Day 26 21.8.2011 – Lifts, lunch and Luge - Distance Travelled:1265km

Rotorua → Lake Taupo

Hello all,

Today we thought we would head out to see some culture, a Maori show or something however.....it is a Sunday therefore...NO SHOWS!! So instead we decided to head up on the Skyline cable car to take in the views over Rotorua, and as an extra bonus at the top there was a set of concrete luge tracks, where you ride down (and technically not race or crash into each other or speed too recklessly)

But before we did we stopped off at the min golf next door, and by mini we mean a small micro 18 hole course that only took 30mins to do but it was good and I won, steven second and Michael third.

Up on the mountain it was great fun racing down the tracks, we tried to a do a tog gear spoof called ‘Top Luge’, however we could hold the camera down the track and the gorilla grip slid down to it was just facing Michael the whole time. Once we got used to it, it really was great flying down and over taking lots of people. During this we stopped for lunch overlooking the whole of Lake Rotorua and the city.

So we then headed to Lake Taupo, where we were treated to a great view of the first snow capped mountains that we have seen but by no means the last, as we pulled into the camp site. We are going to explore tomorrow maybe do some thermal springs and the like, who knows.

This is me signing off...J

Day 25 20.8.2011 – Black water rafting - Distance Travelled: 1167km

Waitomo Caves → Rotorua

Hello all,

Well today was a fun one! We went black water rafting at the Waitomo Caves, now black water rafting means floating and walking and a bit of swimming with a rubber ring. Our guides Terry and Shannon were great fun, they kept us all safe 65m underground through the fresh water rivers, oh and I forgot to mention that when we turned our lights out there were glow worms in the ceiling of the caves all the way through!!!!

It was an amazing sight, and a different sight was all 3 of us in slightly misfit-ting wetsuits we large black rubber rings around our bums as we step backwards to an underground waterfall and jump off!!! Of course Shannon jumped off the wall and landed in hers but Terry topped that by doing a front flip into the water in a rubber ring and landing it!!!

The water was very cold and gave us a shock, but once you lost feeling in your fingers it was actually all right. The final trek through the caverns was in the pitch black with just glow worms in the ceiling to guide us out. It was an amazing experience.....cold but amazing. Another day another unique special experience.

We got the pics but they are on a CD and my laptop doesn’t have the drive so I hope to get the pics up at some point but I don’t know when!!!

On to Rotorua, the weather is still good for us.

This is me signing off.....J

Day 24 19.8.2011 – The Tour that never happened - Distance Travelled: 1032km

Waihi Beach → Hobbiton (Matamata) → Waitomo Caves

Hello all, 

Today Steven and I woke up early to watch the sunrise. This is one of the first places in the world that ever sees the sun rise. We took lots of pictures in the cold (and I got a bit artsy with my picture taking)

Then we headed over to Matamata, they do the tours of where Hobbiton was filmed for Lord of the Rings. Of course I was very excited about this as I have always wanted to come to New Zealand to see where my favourite films were created.

On the tour the guide said I could be Samwise, at first I was luaghing at the idea (then realised Sam is a bit porky) but after some thought it would be good to be into my food and be a loyal friend. Plus with the bounus of being a hobbit!!!

We also brought some of the Lord of the Rings beer that was created for the cast during filming, now they sell it in the Shire’s Rest Cafe and I got the map on New Zeland in the style of LOTR with the locations of filming placed on it. Also we saw that in Wellington there is the Weta Cave and shop so we are deffinately going there as I want a cloak!!

It was amazing to go there and see it all, it is something I will never forget and feel very lucky I have been there, now onto the Waitomo Caves to book a black water rafting trip for tomorrow!!!

This is me signing off...J

Day 23 18.8.2011 – Depot and DVD - Distance Travelled: 835km

Matakohe → Auckland → Waihi Beach

Hello all,

Today we started out by heading back down to Auckland to get the van checked out, it turned out that our one is a guinea pig as the water connector is on the other side that we were told not to use but hey it’s all a learning curve.

So after that small detour we headed further south, it was a great drive down, lots of open road that lead to a flat valley area that was surrounded by mountains. Also as I was driving I have notice even the clouds look cooler and more awesome that they do at home, more going on in the different levels and different formations (sorry meteorologically geeking out there!!)

So we pulled into our campsite and we are parked right next to beach! We were told there was a pool and so headed down to go for a swim....however it was outside!!!! So we decided not to do that, but there was a large outdoor chess so Mikey and me had a game (which I won), then headed down to rent out a dvd from the reception and had a nice chat with the woman there, then went to get fish and chips and watch LOTR (Lord of the Rings for those of you uninitiated!!) as Steven hasn’t watch them before and we thought it madness that he hadn’t watched them and is in the country it was filmed in.

 

So a relaxing night of chips and movies....tomorrow we head down to Hobbition (aka my home should I have been born in Middle Earth), which I’m very excited about.

This is me signing off ...J

Day 22 17.8,2011 – Southward bound and Putting - Distance Travelled: 550km

Whatuwhiwhi → Matakohe

Hello all,

Today we took a walk along to a small pitch and putt, we were told to take a short cut which ended taking us down along the beach, which was nice to see. The pitch and putt was a small 9 holes, which we think was still being built as they guy gave us advice on what to avoid and where the dangerous water hazards were.

Steven won again but not by too much this time:

Steven: 42

James:44

Michael:47

So after making it back to the site we tried to fill up the water tank and head off but the water was just coming out the other side as wasn’t connected to anything, we tried calling but the woman wasn’t very much help so we will stop by Auckland on our way down to stop in at Kia.

The road down to Matakohe was really nice. It’s great fun driving here, lots of hills and unsuspecting corners which make it a challenge and an adventure. Although the lights are not the best and there aren’t any beam lights so it does make it a little harder in the evenings when getting to the camp sites.

So a nice day of driving and golf, not too much else to report.

So this is me signing off...J