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Kia Ora once again!
So...we spent our last day in Nelson enjoying the sunshine and trecking to the very centre of New Zealand, before sailing on the Interislander to Wellington in the North Island. Here we stayed for just one day, but that was enough! Windy Wellington lived upto its name! We got blown away! We visited the Te Papa Museum, where we learnt more about the volcanic activity in New Zealand and its history. The rest of our time in Wellington we were hiding from the wind...taking advantage of the free dinners...and on ladys night Aimee and Jade enjoyed some free champagne and tapas!!!
After Wellington we took a nice scenic bus route to Rotorua...famous for smelling like rotton eggs! We visited a park full of steaming lakes and bubbling mud pools, which unfortunately we werent allowed to swim in. We also went to Te Puia...where we saw a Maori cultural show, watching them perform traditional songs and games and the men did the Haka, which is used in battle to scare the opponent. We also sat on hot rocks watching the Pohutu Geyser which erupts at least twice an hour and can get up to 30 feet high!
After 4 days with rotton eggs up our noses, we went to Taupo. We had been there less than an hour and were suddenly on a bus heading for the airport preparing ourselves to jump out of a plane from 15000 feet! Once kitted up in our jumpsuits we climbed onto a small plane, and watched the ground disappear below us. After just 20 minutes the door was opened and one by one we fell from the plane! It was so fast you didnt even have time to scream! The wind was blasting in our faces and our ears were popping like crazy! But we still had plenty of time to take in the amazing scenery of Lake Taupo and the snowy mountains. It was a crazy experience! Whilst in Taupo we also visited Huka Falls which are the largest falls on the Waikato River and every second up to 220,000 litres of water gushes through the gorge and shoots out over 8 metres beyond to create a beautful blue and green pool.
Rebecca picked us up from Taupo and drove us to Napier where we lived in luxury; given our own bedrooms with double beds and fed lovely home cooked meals every night! On our first day we were given a tour of the town which is full of art deco buildings, as it had to be rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and fire. We spent the next two days visiting winerys and a brewery, tasting a variety of Hawkes bay wines and learning about the different grapes and vineyards...we are now experts! We also visited Rebecca and Maurice's plot of land where they have amazing 360 degree views, however on a windy day you get knocked off your feet and we had to chase polystyrene boards which had blown away! On our last day we went on a tour of Napier Prison, hearing the stories of old inmates and exploring the cells and hanging yard.
After a great few days in Napier, we were sad to leave the luxury and head back to hostels and noodles in Rotorua. We stopped there for just one night then went to Waitomo where we did Black Water Rafting through the glow worm caves! Wearing sexy wetsuits we made our way through small dark caves, flowing along the natural flumes, jumping backwards off waterfalls, and trying to find out way our with no light but the glow of the 'maggot poo'. We wouldnt advise it if you are claustrophobic as you have to squeeze through small crevices where there is no more than a few inches on space between the water and the cave roof! It was scary (for Jade)!
We are now back in Auckland for the last 2 days, and we will be going for our last meal together up the Sky Tower, before Aimee and Charlie fly away to sunny Fiji, and Jade enjoys a long 24 hour flight home!!!
Lots of love Jade, Aimee and Charlie xxx
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