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Published: October 15th 2006
THURSDAY - Drive to the crater.
We headed north around the western penninsula to New Plymouth where we walked around the lack of shops and then headed back in land toward the Tongariro National Park. On our appraoch to an area called Whakapapa village the views were stunning as we found ourselves driving towards a large volcanic mountain range. One of which (Mt. Ngauruhoe) was the perfect volcano shape, as if someone had chopped the top off, as you would with a boiled egg.
As always it's a challange to find somewhere to park that is both safe, relatively quiet and legal, but as always we succeeded. parking at a walk entrance in the grounds of a hotel/backpacker lodge gifting us beautiful views of Mt. Ngauruhoe (2291m high) as the sun began to set for another night of top 'n' tail and cramped night sleep.
FRIDAY - A hell of a long way to go... especially if you don' know where you're going?!
Our aim for the day was to do a long walk. The Tongariro National Park is home to some of the most amazing walks in the world, with glorious views and emerald lakes, not
Beware of the Kiwi
never mind the large active volcano in the background?!to mention wlkaing around the base of a huge active volcano.
So we'd be crazy not to do one of the walks; a five day tramp camping along the way; tamo lakes 6 hour walk or the Tongariro crossing 7 hour walk?
We opted for the Tamolakes walk thinking it would be best for the scenary and views of lakes formed in old volcanic craters.
We began our treck packed with sandwiches, water, warm clothes and camera's. The weather was beautiful and conditions were ideal.
First stop along the way was a the Taranaki falls, a huge waterfall splashing into a small tranquil pool and streaming off down a rocky creek. It was a very spectacular scene as you can see and I was able to get rightup close to it and behind the curtain of heavy gushing water.
We then came across a little creek with crystal clear water, which with my newly aquired grass root head band, I became at one with nature and drank the water.
Next stop the Tamo lakes? - well this is what we thought we'd see next, in actual fact we saw nothing but a baron landscape and tough challenging paths. When
we'd been walking for over 3 hours it was begining to become clear we had taken a wrong turn. We were de-hydrated, hungry and our un-exercised bodies were tired and lacking energy and enthusiasm. This was no longer an enjoyable adventure, but now just a mission to find anywhere with other life. Don't get me wrong the scenary was very impressive ascending the surrounding hills around Mt Ngauruhoe, but 3 hours of pretty much the same view was enough.
Finally we see a hut on a hill in the distance. After another 45 minutes we eventually get there exhausted and in desperate need of water and norishment. The hut was a little hostel for people doing the 5 day walk to use so had water, showers and toilets.
Let me just say that after 4 hours of trecking across difficult terrain
a hut was not the picturesque landscape we had anticipated or desired! After studying a map within
the hut I found we had gone completely the wrong way and without knowing how or why? But here we were at
the hut so we had our sandwiches and guzzled our water before deciding how to venture back to Whakapapa.
The way we had walked and
the hut we had found ourselves at I also found was accessible by car, via a 20 minute walk!!! So I thought we should hitch-hike back but the road route was much further than the path we had already come and there was no other path back that would get us back before sun-down, 'great' we jeered! I really didn't want to walk back along that bloody path! we even tried to ask a couple of people if they'd give us a lift back to Whakapapa but they weren't going that way, grrrr!
So back along the same difficult and challenging path for another enjoyable 3 hour treck back. A path that, we were discussing, must not be used by hardly anyone as there is no point to it when you can drive to the nearest attraction! 3 hours was not fun, but Matt and I chatted about our future as budding filmmakers and our past about some of work we'd done at uni.
A much needed beer (Tui) was pruchased at the lodge almost on que at our arrival back at Whakapapa. Whilst enjoying my beer I'd previously set up the video
A morning on my own.
yes that is a beard on my face, haha! camera to capture the clouds covering the plains and the base of Mt Ngauruhoe which, when I watched it back, found was one of the best things I've filmed... 'every cloud etc. etc. ...much needed sleep for achy bodies!
SATURDAY - Jump out of a plane... me... what... today???
Our bodies hurt all over from the ridiculous antics of the previous day and it was off to Taupo a small town at the northern end of the huge Lake Taupo. It was here that I was going to do the next of my extreme activities - the Skydive!
We rolled into town parking in woolworths to do some shopping and then walked aorund town to find out skydiving prices at a backpackers hostel. The layed back, slow talking guy in reception talked us through the various offers and companies highlighting the cheapest ones and best ones. Once we had decided on which company to go for; 'Taupo Tandem Skydiving' $219, the guy in the desk phoned the company to see if there was any spots for today, not expecting any luck because of bad winds. he said it was better to get int he queue and
we knew we didn't have endless time to waste on our trip.
It was about 2pm when he phoned them, and told us we were booked on but we had to ring them to at 4pm to make sure conditions were fine.
4pm came and Matt phoned the company who told him that conditions were fine and they were doing dives. So there it was we were booked to do a skydive at 4.20pm!
As I had done, and lets not forget paniced for months about, the Nevis bungy jump my nerves were in far better condition. Needless to say I was nervous thinking about it, but I didn't really have time to be too nervous as we were soon in the van driving to the nearby airport.
We were rather hurried through the decision of what media package to get: A) DVD filmed by a guy who jumps with you and films you from his point of view and photo's or B) filmed by a camera on the wrist of the guy I was to dive with in tandem, getting an in-your-face view and interview with me in the sky?
Both Chris and I opted for option A)
for $165 extra on top of the $219 for the dive, nice, it's like I'm made of money!!!
I was then ushered through to the air field wher ein the confusion of trying to film on my camera and getting things told to me left, right and centre I found myself stoud in the airfield hanger in a red jump suit with someone trying to put a harness on me?! I also had various divers in yellow jump suits introducing themselves to me as the diver and the cameraman, i basically had no idea what was going on. On top of that I was told to watch a video about how to do the dive.
After all the confusion I was then walking quietly trying to concentrate on what I was doing towards a little yellow plane with my skydiver, JK, hooking me to his harness, so I didn't run away I presume. As we each board the little plane I was extatic to find I was second in line next to the rickety shutter door of the plane.
No time was wasted before we were slowly a-drift in the sky and heading up and up and up. I was
who's that hippy??
drinking fresh water from a stream, so un-natural... anyone got some Evian? sat quietly contemplating what was going on as if I was in some kind of dream. The skydiver's and cameramen were chatting amongst themselves and every now and again JK would ask "are you all good Simon?"
"Yes mate!" I'd say.
He was also busy attatching things to my back and pulling on the harness strapped tightly to my body.
I was really quiet calm considering what lay ahead, but I'd always felt more comfortable with the thought of doing a skydive than doing a bungy.
When we reached the cusp of the ascent, at 12000 feet, a green light went on and the first skydiver lifted the door of the plane and shuffled a small chinese man to dangle his legs out of the plane and after three quick lunges he dropped... fast and BANG!! a moment of realisation hit me in the face like a huge metal mallet, he dissappeared quickly I thought to mysel, then 'Oh my god' I'm next.
JK breifed me and he lifted me to the edge of the plane where my legs dangled off the side of the plane as if I was just sat in a wall where my feet couldn't
reach the floor. The view below me was of clouds and tiny distant green fields and the large lake of Taupo, then without further a-do my head was tilted backwards and after three quick lunges I was thrust out of the plane upside down looking at the plane promptly shrink in my blurred and confused vision. I was now into a 45 second freefall begining to travel at over 200km/hr!
I was straightened up and was heading face first towards earth with a camerman dropping facing me underneath.
It really was the most amazing feeling, just dropping yet with the full on heart in your mouth feeling I got from the bungy, it was just exhilirating in everyway! I was flying!
With my arms spread out I was enjoying every second of the fall when the 45 seconds were up and the parachute was pulled and I was hoisted upwards and into the harness tighened around me. I was now floating down zig-zagging and spiralling in absolute awe of spectacular views and amazing feelings. I said to him, as we casually chatted hanging high in the air in the parachute, that is was as close to being a bird as
ever, when he said "ye, check this out" and we stooped to the right as spiralling down at a faster speed.... incredible!!!!!!!!!!
The ride was over as we came crashing to the ground in the nearby field next to the runway. I was once again buzzing with adrenaline as I had been after the buungy, but this time for something I wouldn' think twice about doing again right away!!!!!!
So there you go the the New Zealand adventure continues to be incredible and proving both a challenge and 100% amazing!!!!!!
We celebrated with a beer in a local pub and reminiced of flying through the air with nothing but the noise of the wind in your ears and the G-force beating you in the face, WOW!!!
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Bro
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Mint
Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint Mint MINT!!!! Will catch up soon, nuff busy... still not read these last few properly! Sorry mate. Glad you're having fun though. Can't beleive you've done EVERYTHING now surely?! Awesome. Sorry I haven't been in touch much, no internet at home, and too busy at work! Keep safe bro. Col