Since jumping on the Stray backpacker bus and officially launching my journey, things have gone from mild to wild in .2 seconds. My nearly 30 body has been in shock from all the constant action and often feels like its been hit by, well, a bus. It has officially caught the adrenaline bug and I'm actually pretty proud of what its endured thus far. Seeing that I'll have to make the most of my internet access while I have it, here begins the list of the madness that has been my life during the 1st week on the bus:
First stop took us to the stunning Hahei beach in the Coromandel Peninsula. A group of us ventured off to the scenic Cathedral Cove hike past limestone caves and cliffs and were blown away by the pristine white beaches. Btw, a scene from the Chronicles of Narnia was filmed here. We also took a dip in the Hot Water Beach, where mother nature provided us with water as hot as 150 degrees, we just had to dig the holes in the sand to locate the hot springs.
Up next was a view of the impressive Bridal Veil Falls at 55 meters tall on our way to the chill surf town of Raglan. This would be where we all got pummled by the sets of waves coming in and thrown around like clothes in a washer. Good fun and good workout though.
Day 3 took us to Waitomo, home of the infamous glowworm caves. I did a caving trip called "Tumu Tumu Toobing" which included swimming in freezing black water, climbing around stalagmites and stalagtites, and squirming through tiny claustrophobic tunnels. Plus great views of the specks of green glowworms that covered the ceiling like a bright starry night.
Although this next town reaked of rotten eggs and sulfur, it didn't stop us from staying for a couple extra nights and having an awesome time. Rotorua is known for its high levels of geothermal activity, which we took advantage of at the Polynesian Spa. All the pools are naturally heated hot springs ranging up to 108 degrees. This was the perfect means of relaxation before hitting up the Rangitaiki River for some class IV+ whitewater rafting. We lucked out as the rivers had been closed due to recent storms and had a blast! Definitely one of my highlights from the north island.
Last but not least was our short but sweet stop at Taupo, which is home to the largest lake in the southern hemisphere. My palms were sweating and adrenaline pumping as we arrived at the skydiving center. It was never a question of "if", but rather how high I should go before throwing myself from our tiny hot pink plane. All in all my emotions were pretty in check until the moment we reached 15,000 ft (I went with the highest jump!) and the door was flung open. This was when a bit of profanity may have escaped my mouth. The most thrilling moment was sitting on the edge of the plane with my legs dangling in the air and suddenly like a magic trick, poof, we were gone and freefalling through the blue sky. One of the most incredible feelings in the world and an amazing view of the lake and mountain ranges. After the chaos came the calm of a gorgeous sunset. go big or go home.
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