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Published: April 8th 2006
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With work on the orchard starting to dry up until the next variety is ready we headed up to Auckland to spend a few days with my parents. Our friends Steve and Lynn very kindly put us up for a few days (cheers Guys).
Fisrt stop in Auckland, we decided to take my parents to the Viaduct (probably mentioned this in previous Blogs) a swanky waterfront resort by Aucklands main harbour lined with restraunts, bars and expensive boats and Yatchs, where we enjoyed a meal and a few drinks in the sun, (how is the weather back home by the way?). After this we headed off to the Sky tower Aucklands tallest building and the tallest in the southern hemsphere (I think), where we watched people jump off before we went up ourselves, from the top you can see all the volcanoes that Auckland is built on with a 360 degree view of the city. Parts of the floor are glass so you can see all the sheer drop the jumpers have to fall, it was quiet funny seeing mum walking carefully over these holding on to anything structural to stop her falling through this glass which is actually stronger
Lunch time entertainment
Dragon boat racing on Auckland harbour. than the concrete walked on. This fact made her no less wary of the glass as she pointed out it might not have been fitted properly. Once we'd viewed the city from above it was back down to terrafirma the sensible way in the lift (which had glass floors too, and a quick walk round the shops and markets in the city centre before heading back off to Steve and Lynns firstly to introduce the folks to them. That evening we went out in Takapuna (another swanky area of Auckland with lots of restraunts and bars).
We arranged to be up early the next day as Steve had agreed to take us out on his boat for a fishing trip. Unlike the last time we launched from Stillwater and there seemed very few boats out, but this must have helped as we all nearly pulled out the fish none stop all day. Quite a few were undersized so they went straight back to grow a bit more before. Although Steve spent most of the day helping us and showing us what to do he managed to land his first King Fish (quite a large fish and known as a
Top of the Sky Tower
Carefull Mum that galss might have a crack in it or not be fixed properly!! real fighter) which left him with a smile as wide as Auckland for few hours before he landed his second. Even Mum seemed to be enjoying herself, catching the biggest snapper of the day. Overall we had a good catch and looking forward to a few days eating Snapper, unfortunately we forgot them and left them at Steve and Lynns in the freezer (bugger!).
The following Day we drove to Rotorua a Thermal Area (again mentioned this in previous blogs) where my parents went off to a thermal park while we booked us into the Polynesian Spa and I went Zorbing. Zorbing is where you are drove to the top of a hill put in a huge inflatable plastic ball with a few buckets of water and pushed down a hill. Ayway that was fun but over a bit quick. That evening we spent at the Polynesian thermal spa by the lakeside which was very relaxing.
Right the next day we headed off to Taupo, where we planned something a bit special. As some of you are aware while I've been away my dad celebrated turning 60 years young and as a present from me and Sue we
decided to throw him out of a plane from 15,000 feet high, and as it was Sues birthday that day too I threw her out as well. The dive included a 1 minute free fall from 15,000 feet to 5,000 feet. Myself, Sue and Dad (the only ones jumping) remained calm the whole day while laughing at Mum in a complete panic about running through every single scenrio that could go wrong. However this didn't put us off and we were still determind as ever to do the jump. Just as we were getting ready and listening to a few more scenerios that may go wrong from mum while she completed her own saftey checks of all our gear (thanks for that mum) we were loaded into a plane and off we went, as for what is was like, well have a look at the photo's, I can safely say it won't be a birthday present my dad (or sue) will forget in long time.
After the skydive we headed to Tongario National Park, with the full intension of doing the Tongario Crossing, described as New Zealands best one day walk. However after telling my parents about it (a
seven hour trek, 17km trek, not easy walking), we decided that it was not a good idea as mum still is having a problem with her back. Instead we did a couple of short walks to the Taranaki Falls, a reasonably impressive water fall (but after visiting Igazzu and Angel Falls most waterfalls seem a little less impressive than they previously would have). Then on to Silica Rapids another 2 hour walk, passing through alpine lands and forest to the silca deposits formed by the rapids on Waikare Stream. These turned out to be a better plan as the weather wasn't so good and just as we were returning the heavens opened and we got soaked to the bone, so another 3 or 4 hours walking in this would have been bloody miserable and probably took the shine off what's meant to be some of the best landscapes in the world.
It was after we returned to camp and dried off from the downpour that we parted ways with John & Val. They headed off Southwards to Wellington to catch their ferry to the South Island and we headed back to Taupo. We had another couple of days to
relax before we had to return to the Orchard to resume picking.
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Sarah
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Awesome!
Wow.....all the pics look absolutely stunning.... I cant wait to read and digest all about your trip. It looks like you had loads of fun. Talk to you soon.Hope your arm is ok Suzanne. Lots of Love Me xx