport nice white wellies and a climbing hard hat with a LCD torch on top. A quick group picture, then we jumped into the jeep to take us to the caves.

Have you ever walked through the countryside in rubber?? You certainly look out of place!!!

Once at the site we collect a tyre inner tube and walk up to the top of a hill for another picture then down the other side to the cave entrance. We spend a few minutes inside the large cavern inside to adjust our eyes to the dark, and then we made our way down deep inside the limestone caves. Every few steps we become deeper and deeper in ice cold water until in complete darkness we are all up to our waists in the freezing water.

Looking at glow-worms was just like looking at the city lights

Glow-worms are the larval stage in the life of an insect called the fungus gnat. Although they are most spectacular in caves, glow-worms are also quite common outside - they can be found wherever conditions are damp, food is in good supply and there is an overhanging wall. The scientific name of the New Zealand species is Arachnocampa luminosa. Similar glow-worms can be found in the south-east of Australia.

The New Zealand glow-worm is one of many creatures that naturally produce light (bioluminescence). The light is the result of a chemical reaction that involves several components: LUCIFERIN, a waste product; LUCIFERASE, the enzyme that acts upon luciferin; ATP, adenosine triphosphate, the energy molecule; and oxygen. These combined form an electronically excited product capable of emitting a blue-green light.

The light is used to attract insects, brought into the cave in the rivers, which the glow-worm catches and eats. If a glow-worm is hungry its light will shine a little brighter and is even more effective. When the female glow-worm reaches the adult stage the light is used to attract males for mating.

Just jump backwards in the dark about 10 feet down

We then take turns to climb a ladder a few steps and turn around with our backs to the river below us and place the rubber ring on our bums before falling backwards into the ice water. Loads of fun and we are soon floating down the inner cave river. We then lock our legs into the waist of the person in front and we float in-complete darkness looking at the glow-worms all around us until we reach a water slide that take us near to the exit of the cave.

Even though very cold it was such a blast

Back at the main camp we have a hot shower, change and are even given a nice cup of vegetable soup to drink on the way to look at the photos taken by one of the guides. About 5 of us also booked to do another mad adventure that evening, so after our dinner back at the hostel (Pizza, Yum,Yum) we walked back to the adventure office and were met by Rob who gave us another climbers helmet and drove us about 2 miles up hill to another site. We then changed into jump suits; the same white wellies then got strapped up with hooks, straps and lots of other equipment. Once ready we walked to the edge of a crack in the limestone rocks and got ready to abseil down. Now once harnessed up with my legs hanging the support bar was removed and there was nothing between me and the floor 150 feet below, apart from the ropes supporting me. I was so looking forward to doing this and by the time the instructor had got me to the bottom l couldn't wait to do the abseil again.

But, when you go down, you need to climb back up first!

The climb up, still in the dark was by a series of ladders, using another piece of equipment for safety and climbing 6 sets of ladders, with loads of glow-worms all around you, this was another fantastic time to see these odd creatures. Once back to the top and ready to go back down l was allowed to abseil down on my own with the instructor waiting at the base. I took a lot longer this time as l wanted to enjoy the glow-worms and the experience of my first abseil and hopefully not my last.

Another day, another crazy thing to do. This time Hydro Zorbing !!

We take a couple hour drive to another town further down the north island to Rotorua and stop to watch people Zorbing. What is Zorbing?, l here you ask. We its just like a giant hamster ball and you climb inside and roll down a hill to the bottom, simple well no. As this is adrenaline country they make it a bit more fun.

In 1994, Dwayne Van Der Sluis and Andrew Akers conceived the idea for a type of sphere in Auckland, New Zealand, calling their invention the "Zorb", The Zorb itself is a gigantic inflatable sphere, standing 3.2 meters in height with another smaller sphere suspended inside by approximately a thousand nylon strands.

Harness Zorbing: 2 Participants are safely harnessed opposite each other before being launched down the Zorbing run. Revolving head over heels, gaining speed with every revolution. Land and sky merge into one as you feel almost weightless - The thrill is intoxicating and totally unique.

Hydro Zorbing: 1, 2 or 3 people, no harnesses and 20 litres of hot or cold water. Participants are zipped safely inside before being launched down the Zorbing run. Slipping and sliding, feeling immense speed as the Zorb revolves around you - A cross between a waterslide and a rollercoaster.

So which one do you think l did?

Yes you’re right, the Hydro Zorb and also going down a zigzag route that makes it more fun. So l changed into shorts and with a couple of the group we are driven up to the top of the hill and get ready to do it. Jess goes first going downhill in a harness Zorb then it’s my turn to get in and the hole is sealed from the outside and 1,2,3 go, and for the next minute feel like l am inside a giant washing machine. This is so much fun and when l wasn't laughing l was being thrown around inside until l came to a stop. The seal is opened and the first thing l see is the cameraman pointing the camera at me.

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