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Published: June 12th 2007
New Zealand's Best
While out in Christchurch we ran across the country's finest mullet. Yesterday we arrived in Auckland leaving our South island adventures behind. When we last left you we were about to do our jump and this is how it went down. We got to the airport, watched a movie to get us excited just in time for them to tell us...I'm sorry the weather has moved in and we will have to reschedule. Talk about the ultimate Rally Kill...all the emotions and no pay off. We did however, manage to snap a shot of the finest mullet in the southern hemisphere, or possibly even the world. Another honorable mention was being sexually harassed by hookers after asking them for directions. They then proceeded to get chased by the cops, I guess we should get used to that before heading to Southeast Asia.
After arriving in Auckland, we rented a car and drove to the town of Rotorua. It was getting dark when we arrived but since we had limited time in the North Island we decided to check out a place called Hell's Gate. It was a place filled with geothermic pools and sulphur volcanoes. We even got to wash our hands with the medicinal mud in one of the
Hell's Gate
We decided it appropriate to visit with death before we cheated it. lakes.
The same day we had booked a skydive in Taupo, about an hour south of Rotorua, and it was an awesome day. We arrived about 15 minutes late to the airport and waited around a little bit, knowing that we were definitely doing it today. The lady talked us into jumping at the highest altitude you can legally tandem jump at. We boarded the plane and took off. It was go time! We were strapped to our tandem masters looked at eat other before hyperventilating. Mind you that we were so high that our tandem masters we using oxygen assistance in the plane to keep them lucid. We just kept going up higher and higher and at one point we looked at each other and thought we are here. Just before we asked, they said alright...we are at 4,000 ft just about where we will be opening the chutes. 15 minutes later the door opened. Holy crap! We were at 16,000 ft and after we smiled for the camera we looked down for a second, crapped our pants and were thrown out the door. (Russ went out before I did and as I saw him fall out the
Maverick and Goose
Voodoo, this is Ghost Rider....requesting permission to fly by. door I thought...well I sure as hell am not going to back out now. I was the last person out of the plane and as we exited, the plane went into a roll and then a dive. I just remember looking at the plane and realizing, "oh my god I am falling just as fast as fast as the plane is diving.") We both had different experiences, but agree that it's an insanely surreal feeling knowing that you are plummeting towards the ground at over 200 km/h (about 160mph?) The view was awesome, right by the lake and since we were so high we could see both sides of the north island (places that are probably at least an 8 hour drive away from each other. We even saw where they filmed Mordor in Lord of the Rings. Before we know it a minute and six seconds passed, although it felt like about 15 seconds, and the parachute opened. the sound of rushing are went deafly silent and it was awesome floating up there just checking out the scenery from 5,000ft. As soon as we landed we couldn't stop talking about it and haven't since.
Well we are heading
2 minute drill
Just before our jump we savored our clean linens. to Cairnes in North Eastern Australia in five hours so we will catch up with you guys later.
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Sean
non-member comment
Skydiving
AWESOME!!!