A lot since

Ok, so a lot seems to have happened since I jumped out of the plane. It's been a really good ending to my trip. I leave tomorrow and have very mixed feelings. So ready to be done travelling, but not quite ready to say goodbye to New Zealand. I'm ready to see Peggy and Ginny (and the rest of the family too), but will miss the people I've met here. Anyways, to update you on the last week or so. I headed up to Thames on the Coromandel Penninsula after my sky dive. I really just relazed for a day, did laundry, that kind of thing. On Saturday, Simon arrived for the long weekend (ANZAC Day). We hired a car and headed off. We went to Hahei which is a little resort community on the east coast of the Coromandel. It was pretty beautiful there. We hung out on the beach pretty much the whole day. Not a whole lot of swimming (cold water), but lots of sun time. By mid afternoon we were being beaten by the clouds, so we headed to our hostel. Dinner, then we headed off to Hot Water Beach for low tide. Hot Water beach is one of the strangest things I've experienced. You could wiggle your feet down into the sand and the water was hot; like burn your feet hot. Simon and this other guy had shovels and were digging like crazy to make pools to sit in, but they weren't having very much luck with the waves. It was low tide, but some of the waves were still coming right up. We had fun anyways. The stars were spectacular that night. Haven't really seen a sky like that yet. Anyways, Sunday we headed to Cathedral Cove for a bit of a hike. It was a very cool place. The rest of Sunday and Monday were spent hanging out on the Coromandel. A little tough cause the weather wasn't great, but. Tuesday we headed into Auckland where we had lunch and then headed up the Sky Tower. A little disappointing as it is really not that tall. I mean it's taller then anything else in Auckland, but compared to the CN Tower, it's 200m shorter. Anyways, Katie would be pleased to know I had no trouble with the glass floor here. After the tower, Simon had to catch the plane back to Nelson. It was definately nice to have him come up and it was a good visit before I go back. Wednesday morning, I caught the bus up to Paihia in the Bay of Islands. I headed to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where the Treaty of Waitangi (NZ's founding document) was first signed between some of the Maori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown. Interesting to compare that history to Canadian history. Tuesday night I met up with a guy from Ontario, he and I organized a cruise in the Bay of Islands for the next day. Well, what a beautiful day for a sail around the Bay. I was looking forward to swimming with the dolphins. So we spotted a pod quite early, but weren't allowed to swim with them because there were two babies in the group. We headed out to see "Hole in the Rock" which was actually pretty cool looking. Then back for lunch on the beach of 'island #7', (creative Kiwi's). Well, the weather started to take a bit of a turn then and it wasn't long before we were in quite a storm. Robin would have been very sick. But we saw dolphins, but nope, the water was too rough. Anyways, 3/4 through the day and I was ready to go back. It ended up being no swimming with dolphins and a hell of a lot of rain. Ah well. So Chad and I went for fish and chips when we got back (very yummy). Today I leave Paihia at 1, and the tomorrow I leave NZ. Kinda crazy, can't wait to see you all!

I Jumped out of a plane!

Ok, so this will be quick as I really hate dial-up internet. But I went sky diving yesterday morning in Taupo. It was an amzing experience and I have some pictures to share at some point (although they are pretty bad, I am always looking down at the ground, not the camera). It was fantastic though. Me, Ali, jumped out of a plane. Gus (the guy strapped to my back, who knew what he was doing), was pretty fantastic, and I definately got the best looking one. Anyways, I am alive, and one more time, I jumped out of a plane.

What an amazing couple of days

Ok, so I got to Rotorua yesterday. It may be the worst smelling place ever. Sulphur, sulphur and more sulphur. But I don't feel like writing that much tonight, so I went to the geothermal valley yesterday. Bubbling mud pools, geysers, lots of steam. It was very cool (smelled bad though). Then last night I headed out to a 'traditional Maori village' for a cultural show and hangi (dinner). Each bus had a chief and had to accept a peace offering from the chief of the village. Our chief was Gordon from Australia. We then watched a bunch of song and dances (including the Haka). Finally we went for dinner. Hangi's are cooked in the ground and it was so much food. It was fantastic and get this - I ate a mussel (not good). It was a great night. Then today I went on a big adventure. I headed to Waitomo Caves early this morning and signed up for an 'adventure caving trip'. Well, when we got to Waitomo, my guide met me. I was the only one on the trip. It was pretty awesome. We got all geared up and headed to the cave. I had to do the shorter trip cause the water was too high for the longer one. Ah well. It was fantastic. I don't know how to describe it - nature is an amazing thing. It is between this and the Abel Tasman kayaking as my favourite activities here. Anyways, hopefully you like the pictures.

Happy Easter

Ok, so the big event in the past couple days has been the Tongariro Crossing - the best one day tramp in NZ - no arguments here. Sonja (from Austria) and I couldn't have asked for a better day. People kept telling us how cold and misserable is would be and how windy and basically left you no desire to do the walk. But we got on the shuttle bus at 7:20 (so early for me) and headed out. I had bundled up, but not long into the walk found myself getting rid of lots of the layers. Anyways, basic synopsis. You walk through the Mangatepopo valley until Soda Springs where you start the longest steepest climb I have ever done on a hike. Pretty intense. Up to your right is Mt. Ngauruhoe and to your left is Mt. Tongariro, both active volcanos. When you reach the first summit, you cross through South Crater (looks like I imagine the moon), then over for another steep climb and up to Red Crater (looks like an amusement park ride where the roller coast comes out of a volcano). Then down a very steep hill (lots of people slipping on the scree) to emerald lakes, which are very beautiful, but stink something awful of sulphur. The accross central crater and the the long decent down to the end of the trail at Ketetahi. Pretty intense and such a variety of very cool landscapes. Hopefully the pictures speak for themselves. It's 17km, we took our time, but it was still 7 and a half hours on the trail. What an awesome day. Then back to the backpackers where we went out for apple crumble at the pub next door. Played some pool and then back to the hostel for some well deserved hot tub time. Yesterday and today are lazy days. This afternoon I head to Taupo.

Back to the Cold

So I appear to have reached New Zealand's autumn weather. I am now in National Park (yes, actually the name of the town). It is really the gate way to Tongariro National Park. I am enjoying myself once again and surrounded by fun people. I have apparently attached myself to a group of German's (quite an interesting group of people). The hostel that I am staying at is by far the coolest place I have stayed. There is a climbing gym in the hostel (yes, it's true) and to get to my room, there is a little passage way in the wall which leads to the door. Can you imagine, waking up to a climbing gym for 3 days in a row. Unfortunately the mornings are quite early here as everyone is off to do some tramp. Today I headed into the park with 3 other girls, Nora, Anika (from Germany) and Sonya (from Austria). We did a tramp called Tama Lakes. It's 17 km, around 5 hours. Things seemed really good when we left the village, by the time we got to the lower lake, the wind was picking up. By the upper lake, well we didn't actually see the upper lake due to the clouds covering it and the extreme winds blowing all around us. Once again, thank goodness for good gear, I was nice and warm and dry. Anyways, on the way down we went to Takaka Falls (very beautiful) and then for hot chocolate in the village. It was a pretty awesome day. Tomorrow Sonya and I are going to do the Tongariro Crossin - New Zealand's best one day tramp. Anyways, should be good, a little cold maybe but good. Oh, also, you know you are getting old when your old ski jacket is used in a display at a national park museum (yes dad, the old red and green Columbia)

I'm Behind!

Ok, so I am quite far behind. Quick synopsis - Friday March 31 I headed up to Hanmer Springs where I met up with Simon (from Nelson). We had a lot of fun up there, a good trip to the hot springs - quite impressive set up - 14 pools, and on Saturday a really nice little hike up to Conical Hill. It was an awesome view from up there and reminded me so much of home. Kinda like the Pass I guess. Then we took a little bit longer route back to Nelson. We headed back to the east coast and got to drive up to Kaikoura. What a beautiful place. Probably should have had a stop over there, but ah well. My new travel buddy - Andre the monkey (a gift from Mel and Klause the giraffe) had a good time playing around on some rocks and such in Kaikoura. Umm, we took a trip up to Golden Bay and stopped at this place called Harwood's Hole which is 400m deep and 70m wide. It was crazy and gave me a bit of vertigo. But cool to see. Basically the past week has consisted of hiking (aka tramping), climbing and hanging out in Nelson. Oh, and a day mountain biking. Unfortunately I don't have that many pictures, but ah well. I came out of the week with only one injury. I took a bit of a fall bouldering (tripped over my shoe when I jumped off the rock) and hit my back on a stump to leave a bruise resembling a large birth mark. So tons of fun. On Saturday we packed up and headed to the Marlborough Sounds and onto the Queen Charlotte Track. We hiked into Mistletoe Bay and camped there over night. Wow did it rain Saturday night and we had ducks (almost as bad as Kias) attacking the tent and our shoes in the vestibule. And possum's make one hell of a racket at night. Anyways, we had to start tramping out in the rain (yeah for Gore-tex). It was kinda miserable, but had cleared up within an hour. We were on the trail for around 4.5 hours yesterday and then headed into Picton where I caught the ferry to Wellington. It was quite sad saying goodbye to the South Island, but the Queen Charlotte was definately a good ending. Anyways, now I am in Wellington and planning the last three weeks of my trip, I will be back April 29th. Talk to you all later! PS Pictures soon and sorry Holly and Thane. I was off having fun!