Uncle M drove me into the city as it was a Sunday so the buses and ferry from golf harbour wasn't running at convienent times. I ended up chatting to two girls whilst we waited for the bus who both went to Warwick, in my year, and one lived with Louca in first year. How crazy!
We drove to Thames where we stopped at the shopping mall for lunch. The journey was cool as as our driver Mac is also a guide as well and so he gave us some commentary and some info as we drove along.
After checking in to our accommodation in hot water beach we drove to Haihe beach and we walked along the cliff park along to Cathedral Cove. It was so beautiful. It's a massive hole in the cliff through to another little cove. We chilled out on the beach and swam in the sea for the afternoon.
We went back to the hostel and had kiwi 'fush and chups' before walking down to the beach with our spades to go and dig ourselves a little hot spa from the hot water coming up from the geothermal faults below us. It's a pretty strange feeling digging your feet into the sand and the water getting hotter and hotter. We ended up with a pretty cool bath with a hot tap coming in from one side and a cold tap from the sea coming in the other side with the stars twinkling above our heads. It was great until the tide turned and our lovely pool turned freezing cold as a wave crashed over us :(
We walked back in the dark to the holiday park. I had a shower and the entire beach fell out of my bikini bottoms. I guess sitting in a hole digging around you does that! We sat around chatting outside before I went to bed.
Day 134: Waitomo Caves
Bit of an early start as we left at 7.15 and stopped at Karangahake on the way to Waitomo. At Karangahake we went for a walk across some very wobbly suspension bridges and along an old railway track into some of the old gold mining caves.
We then stopped at the L&P cafe to by a bottle of the famous kiwi drink (it's really tasty).
I was in the first group to do the "Black Abyss" caving experience at Waitomo so we were all off the bus first. After getting suited up in wetsuits (which I really struggled with), sexy white welly boots, balaclavas (so long hair doesn't get caught anywhere), harness and helmets we were driven down to the entrance of the cave. After being taught how to use the gear we absailed into the cave. The entrance was so tiny that I ended up getting my bum wedged in a crack in the rock wall and had to wriggle my way down through the gap before the cave avon (I think that's the correct technical term) opened up around me. Absailed down 37m in total without giving myself rope burn from refusing to let go of the rope which was the first of my achievements in this cave.
Once we were all down we walked along the cave for a while with our torches on and then we clipped onto a rope as we walked to a platform where he asked us to turn our torches off. He started unclipping the guy at the front and we all assumed he was just being clipped onto the next section, and it was, except it was onto a zip wire in the pitch black down to the next level! It was so cool as not only where you on a zip wire not too sure where the bottom was but you also had the glow worms lighting up the ceiling above your head.
Once we were all down we were given hot chocolate and 'cave' flapjack to give us the warmth and energy for the next section...
We stepped down onto a metal platform and then holding a rubber ring to your backside you jumped down into the river below. The water was absolutely freezing! Such a shock to the system when you landed with a large crash into it. We then paddled and walked and paddled again down through the cave system with the only light being that from the glow worms above us. I managed to fall off mine into the water as my bottom wasn't wedged enough in the ring.
When we got to what we though was the end of the cage the guide said the next bit involved a bit of holding our breath for a minute and underwater swimming to get through a underground tunnel into the next section. I was freaking out and was so scared. How could he expect us to do that. Turned out he was winding us and we paddled back the way we came. I felt so stupid for believing him! On the way back we linked out feet under the person in front's arm pit and he pulled us along so we got to experience the magic of the glow worms in complete silence.
We throw our rings back up to where we jumped in and then wadded through the river and after having 3 imaginary shots we tripped and fell our way along a section lovingly known as 'the drunken stumble passage'; very aptly named.
We had our second energy meal (hot orange squash and some chocolate) before beginning to exit the cave. After crawling our way through 'rebirth canal', swimming and wadding we reached te exit...through 2 large waterfalls and a few smaller ones.
Climbing up those waterfalls was one of the scariest things I've even done. I got to the start and just turned to Mop (one of our guides) and was just like I don't actually think I can do this. He managed to calm me down, show me exactly when to out my feet and using his shoulder to help shove me in place I got up to the top and crawled though into the next chamber. I was so proud of myself. I guess it's true what they say, the more scared you are of doing something the bigger rush you'll feel afterwards. The second waterfall was a bit (a bit being the key phrase) easier and once we were at the top we just did as they said and crawled up the muh gentler sloped waterfall towards daylight. Out in the fresh air I couldn't believe what I'd just done, that was the coldest, beautifuliest, scariest experience of my life!
We walked back to the car park and back at the shop we were given hot soup and bagels to warm us up fully before they dropped us back at our hostel to check in. Even though I've just explained this whole experience it doesn't actually describe what it was like!
Had a shower and then the two Warwick girls and I cooked veggie pasta for dinner before going to the bar to chill out for the evening. I've found my new favourite non-alcoholic drink, lemon lime n bitter. Its delicious!
Day 135: Roturua
We got up and started the day with a walk through the Ruakuri scenic reserve towards a cave viewing platform. Where was our easy entrance yesterday? We got a great photo of team cave though:
We then drove to Roturua via hobbitton to drop off those people who wanted to do the tour. Katherine, Lottie and I ate our lunch by Lake Roturua before spending the afternoon wandering around the government gardens and a park where areas had to be fenced off as they were thermal vents and so stream was coming out of them.
In the shower I discovered a rather lovely purple bruise on my back side from the caving yesterday. Ouch!
In the evening we went to Tamaki, a Maori village cultural evening which was such an amazing night. It was so enjoyable and I feel like I've learnt a lot about the Maori culture. When we arrived a traditional Haka was performed and a peace offering left in front of us for our chief to pick up to determine whether we are friend or foe. Once we'd been determined to be friends we were welcomed into the village and then we moved around the different huts to learn about how warriors trained, part of the Haka, traditional games, how facial tattoos were traditionally done (painfully and over a lifetime) and the girls and I volenteered at the poi hut to learn how to swing and move the Maori poi which is used in song and dance. It took so much concentration to catch it and not to look stupid infront of everyone.
We then moved into a meeting house to watch performances of traditional and more modern (with a guitar) Maori songs and dances including a love story which even though I couldn't understand a word of what was being said was one of the most beautiful and romantic things. After watching a short film on Maori history and challenges they've faced since the arrival of Europeans we moved to the dining room for a traditional Maori hangi (a meal cooked underground with heated rocks). We ate a roast style dinner and then, as I couldn't decided as I went along the buffet, I ended up with two bowls of desert! I would highly recommend this to anyone who visits Rotorua.
Day 136: Taupo
After being picked up by the kiwi bus, we headed to Te Puia, a cultural and geothermal park. We had another Haka to check whether we were friend or foe before we entered and looked around the weaving school, the wood carving school, saw a kiwi bird and the worlds largest gizer which sprayed us in rotten egg smelling steam! Our guide took us to a hot pool and in a traditionally woven basket placed eggs and we cooked them in the hot pool which was pretty cool and they were pretty tasty.
After leaving Te Puia we drove and stopped at Huka falls just outside Taupo. This is basically a small gap through which 200,000l of water crashes over the 9m waterfall every second. The noise from it is thunderous!
When we arrive in Taupo we checked in to the hostel and the 4 of us (we picked ourselves up an Amy in Roturua) managed to get the last 4 dorm room together. After eating lunch on the sun deck we spent the afternoon exploring Taupo. We walked about 45 minutes out of town to a natural spa where the hot springs bubble out of the ground at the side of the river. We weren't really planning on going there so didn't have any of our bathers (just realised how much Aussie and kiwi slang I've picked up!) so we just dipped out feet in the spa.
After dinner we went across to the Irish bar opposite and ended up being challenged by these Irish guys to a pool competition. I think they thought I was local as I had a kiwi accent apparently! We ended up winning through a technicality that they potted the white attempting to pot the black. We would have let them carry on playing and they would have won as all the shots we got in were complete flukes!
We met everyone else from the bus who'd been at the part boat at Elements bar. It was a really good night with dance offs and throwing some moves on the dance floor! It felt like a pop or school days night at Warwick SU as everyone didn't really care how they looked and just had a good laugh.
Day 137: Taupo
I had a bit of lie in and then had a catch up with Debs. We made it out of the hostel at 11 and went and hired mountain bikes for the day.
Mountain biking was interesting.... There were a lot of hills and we were on a beginner mountain bike track but I was pretty scared a lot of the time. I managed to fall off on one of the first hills and graze my leg, elbow and knee as I rolled back down the hill. I had my bike in te highest gear tater than the lowest gear so no wonder I physically couldn't pendal and ended up just stopping! When we got back to Huka falls I was so relieved to see Katherine and Lottie again (Amy was doing the Torangi crossing (pretty sure I'm spelling that wrong)) as I hadn't seen them for a while although they said they had only just got off their bikes when I pulled around the corner. I guess they'd just been a corner ahead of me the whole time and just out of sight.
We then carried on cycling for another 2 hours stopping to eat lunch (a very quick stop) to get to the Craters of the moon, a geothermal area full of rocks that steam and bubbling mud pools. We did the whistle stop tour around it and then cycled up and down and up and down the hills to get home. The freewheeling
downhill almost made up for the pain of cycling up the hills.
We managed to get back in Taupo to the spa in time and wed brought our bathers so we sat in the water to soak out muscles after all the hard work we'd done. It was like being in a nice bath just it was missing the bubbles that would have made it perfect!
We had dinner out at the hostel bar and then wandered down to Maccas so that the girls who didn't have local sims could use the wifi and we all had sundees for desert since we earnt it today with all that exercise. It was a really nice relaxed evening as we were all so shattered and we ended up in bed with the lights off at 9.30 like the part kids that we are!
Day 138: River Valley
On our drive out of Taupo we went through the Torangi national park which was pretty beautiful scenery with snowy volcanoes to look out out the side of the bus. We stopped and did a walk down to the place where Golem picked up the ring out of the stream.
We got to River Valley and into our 32 bed dorm; the biggest dorm room I've ever been in. It was split up slightly by a dividing wall but that didn't reach the ceiling so if you wanted to say goodnight to everyone you could. And there was no room between the beds, it's literally mattress next to mattress next to mattress. Luckily I got there pretty quick and was able to save 4 on the far side away from the door and I was next to the wall so only next to Katherine.
With one of the girls from the bus who lives the other end of Whitton(!) and with one of the Irish girls we went for a walk along the river. Not sure how often this path is actually used as the plant life was covering the path. We got to the end where the rope was but it was basically an absail down to the river so we decided that it probably wasn't worth it and just walked back to the river by the lodge and I spent the afternoon swimming, sunbathing and relaxing.
After dinner we just spent the evening chilling out, playing cards and chatting which was pretty nice. Sleeping in the dorm wasn't too bad, I got a bit cold so maybe I should have been in with all the bodies and I didn't hear anyone else come in!
Day 139: Wellington
After a nice 15 minute hike up a steep hill to wake us up and get to the bus first thing we spent the rest of the morning driving to Wellington. We stopped in a great little town called Bulls for brunch where everything had 'a-bulls' at the end of it. The police station was const-abulls etc!
We arrive into Wellington around 2 and after eating some lunch we wandered across town to Parliament to do the free one hour tour around. Our guided looked like the posh lady from Wallace and gromit and the werebunny which made us laugh quite a lot!
On the way back to the hostel we met up with Westney (who came to my birthday meal) and we had hot chocolate in a nice little pub and she told us where the best places to go are.
We got back to the hostel via the supermarket and made ourselves some dinner whilst we did our washing! Pretty efficient use of time.
Rather than hit the normal backpacker bar that could be the same anywhere we decided to go to the Alice in wonderland bar. On one wall there were lots of clocks, lots of paintings based on it and all the cocktails were served in tea pots. Pretty cool!
Day 140: Wellington
For our second day in Wellington we hit the farmers market in the morning and then visited Te Papa, the New Zealand museum that translates from Maori to mean 'ours'. Pretty cool museum and it was free!
We then walked to the cable car where we met Westney and took the car up to the top of the botanical gardens. There's only one track so when you see the other car coming towards you it's pretty crazy until it veers off at the last minute onto this little side track where they can pass each other.
Cable car
View back across Wellington
The views from the top back across the city where pretty stunning.
We meandered through all the botanical gardens which was really cool back down into the city. In the city we did an emergency shopping session to buy some warmer clothes. I decided jeans and a scarf would be useful for the South Island.
In the evening after dinner we went to a brewery on the waterfront and had this delicious mango cider.
