After leaving the lodge and heading towards Blue Duck Station, we made a quick stop in Taupō, where David went and sky dived out of a plane! I, instead, took a walk by Lake Taupō and walked around the lovely little town, until it was time to go and pick up a shell shocked David and head towards our next stop. When we finally arrived at Blue Duck, after some very windy roads on the edge of the cliff (also remember we were in the random bus with no seat belts!), it was pretty much night time, so we chose our rooms and had a chilled evening, making dinner and playing games. The next morning, David had signed up to go horse riding, so I set off on a couple of hours long walk to the Blue Duck waterfall. It was a lovely walk, but excessively muddy! There were many points where I either nearly lost my shoe in the mud or fell head over heels! Luckily neither happened and I managed to battle my way through after an hour or so to the waterfall, which was worth the long trek! There had been heavy rain a few weeks before in this area, and a previous group at the lodge had to be evacuated by helicopter! Luckily it was sunny that day, but if it had rained even slightly, I would have undoubtedly been stuck as it was so muddy already! The way back seemed easier, as I was expecting the mud, but on a particularly muddy section I was offered a lift over the mud (and cliff!?!?) by a digger driver, who was clearing out the mud! Not particularly safe as I was literally stood in the bucket of the digger over the cliff, but I lived to tell the tale and didn’t get stuck in the mud forever! As it was a glorious day, the afternoon consisted of de-muddying my trainers, and basking in the rays outside. The next morning was to be a 6am start, so no late nights that night!

Highlights: finally reaching the waterfall, getting lifted over the mud and cliff by a digger! Lovely weather and lodge.

Accomodation: Blue Duck Station