Underground, overground...

The views on the way to Taupo were amazing - the sun was shining and the lake is so massive (the biggest in NZ) that you don't know where to look. We checked into the campsite - which was one of the best that we'd been in - and phoned around to organise the skydiving. Unfortunately Nath was too heavy to do it (apparently he's just big boned) but Stace decided to go ahead anyway, and booked the highest jump available (15,000 feet)!!! Also as Nath couldn't do it we decided to use the money wisely and book an extra person to dive to take photos and a dvd.

Stace was booked in for noon the next day so we had a light breakfast and made our way to the airport. There are actually 3 different companies working there - they must have alot of competition! Beacause Stace was doing the higher jump, we had to wait for ages for a plane to be available (most people were jumping from 12,000 - wimps), but luckily the weather was scorching so we sat outside enjoying the sun. Finally Stace was called in to get ready - a lovely red jumpsuit, cap and goggles (very flattering...not) and she only had a short briefing before it was time to board the plane!

We were all crammed in like Sardines - I was right at the back as I was the only person going higher, and was inbetween my dive buddy Damo, and the cameraman Steve (its a hard life, but someones gotta do it)! Once the plane took off it took about 20 minutes to get to 12000 feet - I started to get a little worried when they told me to start breathing into an oxygen mask, but Damo assured me that it was only because the other guys were getting ready to jump and we were going higher. Watching their faces as they hung out of the plane didn't fill me with a lot of confidence, but they all dropped out pretty quickly, we climbed higher, then it was my turn!

Stace and Damo

I had to sit on Damo's lap whilst he attached himself to me (pretty worringly he seemed to only attach 2 little clips), then we shuffled along to the door. Mental Steve hung out of the plane and took my picture, then we all just fell....oh my god!

ARRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHH

I have never screamed so much in my life but it was amazing - apparently I had 60 seconds of freefall but it seemed so much longer. Steve mucked about with us in the air, spinning us and getting me to do silly poses, then Damo opened the parachute, we went up and Steve went down! On the slow float back down to earth he pointed out lots of scenery and told me that on a busy day he could do this 15 times - is he mad!!!! Lucily the landing was very smooth and I even managed to stay on my feet! It was such a buzz, I'd definately recommend it to anyone! Nath even managed to get some shots of me coming down (and I thought he would have fallen asleep by then)!

In-flight entertainment, the magnificent view of Taupo, and the not so magnificent leg flailing

After I'd gotten over the fact of me falling out of a plane, it was time to move on (although we would have loved to stay longer, it was lovely there). We headed west to a place called Waitomo where we had booked to do a days caving and see the famous Glowworms. The following day we turned up at the shop and were introduced to our guides, a Kiwi guy called Al (who looked like Samwize Gangi out of Lord of the Rings) and a Londoner called Rob, who both seemed up for a laugh. After a short drive we arrived at a hut, where we all had to don a wetsuit, gum boots and a helmet ( very attractive, Nath looked like he was a serial killer), and then had to walk to the entrance of the caves where we were confronted by some abseil ropes and a drop of 100 metres!! Stace was fine with it but poor Nath, not being so good with heights stll started to break out in a sweat. However he did manage to make it down in one piece thank god. When we got to the bottom of the cave we sat and had lunch, then set off into the darkness.

Note the beads of sweat on Nath, and at the bottom (check out our outfits)

It took us 5 hours to make our way out, which involved lots of swimming through underground rivers (although Stace's feeble legs seemed to flail about too much against the current), sueezing through tiny caverns, climbing up and over rocks and also, much to Al's amusement, making us all turn our lights out and telling us to jump off ledges into freezing water!!! All in all it was a fantastic day, especially when, near the end they led us into a huge cavern, made us lie down on the rocks and told us to turn our lights out - such a cool sight, millions of glowworms that looked like fairy lights - wow, what a great end to a great day (even if Stace bruised her shin in a river filled cavern called Shinbreaker Alley)!

Squeezing through one of the caverns, and the gang!