Today I went on the Kiwi Experience trip - East As which takes you all round the East Cape. Left Lake Taupo about 9am. First stop was to a geothermally active mud pool, between Taupo and Rotorua. Only stopped for a short while in Rotorua (will have to spend longer there another time). Then we drove for a few hours until we reached Whakatane which is where you can go to visit white island which is an active volcano (but I didn't). The scenery was incredible, ...

Today I did a skydive, which was incredible! Clare and I were picked up at the hostel at 11am, for the short drive to Taupo airport. Got fitted into our gear which consisted of a bright red boiler suit - lovely! The brochure said that you were supposed to get a full briefing from your tandem pilot at the start - yeah right! Met the bloke, cant remember his name and he then told me he was going to get the parachute - well that would be a good idea. Got ...

Booked up to do a sky dive today with my new roommate Clare. It's booked, weather permitting for 11am tomorrow. Weather was bad again, but decided to go for a walk - did the Spa Park/Hukka Falls walk, along the Waikato river. Went past Taupo bungee on the way to the start of the walk. Its over the Waikato river which is the most gorgeous green colour. Just after the start of the walk (which is supposed to take 45 minutes) was a hot stream that fed into th...

I had to get up early today (Friday) to catch a 9.15am bus to Taupo, which is in the middle of the north island. Taupo is located on Lake Taupo which is a massive lake and is actually the crater of a really big volcano which erupted ages ago. The hostel I'm staying in is called Tiki Lodge and I can see the Lake from my window. Although this is a new hostel my room takes first prize for being basic. There are only 3 bunk beds and a bin - nothing else - not a ho...

On Wednesday the weather was slightly better, so I went to Waiheke Island which is in the Hauraki Gulf and about 1/2 hour away on a fast ferry. The journey was great - really nice scenery. You can sometimes see dolphins in the gulf but I didn't. I got to Waiheke and caught a bus to Ontangi beach on the north coast of the island. It was a really nice beach but the place was so deserted - there were hardly any people and nothing was open except one restuarant (...