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I first got to Auckland on January 29th and just stayed for one quick night before meeting Matt and Aarron off the plane on the 30th and heading off in our hire car for ten days. They arrived safely and we got away from the car hire place at about 4pm (the first car we got broke down about 3km from the hire place so that was fun!!) Matt was in the driving seat of our automatic Nissan Wingroad (bit like an oversized go-cart!!) and we headed on up to the Coromandel Peninsular. Its really pretty with loads of lovely beaches and we stayed in a great place called Whitianga - in a hostel called 'on the beach'.
On Wednesday we had a beach day going to Hot Water beach about 20mins down the coast first. We had great weather with hardly a cloud in the sky which was perfect! The idea with Hot Water Beach is that it lies above a crack in the earths crust and at low tide an area of beach is uncovered which is very hot! You hire spades and dig a big hole and then sit in the hot water spa that you've dug up! And I've got to say it is hot!!! We were most impressed and a little in pain in Aarrons case as he was already sunburnt!! But we lay there looking out to sea and laughing at all the people who were running like chickens across the hot sand! After that we had lunch at a nice beachside cafe and then headed off for Cthedral cove a little further up the coast. We had to walk down about 45 mins to get to the cove but it was lovely when we did - its a very picturesque little beach that is cut in half by a cliff with a hole in the middle that you walk through. I had a quick swim whilst the boys lazed on the sand and then we made the long journey back up the hill to the car!! That night we went to a nice restaurant called the fireplace for tea and I got a little tipsy as the boys didn't want any of my bottle of wine!!! Walked back along the beach under the stars which were stunning.
On Thursday we drove from Whitianga to Whakatane which took about 3hours, we booked into a Motel and booked on to the White Island tour for the next day - stayed in that evening and I cooked us all Spaghetti Carbonarra and we took it in turns to check out the spa bath! Friday dawned very wet and grey and we were feeling quite down in the dunps about going on a day trip with such bad weather! We didn't set off till 10am though and it had cleared up by then. The boat over to the Island took an hour and a half and we were lucky enough to see scores of dolphins. Aarron had just been saying that he wanted to see some sealife when loads of them appeared. They swam under the front of the boat and jumped in the waves racing us - there must have been over 50 and when we looked up there were loads more from other pods swimming over to join in. We could hear them squeaking away to each other which was really cool too.
White Island is basically one huge Volcano - we landed on it for about 2hours and took a guided walk around - the landscape is pretty strange with steam coming out of everywhere and big pools of bubbling mud! It smelt pretty bad of sulpher too - especially at the steam vents - the last eruption was in 2000 so not that long ago either! In the middle is a very hot lake that we got to walk along the edge of which was pretty good - its very acidic too so nothing can live in it. We then went back to the boat for lunch and set off for the mainland (I spent the return journey asleep which was pretty good as It turns out it was pretty rough! - knew those trips on the Oldenburg were standing me in good stead for something!) That evening we drove to Rotorua which was just an hour away and checked into another Motel for 2 nights.
Rotorua is a large town built on a geothermal reserve - its smells quite a lot like rotten eggs and means that most people have hot spa's in their back yards! We went to a place called the Agrodome on Saturday morning - firstly to see a sheep show which was done very well by a very funny guy and then so the boys could go jetboating. After that we went Zorbing whcih was one of the best things I've done. The idea is that you get in a huge inflatable hamster ball with water in it and then get pushed down a huge hill!! The water means that you slide around everywhere and feel like your going upside down although it seems to look quite safe from the outside!! We really enjoyed that - I went down on my own and did the zigzag course which was a bit longer and the boys went in together and did the straight course.
In the afternoon we went to a place called Hells Gates where we went in some Mud Pools and a Sulpher pool in the spa. I dont think they've ever had a group that got so thoroughly coated in mud - we had it plastered on us - even in our hair!!but it was a lot of fun just difficult to get out at the end!! The Sulpher Pools were lovely and relaxing - Im not sure whats its supposed to do for your skin exactly but we were all peachy soft afterwards! That evening we went to a traditional Maori evening at one of their camps, we watched them singing and paddling a hand carved canoo up the river and saw a lot of their traditional dancing and singing. They taught us about their tribal tattoos and beliefs and finished off with a long rendition of their Haka which was great. Then we had a feast which they had cooked traditionally in the ground (and it was really good food!) before taking an evening glow-worm walk through their reserve.
The next morning we left for the hours drive to Taupo - we were going to try and see the Lady Knox Geyser which steams at 10.15 everyday but Aarron sent us up the wrong roads twice and we missed it (that boys navigation is not very good although he seems to think it is!) But we arrived in Taupo in one piece and rang Skydive Taupo to see if our jumps were still on - the weather looked dodgy and we were told it was off for the day but promising for the Monday. We booked into a Motel and spent the afternoon chilling out and getting our washing done as we'd had such a busy day the day before. That evening we went out for a pub meal and Matt and I had the nicest mussles (and the biggest I've ever seen!!)
Monday bought better weather and skydiving was on for 12noon. Matt and I jumped from 12,000 feet and it was amazing - I bought the dvd and photos to show you all when I get home so beware!!! It was scary - especially when we were going up in the plane, I was sat nearest the door too so was first out! But I had a most handsome instructor called Reno so he helped! Afetr all I couldnt let myself look like a wuss infront of him could I!! It was over so quickly though I wish Id gone to 15,000ft instead of 12,000. When we got back on the ground Aarron told us he'd been talking to a guy whose parachute didnt open and had shattered both his legs from the knees down! He was an instructor somewhere I thik - but Im bloomin glad I didnt meet him before I went up!
After the skydive we went to Huka Falls just outside Taupo and the boys went on another jet boat whilst I hung out at the Prawn farm next door and watched them from the terrace with a glass or two of wine! We then drove over to a place called Te Kuiti where we stayed the night. Its bear to the glow-worm caves of Waitomo but not quite as expensive to stay. Well actually it probably was as Aarron didnt want to stay in the backpackers but never mind! The next day we headed over to Waitomo and had a picnic brunch before going to a place called the shearing shed. Instead of shearing sheep they shear Angora rabbits!! Very funny to watch!!! They have to be shorn every 3 or 4 months otherwise the heat kills them because they are huge and they have the biggest fluffiest coats ever!! Got some pictures of the poor things that I will post up soon!
At 3pm we were booked in with Rap Raft and Rock to go down into the glowworm caves. Turned out it was just the three of us booked on which was good as we got a bit more attention from Tim our guide. First we abseiled down intoi a cavern - it was just under 30meters so quite a way down. Then we went caving and took big black inner tubes with us - at certain points we sat in these and turned out headlamps on and drifted through the caves under all the glow-worms it was really spectacular. In some spots we climbed through nooks and crannies that I really didnt think I would fit through It was scary but really cool too. we finished off by rock climbing back up the cliff that we had first abseiled down. The whole trip took about 4 1/2 hours and cost us $125 which is about 43 pounds or so. Worth every penny tho In my books!
After Waitomo we headed north to Raglan for two nights - I fancied heading down to Tongariro which is a stunning national park with Volcanoes and emerald lakes but I think the walking sounded a bit too strenous for Aarron and the boys decided they wanted to go to the beach again. It was nice in Ragkand but when we drove to the beach on Wednesday Aarron turned the car artound and said he didnt think it was the right way so we never went anyway!!! Shame as its supposed to be the longest left hand fetch in the world and very popular with the surfers! Still we had a bbq and played on the huge trampoline the motel had!! It was pretty warm although cloudy in places too so humid at night time which made sleeping a bit hot!
On Thursday we left Raglan and drove back up to Auckland - staying in a motel near to the Epsom showgrounds. In the afternoon we all did the Auckland harbour bridge bungy jump with AJ Hackett. Id already paid for it in Queenstown and Matt was keen on doing one. Aarron was originally just going to watch but changed his mind when he got out there which was great as he wasn't allowed to do the skydive so we all managed to do one adventure sport together on the last day!! I've got to say tho it was the scarriest bungy I've done - I think because I didn't enjoy the last one I'd done - The Ledge - I had bad memories and was more nervous. I very nearly gave up on the edge of the platform and kept telling the man that I wanted to quit! Good on him tho he stuck it out and talked me into it and it was amazing as soon as Id dived off the edge. I just got my hands in the water but Matt got soaked from his head down to his knees!! Bless him!
That evening we had a chinese take-away and then headed off to the showgrounds for the Cirque De Soleil. It was the best show I've ever seen - absoutley mind blowing with all the costumes and the performers were so skilled at what they did. The whole show followed a lose story and incorparated Acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, two very funny clows and all sorts of other trapese artists and people swinging form the ceiling and ropes - I cant explain how good it wasbut Im going again!!! The boys left at 6am on Friday morning for the airport and I camer and checked into Base hostel in the center. I had quite a lazy afternoon going online and reading my book before going to see 'In pursuit of happiness' in the evening which was good.
Today I met Lucy Jewel (a friend from home I met through Sam) and her boyfriend for lunch and we went over to Devonport on the ferry. Im really pleased they showed it to me because its lovely - a slice of village life in the middle of the city! We climbed up the fort for a great view over Aucland and walked along the beach before going to lunch in a great little cafe. Then they got the ferry back as Lucy is on night shifts at the hospital and I browsed around the second hand bookshops before coming back to mainland at about 4pm. I've just booked back onto the stray bus tomoro to go up to the Bay of Islands and am staying with Katie Edwards who I used to work with in the bakery! Should be lovely - can't wait to see her and It means that i'll be with familiar faces for my birthday on Tuesday!!! Can't say Im that excited but am just about to go see if my card has arrived at the YHA from you Natalie so fingers crossed!! I think we're going to go out for a meal in the evening or something anyway so will mark the occasion somehow!! Thats all for now - my eyes are going square so I am signing off! With love to all xxxx
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