well, what a crazy last two days i have had in taupo!!! first of all, I have to say anyone who comes here MUST skydive here, it was amazing!

at 15000ft in the plane, I was to be the first one out of the plane, and it was amazing. leading up to getting in the plane and all, I could not stop smiling, but it was a smile of excitement, like "im about to do something veruy stupid!!"

You can see the real detail on the Dvd of the jump that I am sending to my mum (along with some other goodies, sorry!) wghich is absolutely fantastic, it includes brief interviews with yours truly before and after the and ven during the jump.

includes music too, .....nice!

I was in freefall for just over a minute, and as I left the plane, we did a few somersaults, and some spins, which was very very very excititng. After freefal was over and the parachute opened, I was allowed to take control of the reins and steer the parachute, so the dude told me to yank the right cord as hard as i could, and we went into a g-force spin in line with the floor, which was absolutely mental!!

I loved every second, after I had calmed down, I decided to take in the wonderful scenery, and ther was not a clowd in the sky! saw both coast of new zealand, and saw all the mountains that I would later be climbing.

With a smooth(ish, as I didnt manage to stand) landing, all that was left to do was to watch the dvd, and smile as I know it will make those afraid of heights squirm!

So we move on to today,. and wow, not as adrenaline fuelled, but certainly the best walk ive ever done! again the photos are essential to understand this.....

ill be sending them home on a seperate cd, as i took 220 photos in one day! I went japanese on that cameras ass!

but the moutnains we breathtaking to behold at the start, and the beginning was nothing too challenging, and contained some nice long flat bits,

But then came what the locals call "THE DEVILS' STAIRCASE", and i certainly knew why at the end. hewn from dark volcanic rock, and as challenging and steep as anything youd find in hell, it was painful, but the landscape was fascinating, and as youll se in the pics, the view at the top was worth it.

After the staircase, I hit the first crater; a minature desert with yellowish, baren lands, with nothing but a few boulders, eerie!

Then it was up to the start of the "RED RIDGE" which was the second and luckily final apianful bit of the steep inclines. and the viw from the top of this was breathtaking; mt.doom on one side (yes i said it!) and the volcanic craters and lakes on the other.

so after sliding dow the loose scree path on the other side of the ridge and nearly wiping out a few times, i got some good shots of the lake, and then walked through the second crater. It was at this point that I met a nice canadian fellow called dean(?) and we stck together for the rest of the track and had a good chat.

then it was into the rolling moorlands, and some fantastic hillside paths, before making a descent into the forest below. the changes of scenery were so abrupt, first scottish-like shrub land, then rolling long grasses,. and then a tropical forest thingy! wierd, but brilliant.

And after the forest back to civilisation! check the photos out!! NOW!!!

I am absolutely knackered now, and will do nothing but eat a meal and then get a good night's sleep tonight, before heading back up to tauranga to see my mates caz and fahie for caz's b'day, before heading to christchurfcch to go to Bangkok

Not long now asia, not long now!!!!!!

Love to you all, hope all is well in england. and we beat the irish at rugby, yey!

:)

msiing you all terribly, including my little steed twiglet! :(

Lots of love

George xxxxxx