Going underground...

Its been a while since I got off my arse and updated this thing. So, as its a Sunday and I'm (yet again) hungover, I thought I may as well sit down and give you a run down on my latest adventures.

Right, probably best if I go back a bit...I've never been Kayaking before, and to be fair this is probably something that I should have told the nice lady who stuck me in a Kayak and sent me sailing off down the Puhoi River. Apparently it is generally seen as bad form to wear jeans whilst participating in water sports. The reasoning behind this became clear after I fell out of my Kayak after about 15 minutes on the water, much to the amusement of my chums. Top tip for when you fall out a Kayak, don't try and turn it back over in the water. The bloody thing just fills up with water, making the rescue operation even more cumbersome. Despite my rather haphazard approach to the day, it was pretty good fun.

Have a look at my pics, I've actually updated them for once. You'll see that I've been doing a bit more beach combing. Bethells has been added to my growing list of top NZ beaches (but Karekare is still in the top spot). We took a day trip up to Goat Island, which was NZs first marine reserve. The water was pretty choppy, but you could still see the little blue fish (insert correct fish name here) swimming about. I was very brave and dipped my feet in. Luckily they'd obviously had their dinner and decided not to attack.

You'll also probably notice from the pics that the weather is starting to get really good as well. This weekend has been particularly nice. So, there was only one thing for it...I went down a cave. More specifically I took my first blackwater rafting adventure down a cave. Blackwater rafting is bugger all like whitewater rafting really (there are no boats involved, just a big rubber ring). I've obviously developed some bravery somewhere along the line as during my 5 hours underground I abeiled into a black hole, jumped off a bloody great ledge about 20 ft into the water (not that you could see the water - it is, unsurprisingly, pitch black down there), jumped off a waterfall, climed up the same waterfall and did a flying fox in total darkness. Well, I say total darkness, but the big attraction of the Waitomo caves is that there are inhabited by millions of glow worms. I have to admit it was a pretty incredible experience to be floating through a cave with the roof lit up like a pretty green starry night sky. The caves themselves are spectacular, but you really wouldn't want to have a sudden attack of claustrophobia down there. God knows how they would get you out. I got very drunk after and started a chorus of 'blame canada' in the pub. Needless to say the Canadian travellers didn't appreciate it, humourless bunch.

In other news, I've got a contract extension so I'll be working at AUT until Christmas. Good job really as I've got a fairly hectic list of exciting adventures to pay for:

Next weekend - Grey Lynn festival
Weekend after - Going on an adventure to the very north tip of the north island
Weekend after - Flat warming/welcome to summer/pre-birthday party at the flat
Weekend after - Waiheke Island
And so on.....

I love it here. I really don't want to leave. I might not...we'll see :)

Miss you all muchos - come visit me!

Tambo x