As my time is coming to a close, I have left the office for a little bit to hit the roads and see more of the North Island. The few days of work this week was not been a bit short of stressful and filled with chaos as we have the biggest tournament of the year this coming weekend. After saying that, it is a relief to be out traveling!
I headed out a few days ago on 3/10 to catch a tour bus called the Kiwi Experience which offers an experience that fits what you want and they have it all planned out for you in a way. I hopped on kind of nervous of traveling on my own and staying in hostels for the first time but it has been a wonderful experience so far. The first day we drove a few hours into a town called Taupo, where skydiving, a top 10 trek (hike) and many other outdoor activities were offered around the wonderful Lake Taupo. The first day getting into Taupo there was one girl off the bus that was getting off to skydive, which had been on the back of my mind. I kept asking the bus driver questions about it the whole drive, and he told me if I decided to do it, to just get off the bus when the other girl did…so that’s what I did. I’ll just say that it was one of the most exhilarating things I have ever done!
My skydiving free fall over Lake Taupo!
Another picture from when I first jumped out of the plane! The plane was hot pink, which I found rather cool 🙂
The morning after I skydived, I headed out for an early morning to go do the Tongariro Crossing which was a 19.4 km hike, just short of a half marathon is how they liked to describe it to us.It is  New Zealand’s oldest national park , the Tongariro National Park is full of both cultural identity and amazing scenery. Landmarks of New Zealand, including the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu make the Tongariro Alpine Crossing  a world-renowned trek. “The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is heralded as the best one-day trek available in New Zealand, while others say it ranks among the top ten single-day treks in the world”- stated from the national park website! It was the most amazing hike with beautiful views and for those that love Lord Of The Rings, we got to experience Mt Doom. The hike took a little over six hours to complete, and by the end I was exhausted and ready for a good nap!
The start of the Hike at 7am with a beautiful sunrise happening!
The beauty that unfolds as you hike the Tongariro Crossing!
After what they call the Devils Staircase, you land at a somewhat flat spot and have this image of Mt. Doom from Lord Of The Rings!
I’m now in Auckland, towards the top of the North Island, and have yet to explore too much of this city! I hope I have more adventures and learn more about the history and beauty of the island as my travels continue! Until next week,
Amanda