October 1st - Well I've made it. I'm in New Zealand. It is the adventure and adreniline capital of the world. I'm in Auckland and staying with my friend Corey. He took me around town, we saw lots of cool things in Auckland. Tomorrow I leave to tour the North Island. Yippee!!
October 2nd - Well today was interesting. I went to Waitomo and I went cave tubing. What happens is you get into a wet suit and go down about 350 feet under the ground and get into an innertube. Then you coast around under the ground. You see all these neat little gloworms. Here is a photo of someone else tubing.
Looks like me, but not me.... Click the photo!
You can get the idea. There are lots of waterfalls and you go down them. It is fun....
October 3rd - Today we headed into Rotorua. That is the "Thermal Wonderland" of New Zealand. There are lots of boiling mud pools and spouting geysers. The town also has a smell to it which I just can't forget... Sulfur. Like rotten eggs. I went up this huge mountain and luged down. A luge is like a little go cart that you can almost kill yourself going down these massive hills. But, I didn't kill myself. I'm beginning to think that New Zealand should have a new theme, "Come here to do lots of sports which your main objective is to... Not die."
October 4th - Today is the day..... I did it... I went skydiving. (Don't die... Don't die...)
"The art of throwing oneself out of a perfectly good airplane, attached to the front of another human, known as a Tandem Master.".
I did it. My tandem master was named Gary. We went up 12,000 feet and I threw myself out of an airplane. I have never experienced such exilaration in my life!! I went freefalling for 45 seconds before the parachute opened. Here is a photo of (again) someone else diving.
Click on the photo!
You see that guy in the yellow? That was me. Then the guy behind is the Tandem Master who basically does all the work. All of a sudden your in this plane, then you're up 12,000 feet and then he just grabs you and ooh la la, you're free falling and then the parachute goes. This was the main thing that I really wanted to do in New Zealand. I couldn't get to sleep after this for hours because I was so revved up.
October 6th - Right now I"m staying in Turangi. Today I went on a treacherous hike called the Tongariro Crossing.
"On Tongariro the antagonistic forces of volcanism and erosion have over time created a complex series of craters, ridges, basins, lakes, lava flows and valleys. The Tongariro Crossing takes the tramper right through the middle of the mountain, and many among these interesting and sometimes spectacular features can be discovered en-route. It is not undeservedly therefore that this walk has been described as 'New Zealand's finest day walk'. Especially when done in fine weather, the variety of rich colours, harmonious shapes and sweeping views offer the most rewarding and spectacular experience."
Ahhh! Its a 8 hour hike up these mountains and volcanos. Or, as I call it, New Zealands best way of making your legs sore for days.....
This is one of the waterfalls that I saw. There are also these really beautiful lakes called the Emerald Lakes. All the way at the top there is alot of snow and you have to tramp your way through while freezing your ass off. A tip - don't wear Teva's as you will be tramping in the snow!
I've visited Wellington which seems like a great city, too bad it was PISSING down rain. It was really depressing. I did, however get to visit the Te Papa, New Zealand's national museum. That was great.
Click here to visit Te Papa!
I went on a virtual bungee jump at Te Papa. The virtual jump made me so keen to do the real jump.
I next headed up to Mount Maunganui, which is in the North East corner of the North Island. There, it was pissing down rain. I managed to do a hike up the famous mountain. The seaside town was spectacular from atop the mountain.
I wish I could have a better photo as the water was sparkling blue and the waves were inviting me into their shores.Here's one! This is the beach at Mount Maunganui.
The next day I headed to Auckland. What a great city. When I was there I visited the Auckland museum.
