Hello all. We've just arrived back from our tour around part of the North Island on the big green Kiwi Bus. Have so much to tell as we've crammed a lot into the last week! After a quick stop at one of nearly 70 dormant volcanoes in the region (Mt Eden), we left Auckland last Monday heading towards the Coromandel Peninsula - a really beautiful part of the Island. It's amazing how quickly you leave the city and are surounded by breathtaking 'Lord of the Rings-esq' scenary. Hot Water Beach was our first main stop that day, so we donned our swim wear, borrowed a spade and headed down to the part of the beach where you can did your very own hot bath in the sand! It turned out to be pot luck, as the first hole the boys on the bus dug (I just watched!) just filled up with cold water, but soon enough they found a good spot and steam was pouring out of the ground! It was very strange standing in such hot water on the shore edge, but a cool experience. The only downside was that it was a lovely day & the start of the school holidays, so it was very busy. Next we drove to Cathedral Cove, where we went on an hour and a half walk down to the cove itself, which had an enormous cave and stunning beach. Much of the sea around the Cormomandel Peninsula is part of a huge marine reserve and has small islands everywhere. It was such a calm day that the sea just looked like glass and was incredibly clear. We had been offered the opportunity to sea kayak to the cove from Hahei Beach, but had decided against it due to watching our money. However, we really regretted not doing it after seeing the views and the sea, so we decided to go for it the following day. After a night in Buffalo Peaks hostel in Whitianga (pronounced Fit-e-ang-a) which was the best hostel we'd stayed in so far, we got up early to catch the 2 minute ferry across to Hahei beach and go sea kayaking. Our instructor was a very enthusiastic young guy who gave us a very quick briefing so we could 'get amongst it' as they say here. I sat in the front of the kayak to set the pace (haha!) and Pete sat in the back using the foot pedals to steer. We looked very fashionable in our spray skirts, but had an absolutely brilliant time. Once again, conditions were perfect and you could see right through the water. We kayaked around and through the little islands, learning about the Mauri people who first claimed them and eventually arrived at Cathdral Cove where the instructor set up the 'Cathedral Cove Cafe'! Pete had a mochacino and I had a hot chocolate, with cookies too! Then we kayaked to Stingray Bay (not the most popular animals at the mo) where you could see loads of enormous stingrays lying on the sandy floor. We also were lucky enough to see one swimming - couldn't believe how big they were. The rest of that day was spent exploring the beautiful area. We went on a long walk to Lonely Bay and Cooks beach and discovered (when told that a fish & chips shop, or 'fush & chups' was only 10 minutes away, but was actually about 40) that New Zealanders seriously under estimate walking time. Plus the fish & chip shop was shut on Tuesdays! Back on the Kiwi Bus on Wednesday & we were off to Roturua. I should mention at this point that I haven't been too well since ariving in New Zealand ( travellers' cold bug thing is going around) so when we arrived in the geothermal centre of New Zealand, I (luckily) couldn't smell the stench of rotten eggs given off by all the sulphur. Pete assures me it was horrendus though. On the way we went to the Karangahake Scenic Reserve for a 1 and 1/2 hour walk through the native bush. We had to cross a really long swing bridge (which Pete jumped on as we crossed, scaring the already travel sick Japanese girl on our bus) and then go through a 1km long railway tunnel that was used in the goldmining days in pitch darkness! We also stoppped in Paeroa - the town where the 'world famous' (errr..) Lemon & Paeroa spring water drink is made and passed through Matamata, better known as 'Hobbiton' - where the Shire In Lord of the Rings was filmed. We had our photo taken with Golom, on the condition that we took off our shoes to fit in with the hobbits! Pete had a lot of fun on the luge, while I looked around the town of Roturua. Although we'd seen lots of steam coming from various random places, it wasn't until the next day that we got to experience what Roturua is all about - the geysers & boiling thermal mud pools. We went to - wait for it - Whakarewarewa Te Puia Themal Reserve where we saw loads of boiling thermal mud pools bubbling out of the ground and geysers shooting out water and huge amounts of steam. We had a tour from a Maori guide who took us to see the very rare native Kiwi Bird. It is hardly a bird - it has fur rather than feathers & no tail and no wings! Roturua is where the earth's crust is at it's thinnest, so we sat down for a while on the 'hot rocks' and felt the heat! You could even feel it through your flip flops when walking around. Our next stop was Waitomo, known for its caves. On the way we went on a short bush walk to the Marokopa Falls - 4th biggest waterfall in NZ and a longer walk to Magapohue - a 15 metre limestone arch which forms a natural bridge over the river. We stayed at the Kiwi Paka hostel, which is the best yet (more impressed with NZ hostels than hostels in Oz) and had a BBQ with the rest of our bus - nice chilled out evening. Another early start for Pete and I as we'd decided to go to the Waitimo Glowworm caves, as the only other place you can see caves like these in the whole world is Chile. We walked through the caves with a guide, seeing amazing stalactites, stalagmites & limestone formations that were millions of years old (the oldest being 600 million!) Then we got into a boat & sailed down the underground river in darkeness, only to look up and see constillations of glow worms above our heads. It was beautiful. Another great walk around the Ruakuri loop (we're so spolit with scenary now) and it was off to Taupo. Taupo is mainly famous for 2 things - the enormous lake caused by possibly the biggest volcanic eruption ever, so huge you can fit the whole island of Singapore inside - and the sky diving. It's the cheapest place in the world to sky dive, but unfortunately it was not to be. Ear trouble resulting from this bug going around meant there was a possiblility of burst ear drums, so that put a bit aof a dampener on the idea. Still, we had fun. A good night out at Mulligans and the Holy Cow bar, followed by a game of crazy golf the next day! (not quite sky diving, we know). We also had a go at the 'hole in one challenge' where you have to try and get the ball onto this tiny man-made island placed in the lake. If you're successful you win $5000, so you can imagine how hard it is! Back to Auckland today where they've had all of September's average rainfall in one day & a mini tornado. So we're heading north tomorrow to the Bay of Islands and Cape Reinga. Should be 'sweet as, bro'...