We arrived in Taupo mid-morning and after visiting the i-site found a hostel for a couple of nights. When we got there we had to put our bags in luggage storage as check-in wasn't until 2pm. It was then Karl realised he didn't have his video camera. He left it on the coach!!! So after some frantic rummaging he ran back to the bus terminal and luckily the driver was only going to Rotorua (about 2 hours onwards) before heading back to Taupo so he managed to get it back....much to all our reliefs!!! The tape in there had all the footage from New Zealand which has been absolutely breath-taking and magnificent!!!

Once Karl was back we went to the i-site to enquire about skydives. By this point it was 11.30....and there was a free slot at 12. So we literally had time to pay, go and quickley change into some warmer clothes (it's cold at 15,000 ft!) and get back to the i-site where we were picked up by a limo!!! There wasn't even time to think about what we were going to do!!! It really dawned on me though when we had to sign the disclaimer stating that we understood that skydiving could result in serious injury or death and if this was the case we would have no claim with the company!!!! When we arrived we were taken into a room where we were shown a DVD of what we were letting ourselves in for! Then we waited around for a while before being hunted down by our instructor/dive partner who went through what we did and then got us suited up. I got a dvd made, so I had to be ridiculously cheesy on camera before I went up too!!! We got in the plane after having some photos taken (see pictures on facebook) and I don't think it dawned on me still what I was doing!!!! Everyone else got oxygen when ascending but I didn't! Not sure why...it might be because Jorn was still fixing all the harnesses. Karl was the first out and what terrified me the most was the fact that he and his partner just disappeared from view straight after jumping. I was 3rd out with my partner Jorn and I cannot even describe how I felt. To be honest I can't remember the first bit after jumping or indeed the motion of jumping, which is to be expected I have heard as it is a bit of a sensory overload!!!! What I can remember was the rush of air into my face and the distinct lack of air available to be readily breathed in!!! Needless to say I was happy when the parachute cord was pulled and I enjoyed the relaxing descent!!! Jorn even let me hold the handles which dictated direction and we went round in a circle (not sure of the technical name!) rather fast which was fun!!! We landed with a bit of a bump (see my expression on pictures!!) and that was the end of it!!! I was so taken aback with the experience that I just sat there still taking it all in....in the end Jorn had to tell me I could get up if I wanted! haha. I then had to do more cheesy camera stuff and photos whilst shaking!!! Then I was completely speechless and in a complete daze for most of the day!! It's the strangest feeling!!! I watched my dvd which is hilarious.....I kid you not I look like a pig caught in headlights in freefall...not the best!!!

After that we headed back to town in the Limo and got some lunch before going to the i-site again to find out about other things to do in Taupo. Then we walked down to the lake, Karl and Sam walked on a bit further and did a golf challenge which involved pitching a ball onto a tiny island in the middle of the lake for a chance of winning cash (if the ball got in the hole). The funniest thing is, they hire a diver to go and collect all the balls afterwards!!!! I went to the internet cafe and uploaded all my pictures. The boys came to meet me and we walked to the supermarket. Once there though we couldn't decide what we wanted to eat - I for one was still in a daze!!! So we ditched the trolley and took up the meal deal offer for $10 at the Irish Pub beneath our hostel. I then phoned home to break the good news that I was still alive!!!!! Then went to bed.

The next morning Sam had his skydive booked....so Karl and I went to watch and video/photograph. Afterwards we went back into town, got lunch and then got a shuttle bus to the Craters of the Moon - massive geysers, which are craters emitting steam. Really quite extraordinary and the area stunk of sulphur!!! The shuttle bus picked us up an hour later and took us to the Huka Falls. The white-water rapids just before the falls are amazing - they are moving so fast that I was unsure that anything could survive going down them!!!! We watched in awe for a while, took some photos and then headed back along the track beside the river into town. The walk was good - some amazing scenery and just before the town there are some hot pools thermally heated, which seem boiling but must be 30-40 degrees. Warm enough to swim in on a day which is sunny with a cool breeze (certainly not bikini weather!). Sam and I went for a paddle - Karl had a full on swim. We then walked back to the town via the supermarket. After eating dinner I did some blog and then went to bed.

I woke up early and packed to check out - our bus to Rotorua was leaving at 10.40. Check-out was at 10 so I had just enough time to do some more blogging!!!