Archive for January, 2007
I went to Waitomo on Thursday for the Black Water Rafting - quite a popular activity and also rather unique. Our bus chose to do the “Black Abyss” trp with The Legendary Black Water Rafting Company. This involves about 3 hours underground in the limestone caves around Waitomo.
The main tourist draw of these caves is the huge number of glow worms present in the caves - they cover the ceiling in places. Most of the trips simply involve wandering about the caves, looking at the caves and glow worms. The trip we did is decribed as “Adventure Caving” and is a little bit different…
The trip kicks off with the usual struggle into a wetsuit, then its off to do some abseil training. You enter the caves via a 35m abseil through a quite tight part of the cave - which I flew down ;-). After that, theres a zip line into the darkness, a while spent floting in the dark on innertubes watching the glow worms, jumping off stuff, squezes and other cave type stuff and finally climbing out via 2 waterfalls.
Well worth doing if you get the chance, and make sure you cough up for he more expensive trip as the shorter one misses out so much…..Â
January 27th, 2007
I went to Waitomo on Thursday for the Black Water Rafting - quite a popular activity and also rather unique. Our bus chose to do the “Black Abyss” trp with The Legendary Black Water Rafting Company. This involves about 3 hours underground in the limestone caves around Waitomo.
The main tourist draw of these caves is the huge number of glow worms present in the caves - they cover the ceiling in places. Most of the trips simply involve wandering about the caves, looking at the caves and glow worms. The trip we did is decribed as “Adventure Caving” and is a little bit different…
The trip kicks off with the usual struggle into a wetsuit, then its off to do some abseil training. You enter the caves via a 35m abseil through a quite tight part of the cave - which I flew down ;-). After that, theres a zip line into the darkness, a while spent floting in the dark on innertubes watching the glow worms, jumping off stuff, squezes and other cave type stuff and finally climbing out via 2 waterfalls.
Well worth doing if you get the chance, and make sure you cough up for he more expensive trip as the shorter one misses out so much…..Â
January 27th, 2007
Next ont he Bus was Rotorua - the geothermal capital of New Zealand.
I checked back into Hot Rocks hostel, with its nice heated swimming pool, and we all then headed off to go luging. Somehow I managed to do 3 luge runs without falling off - so no concrete burn. This lack of accidents is unusual for me! The evening was spent at a Maori Hangi meal an cultural performance which was very enjoyable. The food was great, and there was heaps of it!
The next day I was meant to be back on the bus, but I decided the day would be better spent out Mountain Biking in the local forest, which has 60km + of single track. I rented a steed from Bike Vegas (Highly Reccomended!) and set out. It took me 3 hours to screw up 
… I hit a set of doubles on the nice downhil run, and managed to go nose first into the secod jump - and then face planted. Somehow I got my shin into the bars again, smashing it back up where I broke it last time! Stupid bad luck / judgement.
January 25th, 2007
Taken from the main stand, showing the 2 main stages and stand. This was early on and it got busier!
Tool and the Killers were on the Blue Stage at the end, so I got a space somewhere in the middle of the crowd.
January 21st, 2007
Been in Pahia for a few days now… Travelled up to Cape Reinga yesterday, it was a good trip. Managed to be the fastest at dune surfing, which caused me to make it past the bottom of the dunes and through the water at the bottom, into the car pak and I ended up under the back of the bus ;-).
Today has been spent reading and nursing a biot of a hangover…
January 16th, 2007
Ended up in Auckland today, and found a nice little hostel in Parnell called the Aloe Tree - free WiFi again ;-).
Should be off up north tomorrow or shortly after.
January 9th, 2007
Finished my PADI training with 2 open water dives and a theory test today… All went well and I am now a qualified diver :-).
Should be able to get a days diving in with Matt on Tuesday before I head towards Auckland on Wed. Now I need to get a few dives in to practice and then start work on my Advanced qualification.
January 7th, 2007
Just finished my first day on the PADI Open Water diving course. Feeling knackered, but got all the pool work done in the morning, and then did 2 shore dives this afternoon. All went well, and we are on for 2 boat dives tomorrow followed by the theory test. After that I will be properly certified to dive ;-)….
Already planning a dive to the Rainbow Warrior wreck next week!
January 6th, 2007
Happy New Year from sunny Whitianga.
I spent new year up here with Matt, at the Mercury Rising Concert which was good. Otherwise I am chilling on the beach, living cheap in a tent and studying for my PADI Open Water course this weekend.
I’m off to Auckland next week, then Pahia and back to Auckland for the Big Day Out.
Better update when I have more time on the internet…….
January 2nd, 2007
