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Published: November 2nd 2006
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In the hot spring
What a lucky man! Well where do I start?! had the most amazing few days and it feels like I've been here forever! Started in Auckland on monday where met the rest of the group, some who had already been up to the bay of Islands, and spent part of the afternoon up in the sky tower. The scenery from the tower in Auckland is so beautiful and my pictures dont really do it justice, there are so many little volcanos that pop up, and it truely is like Lord of the Rings!! After taking in the sites we headed to Rotorua, which means second lake in Maori, and is in a massive cauldra. We stayed the first night in a little motel on the outskirts of the town in which each room had it's own spa in the back garden! So feeling still a little jet lagged, we ran the hot water (which took forever because we were in room 37 out of 40 and the water started at room 1 and worked it's way round!!) and jumped in to relax before dinner. How relaxing! The only bad thing that I can say about Rotorua is the absolute stench of eggs, the town is
situated on geothermal land so there is constantly the whiff of sulfur everywhere!
The next day a few of us went on a four wheel drive tour around rotorua bush with a Maori guide called Roger. He took us down to his tribes part of town and talked to us about the history of the Maori way of life. Because the gound is so active, all they have to do is drill a whole down into the ground and hot water will spring out of it, they then use this for spa pools, pipe it to heat their huses and even cook with it! they have little holes in the ground where they put the food for a few hour and it cooks it like a steam cooker! He then took us into the bush and up a scary descent of Rainbow Mountain. It does have a Maori name but they're really hard to pronounce right and even harder to remember! This is one of the many mountains caused by the volcanic activity and it is beautiful. It's called Rainbow mountain because the minerals in the rock and soil cause there to be a rainbow of colour, and then
because the ground is so fertile the tress are so green. The views from the top are awesome, again the pictures dont do it justice. We then headed down the very strrp and bumpy track (I am COVERED in bruises still!) to the hot mud pools. Roger stuck a stick into the mud and when we put it on our skin it was like a facepack, really hot and then dried to a white crust. There were some chinese tourists walking behind us and they came to see. When roger said it was like a facepack they decided to smear it on their faces! "yeah man, that's it" said Roger, encouraging them to put more on their faces. The chinese thought that was great and wanted pictures with him, whilst we stood and stiffled giggles, he turned to us and said' dont put this on your face guys, it's acidic and might make you blister!" then back to the chinese "Oh yeah, you look great!" We saw them later in town, they did not look like happy bunnies! So afetr that we headed down to a hot sprng. This was sooooo pretty, there was a hot river that flowed down
from the peak, warmed by the geothermals, then mixed at the bottom in a little pool with a cold stream. It was Roger's families private land so were were the only 6 people there, it was so quiet and peaceful. (well, before we got there!) Roger smeared the white mud around the banks of the pool onto our backs and when it dried and we washed it off the skin under was sooooo soft. It was like having a spa treatment AND it was free!(take note mum, no expense!!)
The next day I was to have the experience of my life, although at dinner that night I was blissfully unaware. At dinner, Fleur, our guide, was telling us about activities for the next day. One included a skydive. "There is no way on earth you are getting me to hurtle to the groung attached to a flimsy bit of material!" I said. BUT, after much peer pressure I somehow found myself putting my name down for the 12,000ft dive. WHAT WAS I THINKING?????!!!!!!!!! Had an awful dream that night about not being able to open my eyes whilst I was falling and them being glued together forever becuse of
About to dive!
My roomies and I, Emma and Claire the pressure and that I was goeing to come unattached form my instructor and hurtle to my death, you know, standard stuff!! But I am pleased to say it was the most exhilerating experience of my life. We spent the morning of the dive in another Maori village (which had a decidedly odd name, ask me about it when I get home, I cant write it on here becuse it will get censored!) watching a traditional Hukka and eating traditional meal cooked in the goung. It was deliscious, and I'm pleased to say, tasted nothing like eggs as I had thought it would! (the smell was unbearable!) Then from there we had a short drive to lake Taupo where the skydive was happening. Lake Taupo is beautiful. One girl, Nikki, said it reminded her of a swss lake, beautiful and green at ground level with dominating snowy mountains in the distance, beautiful. All was fine and I was feeling calm until we got to our motel to drop off our stuff. Then the fear set in! Cam, our driver, was going to dive with us, so took the 8 of us over to the airfield. I can honestly say it
was the quietest moment on the bus so far - we were all too petrified to speak!! We then had to wait for about 45 mins before there was a slot to jump! Talk about a build up! My instructor was lovely. and after I'd been strapped in I shakily made my way to the plane. We went in last and I only figured out at about 5,000 ft, that meant I was going first! Ahhhhhhh!! The scariest part had to be as the door opened and my instructor hung me out of the plane. The wind was rushing over my feet and I was thinking :I"M GOING TO DIE!!!!!!" then he said 'smile for the camera!!' WHAT???!!!! then that was it, I was screaming my head off hurtling to the ground at about 200mph!! (sorry to say mum, I think I said a few choice words as I was leaving the plane, so on the video they may have to be edited out!!) Even thinking about it now I'm shaking! The Girls that I'm sharing the room with most of the time, Emma (Sweedish) and Claire (Northern!), and Cam (the driver) were in the plane too and watching them land was amazing. After we (the girls, not Cam!) were jumping around and screaming, I think the Kiwis thought we were psychos! Thinking about It now I'm still getting the adrenaline rush!!
So, now we're in Wellington. Spent the night here yesterday and crossing over to the south Island in a few hours. Took nearly all day yesterday to drive down so not much exciting happened then, except I saw a lot of sheep! oh, and we drove past mount doom or whatever it's called, from lord of the rinds. Very pretty scenery, although didn't appreciate it too much. After the adrenaline rush from the dive we went out for drinks: adrenaline + Scrumpy = Game over! Going to leave it at that for now, think you have enough to read! sure there are loads of things I've missed out but I'm getting RSI in my wrists! love to you all Sxx
(I've left my photo's from the skydive on the bus, but I'll put them on another entry when I next get a chance)
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Mike
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Kepp up the good blog
Hi, I don't know you but have been reading your blog as I'm off to NZ myself for 3 months on 15th November. Brave girl doing the skydive. I'm tempted myself now! Like the pictures. Enjoy the rest of your travels. M