Goodbye to the north

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Hi all

Well to contary the last blog I think this is going to be a very short one as I haven't done much at all and to be honest I'm a bit bored at the moment but I'm hoping that will change when I get to the south island.

The day I last updated some people were meant to be doing the black water rafting but as it had rained all night it got cancealed as the water was too high so I was really pleased to hacve fitted it in the day before. About lunchtime we headed off to Taupo which was only a few hours away. We were meant to do a walk but because of the rain we didn't. Though we did go and see the Hakka Falls which aren't that tall but have a phenomanal amount of water going through. At Taupo it was still raining so that afternoon I just lazed about a bit and the same that night.

The next day I got up with good intentions, there was a number of people doing skydiving and I was a bit jealous. I walked up to the Taupo bungy site and watched someone bungy (it didn't look as bad as I thought it would). Then carried on walking along a valley for a little bit before I turned back and looked round town for a little bit. Met back up with Kathrin and we went to the bar for a few drinks a pub quiz, which was quite good fun. There was a lot of us in the team (about 10 at a guess) and we finished just above midway.

I then had another free day in Taupo. First thing in the morning Kathrin went skydiving on a perfect day for it. Then when she got back with two Sweedish girls we went for a boat ride (all four of us) on Lake Taupo, on a little replica steamboat. And we saw some carvings in the rock which look like they should have done centuries ago but were actually done in 1980. After that we walked up to the hot stream which was fun. It was natural hot water which was only just cold enough to be able to go in. Then it was back off to the bar and meeting up with the people on the bus I was moving onto.

It was an earlish start the next day (about 9.30) on the bus. I met the new driver (Jono) who is my best driver so far, making jokes all the way, he had also been out the night before with everyone which was the first time I have seen a driver do that. On the journey we stopped up at one of the ski resorts for 10 minutes to muck about in the first bits of the snow for the season, and then for a walk to see a waterfall, which you could jump off but as it was only 7'c no one did. We got to River Valley at about 3 and checked into our dorm. Which had 16 people in it on well what was pretty much two planks of wood with matresses on, one ontop of the other. So eight people all in a row. River Valley was a spectacular location in the middle of nowhere (as lots of places in New Zealand are) in a massive valley. After we got ourselves sorted we pulled ourselves accross the river in a zip line sort of contraption and then played volleyball. I had a roast dinner that night and went back for fourths before I decided I was full up. Had a couple of drinks and then headed to the dorm.

This morning there was a group of people going horse riding who didn't get back till 2pm, so as no one could go river rafting as the water was too high (sense a pattern) we all just tried to waste time playing games such as cards and jenga this morning. Then it was onto the bus and we watched a couple of movies and have now arrived here in Wellington, leaving for the South Island early tomorrow.

Bye

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