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My last days in Oz were so good for me in the sun...having jetski races, swimming in lagoons and doing lots of sunbathing and dreaming! I arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, to dark skies and pouring rain. Nooo! However, the next day was bright and sunny and since then I've been having the best time!
Spent a few days with Chieko and Takeshi from my hostel. I took a free day trip to North Shore city in Auckland hanging out with Bastion, where we climbed the harbour bridge and got lovely views of the city, boats and greenery surrounding us. The next day I got myself onto the Kiwi Experience bus - a hop on/hop off bus around most of New Zealand. I've met some great people - one I found out even graduated from Southampton with me last July and we have several mutual friends!! So anyway, we've travelled through Mercury Bay, through Matamata, or 'Hobbiton' where much Lord of the Rings filming was done (got a picture with a fake gollum!) and then to Roturua. This town is also known as Sulphur City, or the Maori name 'Whangapipiro' meaning 'evil-smelling place', haha. Basically the city is filled with geysers and mud pools, and more than often you can be caught off guard with the fowlest smell of rotten eggs! We did have a brilliant night here, however, spent enjoying a traditional Maori ceremony and dinner at Tamaki Maori Village. We elected one of us to be chief of our tribe, and then gathered while he was inducted. We were then treated to a beautiful perfomance of traditional dance and singing from the Maori culture. The gorgeous harmonies just resonated throughout the room and were so captivating. To top of the evening we were welcomed to enjoy a huge buffet feast, known as a 'hangi', where there was so much laughter and the coming together of so many cultures and people. It was a fantastic night!
Today we left for Waitomo, where there is only one thing to do: Go black water rafting!! Which I just got back from! Basically, its more like caving - treading along the caves and rocks underground, jumping off rocks, and trying not to get swept up in the fast current, with nothing but the torch on your helmet and a rubber ring to float in occassionally. It was so exhilirating! Fantastic! The scariest thing we had to do was jump off a waterfall, backwards, holding the ring around our bums and landing into crashing water, praying we wouldn't hit the rocks! But I made it three times! We also floated along some currents with our torches off, and then got to see the beautiful glowworms hanging off the rock ceilings...spellbounding! My blood is still pumping fast around my veins, just thinking about it! I'd absolutely recommend it for some excitement!
And soon I'm going skydiving...arghhh!! It just gets crazier and crazier! Brilliant! New Zealand has some incredible scenery too, and I'm really looking forward to the beautiful nature that awaits me...woohh!
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