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Published: December 12th 2006
Boy have we been FLAT OUT!
Arrived in Auckland on December 1st and was not surprised to find it was frigging freezing!
We made our way from the airport to Base backpackers and didn't do a whole lot else other than prepare for our "Kiwi Experience" which was starting the following morning.
We were picked up at 8am by our big green " Kiwi Experience" bus. Once onboard it wasn't long before the introductions started to the kids we would be spending the next week with on our "Northern Round up". We began with our bus driver and guide for the week L J (Little John) and boy was he little, approx Kirsty's height! He was a funny little fellow who sounded South African and used the sayings FLAT OUT, Sweet as, Get amongst it (this is one of my dad's favourites) and X- Treme. Apparently X- treme could not be said unless we all crossed our arms forming an X!
Kirsty and I made friends quickly with Fiona, a lovely lass from North London with a Scunthorpe accent! Alicija from Luton whose family are Polish but she has grown up in the UK and speaks vaaaarrryyy posh! We got
to know the rest of the bus fairly quickly with a game LJ had us play which involved anyone using the word "mine" doing 10 press ups, got caught out on this very easily and ALOT, I now have arms that Arnie would envy!
The rest of the gang were a good bunch and to name a few we had: Jon and Mark from Carlisle who said "Oh no no" alot in the style of the Churchill Insurance dog, James and James from Blackheath who sang rude songs, Three Irish girls who had really tricky names that I won't even try and spell (Mark fell in love with one of them and I played Cilla) we then had Ginger Jason from the US of A, New York to be exact. I actually felt quite sorry for him most of the time as he got quite bullied about how all Americans are arrogant warmongers - he took it on the chin though. Obviously had more people than this on the bus but this were the cool kids!
DAY 1:
Left Auckland and headed for Mt Eden which is a dormant volcano on the out skirts of Auckland where I saw my
first NZ Sheep. We continued on from Mt Eden to the cormandel peninsula and spent the afternoon at Cathedral cove which is a nice secluded beach where we could chill out and go for a swim if our little hearts desired - I didn't participate however as a. It was freezing and b. They have the largest great white population for the length of the coast in NZ - glad I asked, you know my feelings on sharks! We continued on late afternoon to Mercury Bay and our accommodation for the evening.
DAY 2
We left mercury bay headed for our next destination of Rotorua or Rotten Rua as it also known due to the sulphur smell created by the geothermal pools. We departed mercury bay early and stopped along the way at Matamata - more commonly known as "Hobbiton", yes we couldn't very well come to NZ without visiting a lord of the rings filming location! Totally wasted on me as I’ve not seen any of the films, and yes I know it's shocking but I’m busy ain't I!! We continued on to the karanghake reserve, which is where alot of gold mining used to take place. We walked
over a really wobbly bridge at first which myself and Fiona did not like at all and then into the tunnels which were pitch black and had myself and Fiona holding hands and following a dog that seemed to know his way. Needless to say there was the usual silly boys making screaming noises - jerk offs! Well worth it for the views over the gorges below. We left karanghake and continued on to Rotorua where our first stop was to partake in some zorbing - anyone been zorbing? If not, go, it's very funny! In short it's a giant inflatable ball resembling that of a giant hamster, which they fill with a couple of inches of water and push you down a steep hill! Myself, Kirsty and Beverly (another gal from our coach) were told we could try and run in it - not a bloody hope, we spent the entire time lying in the water unable to get up because we were laughing so hard - X-TREME!
After zorbing we headed onto a local mountain range to do some lugeing - never heard of it? Well it's a kind of sledge with handlebars on, great fun racing down
the side of a mountain in one of these bad boys cutting up people!
We finally arrived in Rotorua that evening and barely had time to change before it was off out again for the evenings entertainment of Maori culture where we had a hangi meal (a traditional Maori dinner which is cooked on hot rocks and buried underground) and watched performances of there history also including the famous Haka (the aggressive dance thing they do at rugby).
Day 3
Rotorua to Waitomo
Today we visited "Te Puia", a large geothermal reserve and Maori arts and crafts centre where a traditional tribe still live. We saw the elusive Kiwi bird and the mud pools and geysers, which chucked a little bit! We arrived in Waitomo in the afternoon and decided to take in the scenery on a quad bike! Again this was hilarious how I didn't get killed by Fiona rolling back down the hill I’ll never know - poor love struggles with gears, failed her driving test before she left home! Anyway we all looked pretty fetching in o our helmets and boiler suits - umm not! After quad biking we had a bbq in the rain and headed
to bed for another early start - phew, New Zealand is FLAT OUT but we were getting amongst it!
DAY 4
Waitomo to Taupo
Up nice and early and off to visit the ruakuri caves, actually visit doesn't do it justice, what we actually did was abseil down a 40m drop into the caves then done a flying fox further into the caves. For those not in the know a flying fox is being attached to a cable over a sheer drop into the abyss and flying through the air with no clue where you are going and your caving instructor thinking it's funny to shake the rope and make loud banging noises whilst you are screaming like a girl! They're a hoot them instructors!
The worst was not over; they lulled us into a false sense of security by giving us dairymilk, a brew and rubber ring?! What's the rubber ring for I wonder? Well this would be to throw yourself of a ledge into the freezing cold river below that you cannot see because it's black - hence why they call it black water rafting! SHIT MY PANTS as I was pushed off by one of the instructors,
rubber ring firmly welded to my arse! Apparently it was a 4m-drop but I t felt like 20m to me until I hit the water and was completely submerged! I'd jammed my arse so tightly into the rubber ring I was in agony when I resurfaced as I was in a permeant crunch position trying to navigate down a bloody pitch black underground river, tried to reposition a couple of times but fell into freezing water where I couldn't touch the floor - this was fine as I was wet already but when the instructor shouts "watch out for the eels" this was the final straw! Swam myself over to cruel instructor and pushed him off his large arse rubber ring and gave him my size 8! The next part of the hellish nightmare was quite nice, we all laid in our rubber rings and floated down stream with our lights off looking up to the roof of the cave where we could see all the glow worms - ahhh. This obviously didn't last long as it was far too relaxing. Instructor came along and tipped me out of my ring and then proceeded to point me off down stream
for a swim, reminding me again to see if I could spot an eel. This was tricky as I have a big bottom and some of the holes we had to squeeze through were pretty narrow. Finally we are informed we are close to the exit which infact turned out to be 2 15ft waterfalls which we were to climb up - X-TREME, Yaye I made it, did have to have a slight push up the butt as my legs weren't quite long enough to get up!
After caving we headed on to Taupo stopping briefly along the way to visit the Huka falls which is a natural fall created by grade 6 rapids (the worst kind) and 1000's of years of erosion - Does anyone know if the discovery channel are hiring, I think I’d be fab!
After visiting the falls we finally arrived in Taupo to prepare for an evening of quiz night and clubbing, needless to say we lost the quiz and got drunk. Seeing as I had learnt so much about the Maori culture I felt it only right to give something back from the British Culture - Dr Peppers, mad for 'em they were!
DAY
5
Lazy day in Taupo and I slept in until midday - lovely. In the afternoon we visited the hot springs, which were a bit murky for my liking, we headed back to the hostel and had a well-deserved early night.
DAY 6
Very Sad day - Ghetto fabulous Fiona and Alicija left us to head back north! Was not to be the same without them!
Left Taupo and it was on to the tongadero national park (another lord of the rings location) took a long walk through the park visiting some waterfalls and stopped briefly for lunch. After our walk we headed on to the tawhai falls, we were given the option to jump in, I respectfully declined but Kirsty I have no adrenalin Lane obviously participated - nut bag!
We departed the tongadero national park and headed on to river valley where we were spending the night, was very picturesque here and comprised of a lodge in a valley next to a river ironically! We had a lovely dinner - roast mmmmmmmmm.
DAY 7
Up again bright and early as I’d signed myself up for horse trekking, this was a really nice way to take in the scenery
and would of been quite relaxing if I hadn't of been given the worst horse in the world! Turk (the horse) didn't listen to a thing he was told, he broke into a gallop for no apparent reason - git! And trotted the whole bloody way (two hours)! Now have saddle shaped butt.
After departing river valley it was on to Wellington, we arrived early evening and after showering decided to head to the bar for a few drinks as it was our last night together as a group - boo hoo! Most of the guys were carrying on to the south island (am gutted have no time for this) to continue their trip but Kirsty and I had to head back north. We rounded off the evening nicely with a ruby and tearful farewells.
DAY 8 and 9 Comprised of travelling back to Auckland via Taupo.
DAY 10
Left Auckland and headed for the bay of islands - North NZ for those not in the know. Was good weather up here so we had a lazy day after we arrived only taking a boat trip out to the hole in the rock - another hole in a rock in
the middle of the ocean that has pirahanas and great whites swimming around it - lovely.
DAY 11
This is today for me! Had a lazy morning in Bay of Islands and spent the afternoon travelling back watching Ferris Buellers day off - a classic!
Leaving NZ tomorrow - sob sob.
I can honestly say that New Zealand is my most favourite place in the world so far and we didn't even get to see the best bit apparently which is the south island - I can say with 100% certainty that I will be back and my advice to anyone thinking of going is GO!
Thanks for all your Xmas songs it is much appreciated:
Little donkey, little donkey on the dusty road
Got to keep on plodding onwards with your precious load
Been a long time, little donkey, through the winters night
Don’t give up now, little donkey,
Bethlehem’s in sight
STACEY JOAN WHAT DID THEY TEACH YOU AT SCHOOL!
Re Megs comment: I was actually jumping up and down outside Sydney opera house. Kirsty and myself were trying to create arty pictures, not perfecting the art of crapping standing up!
Bec - You've gotta toughen up girl,
elbows out and leave a fallen man behind, what have I told you.
Cath and Matt - Yes yes I know no one can sing let it snow quite as good as me, I was thinking of doing an xmas album and having you duet - thoughts?
Another one to get you all in the mood (jeez this is like the longest blog ever)
Think of your fellow man
Lend him a helping hand
Put a little love in your heart
You see it's getting late
Oh please don't hesitate
Put a little love in your heart
And the world will be a better place
And the world will be a better place
For you and me
You just wait and see ........................
FYI I will be home on the 23rd Dec so any belated birthday presents can be dropped to 264 Minster Rd where I will gratefully receive. For those of you still stuck for ideas I like Shoes, Diamonds and cash. Thankseverso
WADE - OUT
PS Xmas Sarnies this year may be a little late Mrs B, perhaps if you are interested I could do post xmas sarnies? I am an unemployed bum now though so will
be charging twenty quid per sarnie - perfectly reasonable I think!
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Bailey
non-member comment
So you've been sky diving, abseiling, zorbing, lugeing, surfing, quad biking, waterfall jumping and horse riding. So how comes when i was there all we done was climb up and down a mountain for 3days wearing tevas and sweating a lot whilst getting bitten by mossies??!?! Cant help but feel you saved all the fun for when i left.