TravelStream™ news feed for member latergators on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/latergators en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:23:54 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1236731700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1236731700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1236731700/tpod.html Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:23:54 -0400 And so it begins..... In a land far, far away (well Australia to be exact) 24/11/08

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Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand

Thats right after falling 7metres down the highest commercial waterfall in the world we ended up stinking of sulphur in a mudbath. Need a further explanation? ok here it is.

With Rotorua being the capital of fun in the north island we just had to get involved. There was so much to do and so little time and after Ashlee making Steve miss out on racing down hills in 'tobogan' style karts it was time for some water fun. There were a few options as to what rapids to attack ranging from grade 1 (for the oldies and scared) to grade 5 (for the experienced and hardcore thrill seekers). To be honest we found a really good rapids experience that would of lasted 3 hours and was grade 3/4. Ideal for beginners, of which we were, and some very challenging rapids to tackle. Sounded great to us and so we were about to book it.

Oh but wait, we had a brochure on this 'other deal'. The highest commercial waterfall you say? one grade 6 (yes thats higher than hardcore thrill seekers) rapid? the possibility of falling out of the raft? people have actually been seriously injured or worst on this 45 mins 'experience'. HMMMM ok lets do it!! Just not tell the families back home until we have done it!

So we booked it, packed it and f**ked off on a bus to the demon waterfall. On the journey there all the guides told us that if we 'did this or didnt do this we would die'....encouraging and certainly raising the spirits..not! But given we had just been to see Hobbiton and the Haka the night before we felt like warriors ready to take on this waterfall and rapids.

So we donned our cool yellow crash helmets and life jackets and took to the raft. In our group were an english couple, some other lads and two mexican girls. Only remembered as these girls were tiny and absolutely useless and so we needed another experienced guide with us to ensure we didnt die basically.

So we were paddling fast and learning when to get down and cover ourselves and griup on for dear life when approaching a rapid or waterfall. We were both moved a couple of times to even out the strength and weight in the raft so we didnt flip. Steve and the other Steve (from the english couple we met) were both needed at the front from time to time to get some speed and strength over the rapids, then also needed at the back to even things out.


Here comes the first major rapid and whooossh we went down and crashed at the bottom with a bit of a bang.. 'man that was a drop! glad thats over' guide: 'that was the smallest rapid, it was only 3 metres'... oh bugger this is gonna be a challenge!!

After getting battered and white knuckles a few times then we all pulled over to the left of the river. After being warned of the dangers of the largest waterfall people were given the option to get out the raft now and stop or to continue and go down. No guarantees could be made you wouldnt fall out or get hurt. We stayed on as did the rest of our raft and surprise surprise we were first to go down.

We dont remember all that much about it but we experienced the best surf ever so our guide said. We got stuck at the bottom of the waterfall and completely submerged and kept getting recycled by the water at the bottom and it took a good 30-40 seconds to get out. Hard work when you cant see or breathe due to water smashing down on you. But it was over and we survived and then had the pleasure in watching the other 5 rafts take the challenge.. two unsuccessful and flipping, one included our friend Graham who was a bit sore after.

After seeing the awesome photos of our adventure we got the cd and the photos are up on here too. We also thought we deserved some down time and to relax, and what better than the natural mudpools at Hells Gate! The name is pretty self explanatory when the water in the grounds naturally bubbles and explodes and is well over boiling point. The place also stunk of sulphur.

After looking at all the pools and seeing water shoot metres into the sky we were told to get changed into our swimmers and me and Ash then had our own private mud pool to relax in for 20 mins or so. After covering ourselves in hot mud from head to toe (its good for you apparently) and taking a few pictures we then had to get in a really good shower and rinse off before going in the sulphur pool to relax and cleanse our skin.

After getting told by people from england that we sound like new zealand locals from our accent we then enjoyed the pool and its jacuzzi type effect. So it was home time and time to wash our clothes. Disaster struck! We washed our clothes in cold water and the smell of sulphur from our swimmers went onto all the washing and literally stunk out all our clothes...not good! and no matter how hard we tried it would not go away, so next time your standing near us its not that we have farted or anything, its the sulphur from new zealand, a nice present for you!
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Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand

confused?? You will be!!

Well Rotorua is like the adventure town of the north island, there was so much to do and see from this town and we only had a few days so we had to double up on everything!!

So when we got there mid morning, we booked a trip to see the hobbits for lunch time and then an evening out to the Tamaki tribe to experience a Moari evening.

We drove about an hour out to where the farm is. Our driver was awesome, had lots of knowledge and was great to talk to so the hour went quick.

When we got there we were taken out on bus that was a specific service for the shire.
The set is still there, well half there, because half way through deconstruction there were very bad storms so the crew left and before they came back it was rpoposed that they left it there to do tours!
Peter jackson chose the site due to the fact that it was a very long way from civilisation, main roadsm so no background noise, and not in a flight path. Oh and not to mention the massive oak tree by the lake, which happens to appear in the books themn selves! So apparently it was ideal!
They were all very secretive that a member of the crew took a photo of the land, a very beautiful photo, and he lost his job because of it!! I would've insisted in keeping the photo!

Soooooo anyway.......we had a wail of a time looking in the houses pretending to be hobbits and genereally running a muck!!
For a farm, it was pretty stunning and pretty cool to be where all the actors were and the set had been........
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1236500340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1236500340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1236500340/tpod.html Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:21:37 -0400 And so it begins..... In a land far, far away (well Australia to be exact) 24/11/08

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Taupo, North Island, New Zealand

hehe i will wirte about it, i just wanted to add the photos while i could! Enjoy!!

Well what on earth was i thinking? I here you ask! Well..... its better in these kind of situations if you dont think!!

We got picked up from our hostel and Steve bless him was getting alot of hassle for not doing the jump altho it did stop abruptly when we told them that he had a problem with his ear so he couldnt even if he wanted too (which at the time he didnt!) So we get weighed and sat down for the breifing on what package we wantto buy, Steve and i had already decdied i would just go for the jump and the handy cam! Altho it never works out to what you plan, i ended up going for the WHOLE shibang!! Handy cam, dvd, photos, the exit photo! So we have to wait for a little while but then i get called to get suited up! Trying my best to not think about what is going to happen! I am introduced to the guy who will literally have my life in his hands, Elad. Seems nice enough, he gives me my 'exclusive' interview, with me! (not sure why its exclusive, ill talk to any one!!) Then we get led to the plane (i say we, i am going up in a group with a few other girls, not Steve!) Going up in the plane wasnt as nerve racking as i thought, however my head was right next to the light that goes green when we're good to go, so no blind ignorance available! I was hoping to be first so i wouldnt have time to let my panic escalate, i am infact second! Elad straps me too him, quite tightly which helps the nerves, i then start to quietly panic, i dont cry much just a little, and i was breathing deeply to stop the tears, Elad thought i was hyperventalating, all in all i was quite impressed with how relatively calm i was!! Then All of a sudden the light next to my head goes green and before i know it the door is up and the girl going first has dissapeared! CRAP! Im next we start to shuffle forward, my head back as far as i can push as to not have an nasty accidents, and....... out.......i........GOOOOOOOO!!!!!

OH MY GOD!! Im flying through the air with a camera man next to me, and at this point i thought, what the hell am i supposed to do ? So i just put my thumbs up smile and enjoy the ride!(It turns out later that it would have made better viewing to strike a superman pose, or pretend i was swimming, well superman does this alot more often so excuse me if i couldnt quite gather my thoughts 12,000ft off the ground!!)

It was absolutely amazing, i am infact enjoying it so much i completely ignore the one thing i am supposed to do, when he taps my shoulder, grab on to my harness, as you will see in the video, i am a little slow on the uptake!
Contrary to what it looks like or what people say i couldnt feel the big WHOOSH! when the parachute was opened, the only reason i knew it was happening is because my camera man became very very tiny very very quickly!!

We start to float and i realise whats just happened, im light headed and giddy and sound like a complete fool in my video, but i do dare anyone else to think of something better to say! I suddenly feel a jolt downwards..'What the f.....' he laughs, i do not find this amusing, he loosened, yes i said LOOSENED the harness to make it more comfortable, i inssited i was very comfortable where i was and to put me back there! I clearly didnt move much but when you are that high in the air and you feel your harness go your reaction would be very similar!
He then guides my hands to the loops, yes the loops controlling the parachute *sheer panic* i can feel the heaviness and i do not like the responsibility! He then jolts my arm down and we go spinning really fast... BASTARD! altho i think they edit that bit out of the video!!
He is of course finds it hilarious............He then reassures me by taking control again......much better!
As we get closer to the ground i can see Steve waiting for me, trying to take some photos of me landing, which by the way wasn't a very clear subject. I get informed that when told to just lift my legs up and i will land gently on my bum. This all sounds good to me as long as i land. However i think i was told this as a joke because when everyone else came down they just ran into their landings like pros!! Needless to say mine was not graceful, i think i made a *thud* sound, no not graceful at all!!
So we wait for a few mins for all the other girls to land and then do our final bit for the video, jump excitedly up and down, throw our hats off and then kiss the ground!
My goddness was i happy to kiss the ground!!
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Dartford, England, United Kingdom

home! after a pretty long flight. blog will be coming soon
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239536040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239536040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239536040/tpod.html Wed, 27 May 2009 07:34:57 -0400 And so it begins..... In a land far, far away (well Australia to be exact) 24/11/08

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New York City, New York, United States

manic
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New York City, New York, United States

problems before we even step out the door!
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Los Angeles, California, United States

oscars!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239276540/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239276540/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239276540/tpod.html Wed, 27 May 2009 07:30:22 -0400 And so it begins..... In a land far, far away (well Australia to be exact) 24/11/08

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San Francisco, California, United States

coming
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239190020/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239190020/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239190020/tpod.html Wed, 27 May 2009 07:29:17 -0400 And so it begins..... In a land far, far away (well Australia to be exact) 24/11/08

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San Francisco, California, United States

someone got shot
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239103560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239103560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/latergators/1/1239103560/tpod.html Wed, 27 May 2009 07:26:54 -0400 And so it begins..... In a land far, far away (well Australia to be exact) 24/11/08

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Los Angeles, California, United States

universal and basketball
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