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Published: October 3rd 2005
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One Tree Hill
With more than one tree on it! Well here is installment two of our much raved about travel dairy. We have been in New Zealand for two weeks now and the weather has improved slightly. We have hardly had any rain since our first day here, so we can't really complain.
We have been pretty much non-stop since we got here (we'll need a holiday when we get back). We stayed in Auckland for only two nights, as we did not feel there was a great deal that could be done there that couldn't be done in any other major city. We drove to the top of One Tree Hill, a dorment volcano, that has more than one tree on it and went to the Kelly Tarlston Underwater World. Kelly Tarlston's was brilliant, there were giant Stingray and sharks just swimming over your head as you walked around the tunnels. There was also a penguin sanctuary which was most intersting. A great place if you could get over the fact that you were actually walking around in what was formerly a sewage tank!!! We spent the night in a Hippy-fied hostel, run by a dude bald on top with a ponytail down to his rear, we should
Katy and Phil
Praying for a safe dive and for the parachute to open! have known something was not right when we saw him. We thought all was well until it was bedtime and as I went to get into my (Tim) bed I almost joined a real Chinese bloke (not just half!). So I had Katy's bed and she went into a girls only dorm.
Next day we started our journey south to Waitomo, where they have hundreds of caves and are world renowned for their glow-worms. We had a look around a couple fo caves, the museum, did a couple of walks and went to a rabbit shearing shed. We stayed at Juno Hall Hostel and decided to give our tent a test run, much to the amusement of the lady that checked us in. She told us it had been 1 degree the night before and wished us good luck. Still we braved it and were saving a fortune by sleeping in it. We stayed in Waitomo for 2 days before heading to Rotorua.
Rotorua Stinks!!!!!!! There is the unmistakable smell of sulphur in the air which can only be likened to rotten eggs. That aside it is a gorgeous place, with beautiful mountains and lakes. We went to
Tim and Mal
It is a long way up a geothermal reserve, where there was bubbling mud pools, hot pools, cooking pools and spurting geysers. As part of our visit we saw a Maori concert, where they sang and danced for us, it was brilliant. We took loadsa video and like a good old fashioned tourist took millions of photos. Next day we went to the Rotorua Agrodome to see a Sheep show which was interesting and quite funny. Tim had a go at milking a Jersey cow on stage, we watched a sheep dog herd a couple of frightened ducks around the stage, a sheep auction and a sheep being sheared. We then headed further south to Taupo, just an hours drive, which Katy didn't sleep through!
On arrival in Taupo we checked into the YHA and enquired about skydiving and whether we needed to book well in advance for it. Before we knew it we were booked to do it and being picked up in a limo in half an hour. So that was it, we were both jumping from a plane that afternoon, no time for psyching up!!!! At 4.15 a white 'wide-boy' limo turned up at the hostel and whisked us off to the
Mid-air
What an incredible feeling and view airport. We decided to do the 12,000 ft jump and to get the dvd, photos and t-shirt all in one package. We got kitted out and boarded a tiny little plane, where we got strapped to our tandem-master. They were all real dudes in this place. Before we knew it we were at 12,000ft and about to jump. Free-falling at 200kph towards Lake Taupo was for both of us the best thing we had ever done. The feeling is unreal, it totally takes your breath away (literally). Once the parachute opened we were able to enjoy the views and were lucky enough to do the sunset dive, so got a good view of that. All in all an unbelievable day, one that we will remember forever I have no doubt!!!
We left Taupo with the hope that we would get to the Tongariro National Park and be able to do the Tongariro Crossing, but no such luck. The crossing hadn't gone for about a week and the weather showed no signs of relenting, so we decided to crack on to Wellington. We had no idea we'd have such a good time there.
We planned just to stay the
Tim Landing
Hoped it wouldn't end, but guess we had to touch down at some point night and catch the ferry the next day to the south island, but after dinner we were asked by a hostel receptionist if we would like to go for a free trip around Wellington courtesy of a local radio station, so accepted and expected to be driven around, shown a few sights, shown the studio, maybe do a little interview and that be it. As it turned out they had a far better day instore. They picked us up and told us they had had callers phoning into the radio station with suggestions of where they should take 'Katy and Tim' to backpackers. So we were being taken on a mystery tour of Wellington and not to the standard tourist traps. First stop Whittakers (largest chocolate people in all of New Zealand) chocolate factory, we had a tour (they don't normally do tours) and they gave us more chocolate than we could possibly eat. Next a Pavlova factory, a tour and loadsa pavlova to eat. The biggest surprise came when we went to a jewellers, where you can watch the jewellery being made in the shop; a tour and you guessed it.....some jewellery. They gave Katy some earrings and me
Tim Landed
I survived - brilliant! some matching cufflinks, custom made apparently. Katy had fun trying on all sorts of jewellery, as I watched on, getting increasingly concerned!! Once we had finished here we went for a drink at the 'Chocolate Fish' cafe. Our last stop of the day was the 'Bunjee Ball'!!! Brilliant as it was free, but Katy didn't fancy it as she had a gut full of chocolate and pavlova and had been on one before and knew what they were like. Pitty she didn't tell me!!! I'd take the sky-dive everytime. So that was the end of a brilliant day which they had been recording for their radio show the next day (we didn't hear it, but they have put it onto cd for us and are posting it home). Pictures can be seen at www.classichits.co.nz . You need to navigate your way to Wellington and the breakfast show bit.
So that brings you all up to date. Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to email us and post on this website, we thoroughly enjoy reading them and apologies for not being able to reply to everyone individually.
To the 'Feejee Experience' dudes, we are keeping the
dream alive and hope you are enjoying home life, married life or Santa Barbara (Lawrence).
To all our uni friends and home friends hope you are all well and enjoying what ever you may be doing. Jam and Paddy good luck with your post grads, Heathcoat Boys there is a Heathcoat St. here in Taupo, lets get a house there! Jo, Nicola and Kat I look forward to seeing you at graduation. To the Dengie folk we look forward to Christmas eve in Burnham.
Mary can you let us know if you are getting this, as we think we may have your address wrong.
To our families we are having a great time, looking after each other, but fear not for we will be back for Christmas! We look forward to our roasts.....hmmmmm!
Last and by no means least, Happy 18th to Vicky, sorry we aren't going to be at your party to celebrate with you.
Love to all,
Katy and Tim x
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sister Emily
non-member comment
wow
OK, now i'm jealous. sky diving must've been awesome. Must have felt so brave. love ya loads. x x x