Next stop on our journey north was Lake Taupo which has an amalgam of geothermic features, thrilling activities and of course the lake. We didn't really consider the town itself to be terribly attractive - a little like Milton Keynes with wide boulevards and modern buildings. Thankfully it wasn't a long drive to some spectacular sights. Our first stop was the Huka Falls, while certainly not the highest waterfalls we had seen, they were perhaps the most powerful. The mighty Waikato river is about 100m wide before the falls condensed into a width of 15m at its narrowest point on the falls with water pouring through at a rate of 220,000 litres per second. The force and noise of the river is incredible.

After the falls we visited Orakei Korako geothermal park. It was a bit off the beaten track and doesn't receive many visitors; consequently, we had the park almost all to ourselves. After a short boat ride to the park itself we saw the geysers; Soda and Diamond (although we were not lucky enough to see either of them erupt while we were there), bubbling mud pools and ´the devil's throat´ where boiling water gurgles out of a rock formation resembling the devil's face. The most spectacular parts of the park were the emerald terraces, the map of Africa and the artist's pallet where pools and streams of hot water have created patterns on the rock face and to which vivid colours have been added by lichen that grows in the water. After Orakei Korako we were in the mood for a thermal bath so we drove to Butchers Pool which is a free open air public thermal bath where we relaxed in 34C water for half an hour or so. We were back at the campsite early in the evening and Craig cooked a feast of tuna pasta.

After a good night's sleep we were up early, virtually knocking on the door of the Taupo Bungee operation. We were so early in fact that Gemma was the first bungee jumper of the day. After getting kitted up and safety checked and double checked all too soon it was time for the 47m jump over the Waikato River. However, it took a further 5 or 6 mins of procrastinating (I was jolly scared and as I looked over the edge, every fibre of my being was telling me this was not a good idea) before, with the ´assistance´ of my safety instructor I actually made the jump. If you watch the video Craig took, I think my scream accurately conveys my terror and I don't think I shall be doing it again!

Bungee over we jumped into the campervan and set off for the smelly town of Rotorua.