After Kaikoura being a not very eventful town we moved next onto Wellington after a bus ride and 3 hour ferry through some spectacular scenery. I arrived in Wellington expecting to spend as much time as possible trying to sort out my new passport but after another few hairy moments and a very helpful gentleman in the UK consulate I am now sorted with a new emergency passport and able to get out the country. I was so excited to be able to see two of my very good friends who I met on the Oz experience again. Sarah and Arrin are attempting NZ the opposite way from me, starting in the north island and heading south but very happily by coincidence we were able to be in Weliington for the same three days.
My first full day was spent (after the passport sorting out) at the Te Papa museum, the national museum of the country which was fantastic and voted one of the best national museums in the world for it's excellent and clever use of interactive exhibits which were a lot of fun and all 5 floors were totally FREE!!! One of two of a backpackers favourite words, along with alcohol. After a late lunch I headed back upto collect my new passport then met back up with the couple at their hostel for an easy night of DVD's. The next day we decided to rent roller blades, and skate along the whole length of the harbour and more which made me rather nostalic but both hurt my tailbone so much (from falling only once) it is still sore to sit in certain positions a week later. Our afternoon was gladly spent baking which was an excuse to chat over tea and cakes. In the evening we went up the cable car which was a rather short journey up the steepest part of Wellington which ended at the rather non-exotic botanic gardens and observatory. We then came back down the hill to meet up for a drink with the newest arrivals off the kiwi bus who I had been with before and were to continue with me the next day.
The following morning it was off to Taupo, a short bus ride that took in an impressive waterfall walk. In the early afternoon as soon as we arrived it was time for me to attempt to steady my nerves and do a bungy jump. The two friends who carried on the bus with me came to cheer me on and take photos of my 47m high dive off a platform into water. It was terrifying standing on the ledge and made me totally regret it but as soon as I was off the ledge I loved every second. I would do it again and I nerve thought I'd want to do it at all.
That evening my hair and t-shirt dried slowly from being dipped in the water and we joined our driver Zippy who had taken us all the way round the south island for a few drinks to say thanks.
I was the only one of my friends to get off the bus the next day at a town called Rotorua which is a pretty yet very smelly highly geothermic place where the earth crust is reportadly only aorund 16km thick rather than the normal 36km. For this reason the twon has several mud pools, hot water pools, geizers and smells like rotten eggs. I spent my first night out at the maori expereince, an evening put on for tourists constisting of traditional moari dancing, singing, food and of ocurse to round it off the Hakaa. I thouroughly enjoyed the evening and the reinacting of the village and villagers was done with respect and entertainment but not mocking. The food cooked in a traditional underground slow cooker was delicious and included desert which I don't think I've had in a very long time so had 2 helpings.
The following day I took part in another extreme sport called zorbing where you throw yourself down a hill in a water filled blow up ball which was wet and felt like being in a washing machine, I loved it!!!
In the afternoon I followed the lonely planet walking tour around the town taking in some of the geothermal best bits and the government gardens and Maori influenced buildings.
After a two day stay I moved on to my last stop, Aukland. I arrived early afternoon so spent my first few hours in the city bumping into a friend and getting my bearings around the 4th largest area city in the world before another thrilling evening of movies and bed. The next morning it was a glorious day so I followed aound another lonely planet walking tour which took me to the main sights and a little off the beaten path to smaller quirkier areas with vintage shops and comfy cafes. I particularly enjoyed the university campus which dates back to 1850's so reminded me a lot of my own uni campus on a few and far between sunny day. I decided also to visit the sky tower and casino, the casino being New Zealand's number one tourist attraction (so I had to see it) and the sky tower being a 328m tower poking it's way oout of the Aukland skyline which gives fantastic veiws and also allows poeple to throw themselves off of attached to a chord.
In the evening instead of sitting in the hostel watching more movies I went to the cinema to watch a movie after having amazing tasting sushi at one of Aukland many excellent and reasonably priced food-halls.
Today as my last full day in New Zealand I went on a Kiwi expereicne welcome to New Zealand FREE tour round the city. I enjoyed it very much and we got to do a bridge climb for FREE, visit the darling suburb in north Aukland called Devonport and walk up mount Victoria which was more like a hill. Although the weather wasn't fantastic I had a great time meeting new kiwi's for the last time and getting to view some of Aukland's 42 volcano's from a higher view point. I have very much enjoyed my time in the country and wouldn't hestitate to suggest it to any others to come visit for picture perfect veiws and a few extreme activity and trekking,a gorgeous place with gorgeous people and rich in ancient maori culture.
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