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Well hello all it is me again, and can you believe it this is my 2nd entry in one month woooo hooo.
Ok so I have now completed the first half of my kiwi Ex and the North Island is over and done. It has been a mad week or so hence why I am updating this before I forget it all.
Where to start, hhhmmm I guess the first day would be a start. The day was Friday the 15th, the time was 8.30, the location was Auckland City. I was waiting with baited breath to start the tour of a life time!!!!!! As I stood looking out into the morning traffic I spotted the big green Kiwi Experience Bus driving towards my location, as I peered on I also watched as the big green bus carried on driving and not looking like stopping. Minutes of bemusment passed and I decided to ring the office. STA had only told me the wrong place to get picked up from......idiots is all I can say on here. Anywho a $10 cab ride and I was at the office ready for the bus.
Our first day was a quick look at Mount Eden in Auckland and then heading to the Coromandel Peninsula. Having already seen this, and not being in a sociable mood I was in not looking forward to the first day of solo travel. Suprisingly though there were some ok people on the bus. Conversations started and friends were duly made! We travelled across to Cathedral Cove as Hot Water beach was not worth going to due to the tides. Cathederal Cove, despite the 20min walk up hills was worth the visit. Beautiful beach with great cliffs and views.
Day 2 consisted of another early morning....after 7 months where I couldn't even spell early morning I was not liking it but I swolled my tough pill and got on with it. We travelled from Mercury Bay across to Rotorua! The city of Sulpher......mmmmmhhh what a smell. Once in Rotarua we had an night planned of Maouri Culture. We visited an old fashion village and saw first hand how they used to live and work. We also experienced some traditions such as the Haka and games they used to play. It was fantastic to see the culture at first hand and we all had a great night, followed by some serious drinking with the new friends.
Day 3 and feeling a little worse for wear we headed to Waitomo leaving the smell of rotten eggs behind us, although we did encounter a few more smells on the way. Cheese our bus driver swears it was still lingering but I am sure it was him. Once in Waitomo we prepared for a fun filled night of b***** all. This was possibly the most desolate place I have ever been too, it makes Bromham look lively! However the next day we were up early again, in the freezing cold for some caving. This was fantastic fun. The caves are inhabited by glow worms which light up the ceilings like stars. It started with a 30ft absale into a dark whole and then 3 hours of caving through rivers and waterfalls up to 60ft below the surface. It was fantastic although cold and everyone pulled together to help out those people who had forgotten the tough pills!
After the Caving we headed for Taupo all set up to do our skydive. We had planned it like this so that we would have been 60ft underground in the morning and 15000ft in the sky in the afternoon. Unfortunatly after hyping ourselves up we were dissapointed to find out the lads couldn't do it till the day after. (Being the gentlemen we are we let the girls go first!!!). Anyway a night on the lash and a few sore heads in the morning we headed to do our sky dive. All geared up and packed into our tiny plane I was worryingly calm. Humming Artic Monkies all the way up I looked around to see a few very pale faces. 20 mins of flight later with oxygen masks the door was slide open and the world was viewed in a whole new light! I was second to go and after watching kevin dissapear in a split second I was beaming and buzzing and wondering how it would feel. Now as I said I wasn't worried at all....that was untill my guy hung me over the edge of the plane and I could see how high we were. But that lasted a second as my world was suddenly a blur of sky, land, sky land, sky, land!!! I can not explain in words how amazing this experience was. I can safely say it is the best thing I have ever done in my life. The views were spectacular and the feeling was so good that 4 days on I am still buzzing from it. Another night on the drink was duly in order and we left taupo in a hungover state. (There seems to be a theme here!)
Day 6 we arrived in River Valley. River Valley is in the back of beyone and there was no real excitement for the evening apart from guitar and drinks around the fire. However, the next day a few of us took on the challenge of White Water rafting. Again this was fantastic. The river was freezing but the rapids were awesome. We had a great morning and no one died...apparantly thats a good thing!!
And so here we are, Wellington. I am leaving here tomorrow for the South Island and a few more adventures along the way. The last week has been amazing and I can honestly say I am hooked on skydiving and will be looking to do it again very very soon.
I hope you are all well and enjoying the sun, it is bloomin freezing here but hey I am not going to complain. I look forward to seeing you all very soon and feel free to email me.
Until the next time, sweet as bro!!
Love Ash "the adrenaline junkie" Turner! xxx
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