New Zealand: North Island

Hello from South Island!

Think I finished the last blog in Auckland.....Auckland was quite interesting, but we really just used it as a place to get ready to start our NZ adventure - wouldn't exactly call it the classic New Zealand! We joined our first Stray bus to tour the North Island after 3 nights in Auckland. Had a fantastic crowd on the bus and two great bus drivers who made our first week amazing - so much so that instead of hopping off the bus in the North Island, we stuck with them until the South Island. It was a sad goodbye! Have been posting photos on facebook - the easiest option! I can post some pics on this thing, but it takes ages. I can send links to the albums but those without Facebook should definitely get in with the craze!

The North Island was amazing, although scarily similar to Scotland! Our first stop was digging hot water pools in a place called Hahei on the east. Crowds of people gather on the beach to dig a hole in the sand to sit in and watch the sunset! The water underground is heated by a volcano so very hot (sometimes bubbling) water comes out the sand when you dig holes - hence Hot water Beach! It was a great way to relax (once the boys had done all the digging), but the water was so hot that sometimes you had to run into the freezing sea to cool down. - Louis even tried to cook some mussells in a pool of water. That is definitely unlike Scotland!! Also did some beautiful hikes around this part - shocked ourselves by getting up at 5am to do a sunrise hike to Cathedral Cove - see piccies.

We stopped over at the surf capital of Raglan - apparently one of the few places in the world where you get a left hand brake. Chose to watch the pros rather than have a go ourselves - definitely prefer to save that for the warmer waters of Oz!

Probably the best part of the North Island was the Waitomo Caves, where we did the Haggis Honking Holes trip. It was amazing; pretty scary at times but worth it. We had to abseil down into the caves - 3 abseils, the first was about 20m and the second two were under a waterfall. Hard to describe but we basically just manouvered our way through tight caves deep underground for nearly 4 hours, squeezing through tiny spaces (not for the claustrophobic!) and jumping off ledges into darkness. Great fun!

We spent a night at a Maori centre (which was really a house) learning some Maori dances and songs - the Poi dance for the girls and the Haka dance for the boys (the war dance which the All Blacks do at the rugby). Also had a day each in Roturua and Taupo. Roturua was cool, but stunk of rotten eggs as it is the main area for geothermal activity (meaning more hot pools!). Louis and Phil, one the guys of the Stray bus, had a go at Zorbing - getting in a big plastic ball (the equivalent of a hamsters ball to a hamster) filled with soap and water and running down a big hill in it! Very funny to watch!

We planned to do a skydive in Taupo, but it got called off because of the weather - plenty more opportunities though! We settled for a very drunken night out at the local Irish pub for one of the girls birthdays - managed to win some free drinks through some drunken competitions, including the classic clothes swap! Was like being a student all over again!

Unfortunately we never managed to do the Tongariro Crossing in the National Park - apparently a very good hike but it often gets called off because of the weather. Luckily the lodge we stayed in had a spa pool and a log fire so we were sorted. Spent a night in Wellington with the Stray group - seems a very nice city, much better than Auckland, but we didn't hang around long.

Now its onto the South (and best) Island - we have about 4 weeks to spend here so plan on doing loads of adrenaline rushing activites, and will likely spend a lot of money....but its worth it!

South Island blog coming soon....

Love Heather xxx