An Englishman Abroad

Well another few days off and yet again another camping trip. This time I went to Waitomo with my new tent and stayed at the top 10 camp site.
This is not the first time I have been here but I find it a nice place to relax and it is not far from Auckland (2 and a half hours).

It rained a lot and the wind was pretty strong, but my new tent survived just. It was a bit like a lifeboat which rights its self when it sinks. First of all the rain came and then the wind, which sounded like a train comming. Next the sides of the tent would compact in and then blow back out. Anyway it survived but when I woke up on the first morning someones tent had just collapsed.
I did something quiet adventurous for me, I went black water rafting, which as follows. You are given a wet suit cold because it has been used a million times before, then you go in a mini van to a local river and are given a big rubber tube. You learn how to throw yourself into the river backwards landing in the water with your arse wedged in the rubber tube. Once this has been acheived it's back into the van and down to one of the local caves.
Over the next hour you scramble and float through this cave in water which is fairly cold (and it has eels and wetas in there with you). It was knackering but great to do and once finished it is back for a shower and soup.
Apparently it is great when the rivers are really high! Oh and believe me if you don't know what a weta is - best not to know.
Anyway the weekend was great.

In this part of my blog which will be the longest I am going to list the 101 MUST - DO'S FOR KIWIS. This is compiled by the AA but I am going to attempt all of them so will list them and all the ones I do will be highlighted in bold.

NORTH ISLAND
NORTHLAND
Cape Reinga - Sand, Surf and Spirits
Here, under the watchful gaze of the wind-whipped Cape Reinga lighthouse, the Tasman and Pacific meet, colliding in a fit of fury and spitting salty spray high as they battle for dominance.

Ahipara and Shipwreck Bay - Surf's up
An iconic seaside village and surfie's paradise, it's home to architecturally designed houses and salty old baches that sit side by side on its windswept coast.

Tutukaka/The Poor Knights - Underwater Utopia
To the visitor, Tutukaka is a nautical town with great views. For the marine adventurer, it is a gateway to Poor Knights Islands and some of the best diving and fishing in the world.