Our next stop after Waitomo was Rotorua, which is possibly the smelliest place in the entire world! They have lots of natural mud baths around the town which give off a very interesting smell.. Anyway, we arrived and a few of us had signed up to go zorbing- which is basically where you get pushed down a hill in a giant inflatable ball. AWESOMEEE. Only lasts for about 10 seconds but it's so much fun and they guy let us do it a few times just for the crack. We then had to race the bus back to the hostel to be back in time for our events later that night. We were off to a Maori night in town and the bus was picking us up for it very soon. Quickest change and make up session ever and just about made it on time. We got on this little mini bus and the guy started chatting to us about the Maori's and how they used to live/beliefs ect which was really interesting, he then said every tribe had a chief and tonight our bus was going to be a tribe so he needed to pick a cheif. He chose one of the Welsh boys and his job was to greet the other cheifs in tradition Maori manner when we arrived at the venue. This involved him having to push his head up to them and rubbing noses- very strange and hilar to watch! After the 'greeting ceremony' we went for a wonder around, it was basically set up like and old Maori village and at each station there were actors who would get you involved and teach you different aspects to their life, like games or cooking ect. After playing a few games and getting some snaps with the actors we were summond to dinner and our chief had to help- they cooked their food underground in these big tunnel type things and he helped get it all out and lay it, it smelt amazing! So awesome when we finally got to our table and saw all the food..buffett as well! Had so much food it was insane. The night ended pretty early and we all headed to the hostel bar afterwards for a few drinks, attempted to go swimming in the 'closed' swimming pool which funnily enough didn't turn out too successful and then passed out.

Onto the bus again we go and this time our stop was Taupo, had heard quite a bit about this place so was looking forward to it. Then the driver (Mar) passed round activity forms and it was the one I had been waiting for... sky diving! Aghh I was so excited putting my name on the list to do that day! A few of us who signed up to do it were all buzzing/ freaking out- this is something I had planned to do in New Zealand, been looking forward to for forever and now it was happening!!!!!! Got into the room at the hostel, we somehow got an awesome one with an en-suite and balcony and it was time to get dressed and go.. Lauren, Ally and myself were all in a room together and were doing it so we all pumped each other up.. quite a few of the other guys we were friends with were doing it as well so to do it all together was awesome, sooo buzzing in the van on the drive to the sky field. Then we got there and watched a little video of what we were about to do before deciding what height- 12,000ft or 15,000... Had to be the 15,000! We were split into 2 groups with our group going second.. Must admit I had a minor freak out stage but then excitement took over and was fine.. watched the first group (Moe, Max, Lucy, Matt & Cat) get their jumpsuits on and fly off in the plane.. While we were waiting me, Lauren & Ally were just running around taking snaps and being annoyingly excited by life. Watched the first group land and they came running over saying how amazing it was so now we were ready to go and hopped in our little pink plane. It took about 15 minutes to get up there, we were about 3000ft when I asked how high we were, thinking we must be nearly there and had a bit of a shock.. It's soooo high, above the clouds..couldn't even see the ground and soon as the first person goes its literally so quick that they chuck you out.. I just remember being pushed towards the edge and having to position my body like a banana while hanging in midair and then we were out! OH MY GOD. I literally don't think I can describe how awesome it is, feels crazy. Felt like we were falling forever but then when the paracute went up I wanted to carry on freefalling. The scariest part was when the parachute had gone up and he had to adjust the harness and for a second felt like he was detaching from me! Landed safe and sound and apart from my ears not popping back was the most unbelievable experience ever. After we were all finished we watched the videos in the movie room and rushed home to say what we had all done.. buzzing for the rest of the day.

The next day we had plans to have a big halloween session, so we spent the day buying our costumes and sorting everything out for the night and then headed off to the hot springs for a little dip. Once we got back, we had somehow invited everyone into our room for pre drinks as if we had loads of space and somehow everyone squeezed onto our balcony. All of us girls had decided to go dressed as mascarade ghosts- I wasn't massively keen on the idea but wanted to be the same as everyone of course so there you go and spent hours putting white face paint on everyone! We headed out to the base bar and did an insane about of jager bombs, apple bobbing, limbo comps and just general crazy dancing before heading to another bar which continued to be just as messy and random. Somehow everyone ended up back in our room afterwards as well so the fact we managed to all pass out in the right bed was quite an achievement.. getting up at 7am for the bus was dreadful. We made it..just. But had to wait for Max who obviously couldn't bring himself to get up bless him. Once we were on the bus, we realised we were all still smashed and carried on drinking the beer we had on board with us. Sting was on exceptional form at this point and decided to go up to the front of the bus, take charge of Mar's microphone (after ringing his mum and singing 'I just called to say I love you' down the phone, and was just talking the most rubbish ever but it was possibly the funniest part of the trip so far..

Soooo I last left you after I had done the black water rafting.. The day after that we hopped on the bus and came down to Rotorua which was pretty immense.. Went a did zorbing which is basically when your put into a massive inflatable ball and pushed down a hill- simple but sooooo much fun! Then from the zorb we literally had 20 minutes to get back to the hostel, shower and change until we were being picked up for this Maori night. Basically Maori people are the native New Zealanders and the night consisted of one of the lads in our group being picked as 'cheif' which meant when we arrived him, along with the other 'chiefs' had to stand up to the cheif of the Maori people and exchange in an original greeting.. the haka which is what you see the all blacks do at the beginning of their games is performed to like show the opposing cheifs how scary they are and then they hopefully put down a peace token which if our cheifs accepted we were allowed through to the villiage- i defo havent explained that very well! anyway so then we went through to this set up Maori villiage where all the actors where in role showing us how they used to live and stuff which was really cool and they performed a lil show for us and then we had dinner there.. food was AMAZING, worth the money just to eat nice food again! So we did all that and when we got back to the hostel just popped to the bar next door as you do.

Next day in Rotorua a few of us hopped off the bus at this hot water place which had loads of natural mud pools and hot springs- not to be swam in or anything, just to look at as the mud and water is both about 99 degrees! but was amazing to see it, so unreal from anything at home and they were also these hot rocks which you just lay on and they are really warm! Was quite cool.. also got to see a couple of kiwi birds yayyyy ive been wanting to see one for ages!! they're so weird but i liked them ha. The next stop was Taupo which is were I am now and I took part in the most amazing moment of my life so far... sky diving. It was actually AMAZINGGGGGGG!!!!!!! sooooooo crazy, i loved loved loved it! Defo want to do another one when I get to Oz- girl on the bus did one over Great Barrier Reef so defo thinking about copying her style! :D

Today we kind of have a free day but there's a halloween party at the bar next to our hostel tonight so all going shopping for some halloween outfits and having a big old session tonight!!!