Sledging and then a Skydive at Taupo... Or maybe not

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Tuesday 15th August 2006
On our way out of Rotorua to Taupo, we stopped off to do rafting and sledging. I had done rafting before, so even 'the highest (7 metre drop) commercially rafted waterfall in NZ' didn't tempt me - I went and tried sledging. Sledging is basically throwing yourself down the same white water river, but instead of being in a raft or kayak, you go down in a wetsuit and with a 'sledge' in front of you. This basically looks like the front half of a kid's plastic snow sledge... Oh and you wear flippers to help you fight the currents...

It was really challenging to keep swimming against the current. The other guy I did it with was a semi-professional swimmer - so he made me look really bad!! :-( It was an 'interesting alternative' way to experience white water, but VERY hard work in high water conditions (the river had only just been re-opened due to high levels). One aim was to turn around and paddle into the flow to 'surf' the wave - I managed it twice. Then avoid being pinned against any rocks/banks down stream, where you could be submerged for up to ten seconds before it spat you back out... Think I'll just take my kayak next time!

We then went onto to Taupo to do a skydive. It is the cheapest ($150 - about 50 GBP) place to skydive in NZ as far as I know. Up to half the price of Queenstown! Plus you get to choose your music tracks for the DVD from a huge list or bring your own, more info here.

So me, Adam, Ian and a few others got all kitted up and ready to go, just waiting for the plane to land and off we go! Adam was shaking with adrenaline, I was surprisingly cool about it. I figured if it all went wrong you just get extra free-fall time! ;-) And so we waited... and waited... and waited... And then two hours later got told the weather wasn't getting any better :-( They gave us a lift back to our hostel.. not even in the stretch limo they have!!! What a huge disappointment - bit like my flight through the Grand Canyon...

So cheered ourselves up with the amazing gourmet pizza at Hells Pizza in Taupo and then went to an Irish bar with the rest of the Strays group. This is where I saw two rather amusing signs - details of which will be in a future blog...

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Photos

Me in yet another silly outfit...
I'm not travelling around the World to see new cultures and sights of wonder - nope I'm just collecting photos of me in silly outfits!

Do it for your country!
It has a Union Jack in there somewhere!

You could die!
Good job it is on your back - where you can't read it

Extreme Sofa Skydiving
Wondered why it was so cheap here....
While sat waiting (for nearly two hours) there was only one FHM between four guys! So I was reading New Woman - got a subscription now ;-)