12/02/09: Caught bus at 8.30 and got pies for breakfast. Then went to a farm show- it was brilliant! They had 19 different types of sheep on stage- including Suffolk and South Suffolk! Then they sheared one on stage and then milked a cow and then got a few sheep dogs doing all sorts of tricks with them- like running and jumping over the sheeps! It was a lot better than it sounds! Then went to adventure place but not many of us done activities- we had a bbq for lunch there before heading to waitomo caves- our caving trip is tomorrow morning- scary!! We checked into the hostel- we got a twin room for same price as dorm!! It has rained so hard all day- its miserable. Come over to bar and just had salads and fish and lil alex had fresh steak! Found out they had cider so enjoyed one of them and then had an early night!!

13/02/09: Wow- what a day!!! We were picked up from our hostel at 7.45 by the caving people and they took us to the caves and kitted us out in a wet suit, wet suit jacket, wet suit socks, shorts (??), a hard pair of shoes, a mining hat with light and all harnesses! It was almost impossible trying to fit in my wetsuit- lil alex and the guide had to pull it up on me which was a laugh!! Then we went to the caves! First we were shown on a practise slope how to abseil and we all had a practise- it seemed quite easy! Then we went to cave mouth and one by one had to abseil down 37 metres in a black hole with only our head lamp as light!!!!! First u had to step of a platform and slowly lower yourself down through a tiny hole then abseil the rest of the way! I have never been so pertrified! Luckily u couldnt see down cos it was dark!! It was the equivalent of a 10 or 11 storey building though!! I was pretty crap but lil alex was good! Next was the zip wire! Almost as scary- we were strapped on and zipwired even further down into the cave in the pitch black!! Then we had a drink and flapjack before grabbing a rubber ring and jumping in the freezing water!!! We followed a rope along the dark caves- with just the glow worms for light- it was amazing! We then lost the rings and had to crawl through some tiny holes in the caves. We then had to walk along in the caves in the water- it was hard cos the water was gushing and there was so many rocks- it would be shallow then deep and we all fell over loads- so my hards are pretty sore from the coarse rocks! We had another drink and some chocolate then the most amazing part!! The waterfall climb!!!! There were two gushing waterfalls coming down in holes in the rock and you had to climb them! It was really hard cos my wetsuit was filled with water and so i couldnt spread my legs enough to climb up to the next rock- you practically had to do the splits!! I managed the first one! Then on the second I lost a shoe!! But I did it- then we resurfaced to a nice sunny day and squeezed out of our wet suits and jumped into a nice warm shower before having soup and bagels! We jumped back on kiwi bus which came and picked us up! And drove to Taupo. On the way we played bus games- including surfing- where each side of the bus races to crowd surf someone from the front to the back of the bus and back again! It was so funny! But we had to draw the curtains so the driver didnt get in trouble if the police saw! Hahaha! We stopped a an amazing waterfall called Huka Falls- it was so powerful!! A lot of people are doing skydiving here- I'm so tempted!! We then checked into the hostel- we have a twin room again and its en-suite!!! All for 44 english pounds for two nights for both of us!! We walked to supermarket to get tea and supplies for tomorrows tongario crossing!! We decided to get an early night but the bars outside kept us awake cos some guy was playing the guitar and singing very loudly!!!