Lake Taupo - 28th March to 30th March

After a slow start to the day with the drive from Rotorua we eventually pulled into Taupo around 10.30 in the morning. As we made our way into the town we noticed a small place on the outskirts called 'The Bee Hive', obviously obsessed with honey at this current time we pulled over to check it out. As we wandered inside we sampled the free honey, 'of course' and then went to watch the bees at work. Inside the place they had numerous beehive tanks where the Honey bees were free to go in and out to make the honey and we even got to try honey straight from the hive with the wax seals still in place, "and yeah it was good". On departure we headed straight for the town, back to civilisation for the first time in days and therefore we felt it was essential to go on the internet and catch up on news from around the globe. After the news update and an assessment of the local area we drove up to the viewpoint overlooking the lake in its entirety and sat back taking in the sight and enjoying lunch.

After filling our boots with soup we headed down the road to the Huka Falls. Before arriving in Taupo we had no idea these falls existed so we were quite pleased to see it especially as it was our favorite price, 'free'. On route we spotted a camp site, only yards from the falls, and it was also that beautiful price. We also noticed the young couple we met the previous night pulling in. But before heading in the camp site we visited the falls. On arrival we crossed the bridge and there it was, not a huge fall but that was not what this place was about, the huge river that hurtled the water towards this narrower gap meant that the volume of water passing through the falls could fill an Olympic sized swimming pool in just 3 seconds. The roar was tremendous and the colour variation fantastic as the air bubbles in the water reflected the sun light which gave the falls a fluorescent blue colour as it passed through the canon. As we stood and marveled for a while watching the water hammer through the day seemed to stand still with only the humming of the water keeping us in reality.

Heading back to the camp site we rendezvoused with James and George and then spent the afternoon shaving my head, playing Frisbee and swimming in the river. However, I soon jumped out of that when I noticed a rat trying desperately to reach the edge that I was swimming near. Come evening there was only one thing on our minds, our skydive. Frankly I was petrified, Rachel on the other hand was buzzing and of course it was going to take place on her birthday which would make it even more special. We sat back, played cards with the guys again and tried to chill for the remainder of the evening.

As the sun came up I had been awake long before. The day had come to jump out of a plane from 15000 feet, what the hell were we thinking? I think Rachel was even showing some nerves now. After a birthday kiss and a present wrapped in bog roll, economical as I am, we set off. First stop was the superloo where I could try and relax doing…then I heard the news, "Steven hurry up were jumping at 10". Rachel had made the phone call to confirm whether we would be jumping or not, as I met her back outside she did admit she was a little nervous now but we drove the 8km to the airport and checked ourselves in. The guys there were just great and told us everything we needed to know. We watched a quick film on skydiving, well a girls skydive which gave us a feel for what we were about to embark on and then we were set. We picked our songs for the DVD and then were introduced to our instructors, Rachel was with Rohan and I was with the boss Mac and I felt a little safer knowing he was 'the top dog'. The guys then kitted us out with all our gear, jump suit, hat and goggles included. I was outside with Mac and Rachel was inside the 'Bigfun like' shelter as the instructors calmed our nerves, "or tried to", as they broke down the do's and don'ts of skydiving and put the remaining pieces of our kit on.Then the fun really started, they did a mini interview for the DVD and then we made our way to the plane. It was bright pink, a KA with wings (tin can). Climbing aboard we took our seats, "the instructor sitting on the floor with us in his lap". There were four of us jumping out, one lad was going from 12000 feet and would be first out followed by the three of us jumping from 15000 feet, the highest available in New Zealand. As the propellers spun and the plane's engine roared we moved off before we knew it. The wheels clawed to the runway as much as they could and eventually we gained enough thrust and were up and heading for the sky. We were both sitting facing the tail, me first, then Rach. The French lad who was jumping first was in the tail. As we gained altitude our guides strapped us in to them and placed our hats and goggles in position. We had another play around with the camcorders where they asked how we were feeling, "the most idiotic question known to man at the time", and then to my horror Mac placed an oxygen mask over my face.

I almost tripped, but thankfully when I turned my head and saw Rachel having hers placed on and at the same time the instructor was reassuring me it was due to the altitude we were climbing to without the cabin being under pressure so 'pheew', panic over. As we approached 12000 feet I shuffled my feet and with a one big arc of the plane the door slowly slid open. The French lad got in to position and suddenly… he was gone, whipped under the plane. My heart stopped and so did Rachel's. I looked behind and I could now see the same horror on her face that I had had on mine for the previous 24 hours. Finally she had realised she was chucking herself out of a plane. It took no time at all before we arrived at 15000 feet. My gas mask was removed and we edged to the door, the pilot arched up and the door opened, I was daggling out of the plane, my heart was pounding and my feet were being sucked underneath the planes belly. With one last gulp of air it happened. We were gone, plummeting through the air 0 to 200km an hour within seconds, the feeling was incredible, the skin on my face pulled back to my ears as the G force took hold. We dived head first towards earth before leveling out and above me I could only imagine how Rachel was feeling. Mac spun us around in the sky whilst waving the camcorder in my face, nothing could touch us, only the ground which was a mere 100 seconds away. Then it was over, it felt like the brakes were slammed on, the parachute opened, "thankfully", and we seemed to stop in mid-air. Mac asked how I was feeling, I was ecstatic, I had just had the time of my life. He offered to take me round his office and we glided away, although not before I looked up to checked to make sure Rachel was behind me, and there she was gliding through the air like a fairy.

As we headed in to land, I lifted my legs and within a second my backside was safely sliding along the ground. The most perfect of landings to finish the most amazing of experiences. As I did one last interview for the DVD I watched Rachel glide in feet first to the ground. She looked straight for me to see how I had got on as she was worried after she saw my face leave the plane, apparently I looked on the verge of crying. Not anymore I said, that was the best thing I had ever done, thank you. After we took off our gear we headed inside to watch the DVD's and pay of course, 'nice touch' that paying on landing, pay if you survive, get it free if you die'. Rachel's was first on the screen, and believe me this is one to savour, I wont spoil it too much but I can guarantee it will make you laugh, I'm laughing now just thinking about it. After Rachel's mine was screened, "Hollywood here I come". We then set off back to Taupo and on route, still mesmerised by what we had just done, we pulled over by the lake to have lunch and share our experiences.

Sitting on a park bench next to the lake we had the back drop of the mountains behind us, including Mt Doom from Lord of the Rings. What a great setting to reflect on 'jumping out a plane'. Just before finishing lunch a couple (Dan and Sarah), who we had met in Australia, wandered past so we sat chatting to them for a while before continuing on our way. We called in at Mc Donalds for an ice cream before heading to Tauhara Mountain Scenic Reserves where Rachel nursed a headache and I sat in the sun reading. After a power nap we decided to head on further into the park where there were some geothermal springs. These springs pumped boiling hot water from middle earth up to the surface and into the ice cold river flowing down to the Huka Falls. As we wandered in the feeling was surreal with people literally laid back in these boiling openings, so we joined them. After a while I wandered out for a swim in the river where the water was much cooler before rejoining Rachel and the couple from Australia for a chit chat. As the afternoon started to tear away from us we headed back to the camper and to the town centre. After a quick spray of deodorant and a baby wipe wash we headed out for dinner, on me. Rachel's choice was an Indian, something we had not had in ages, so we jumped into Heritage of India for dinner. The food was average but it was still a meal out and Rachel was smiling and that was what mattered on her birthday. After dinner we took a stroll before heading back to the campsite where we had stayed the night before. As we settled in for the night I lit the candles on Rachel's birthday cake and sang happy birthday under the stars.

The next day we awoke early to catch up with our parents via Skype. Heading in to Global Gossip we spent the next couple of hours sharing our New Zealand experiences with them and reassuring them we were still alive and well after the skydive. Before leaving Taupo we copied our sky diving DVD's, just in case of an accident, and filled Cindy up with fuel. As we started the drive around the lake towards Mt Doom and our next destination we decided to pull over for one last lunch at this fantastic setting.