On today’s edition of ‘Impulsively Purchased Adrenaline Activities’, we have jet boating, and orbing. The former involved a shooting at about 80kmph down the Aratiatia rapids on the Waikato River (the longest river in New Zealand), through its narrowest sections, weaving between rocky outcrops and perilously sharp tree stumps, while the latter involved being rolled down a steep hill in an inflatable ball filled with water (we went in together so there was also a little bit of avoiding Joe’s flailing limbs). We booked and did our jet boating in Taupo (where incidentally they filmed the famous barrel scene from the second Hobbit film) before heading to Rotorua to orb. We also went on a Maori cultural experience evening (but this deserves it’s own post, so watch this space!).

We arrived in beautiful Taupo after following the lakeside road up from the South. After wandering around the town centre and stopping for a bite to eat, we headed to nearby river which had a naturally heated spring flowing into it. We sat in our swimsuits under the hot water as it cascaded down, and as it was natural, it didn’t cost us a penny to relax in! Afterwards we ended up on a popular freedom camping site right on the edge of the lake to cook dinner.

In terms of finding information on campsites, we’ve been using our provided sat nav from the rental company that comes complete with Camper Mate. The app allows you to search for paid camping grounds, freedom camping areas (where you can stay for free usually as long as you have a certified self contained camper), local activities and services (like dump stations to clear waste and laundrettes for washing etc.). We’ve been using the app, the reviews helpfully left by other users, to find good spots to spend the night and to decide which activities and areas are worth stopping for on the road.

Whilst a popular camping ground, our spot in Taupo was no where near full, with plenty of space for many campers as the light started to fade. Much to our surprise (and Alice’s horror), the occupants of a converted car decided to park about 5 feet away from the side of our camper (despite the ample space all around) and once there, decided to cook their dinner literally right outside the door we use to get into and out of our van! We could hear the occupants talking so clearly they sounded like they were sharing our camper with us, and every time they tried to cook, they kept walking into our door. Divine retribution occurred after roughly 4 hours seething (typical Brits sitting inside complaining but not actually daring to ask them to move over), when a patrol warden pulled up and started talking to them. It turns out these inconsiderate people had completely ignored the very clearly labelled signs which stated the area was for self contained vehicles only, and they were rightly booted off at 10pm! We don’t know if they received the $200 NZ fine they should have but it was karma enough for trapping us in our van for a few hours.

The next day, the terrible wind had somewhat died down, and we were free to carry on our way across the North Island. Any fantasy fan worth their salt knows that New Zealand starred as much of the backdrop for Peter Jackson’s epic screen adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings series. It seemed only right that one of our first stops was to the patch of beech forest that housed the set of Rivendell, the home of… some of the elves from the books (I’m not going to pretend to have read them or to have even managed to stay awake through the films). The area includes a replica archway of that which starred on screen, providing ample photo opportunities, but be warned, if you visit expecting the site to look film ready, you will be disappointed. A lot of imagination is required, though helpfully there are information boards which show famous scenes and how they were filmed.

Since our last dump update, we’ve moved again, this time taking the journey from the South Island to the North Island for the last two weeks of our time in New Zealand.

Before heading on to the ferry, we stopped at Kaikora, a coastal town famous for it’s near resident sperm whales and many dolphins, seals and sea birds, which can be viewed from boat cruises or in more up close encounters mainly involving kayaking and snorkelling. The coastal road leading up to and away from the town is closed from 8:30pm to 7:30am, as teams of workers battle to restore and repair damage to the road and rail lines caused by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck in November 2016. Our plans to whale watch were thwarted by a thick blanket of fog which blew in from the sea and completely obscured everything in its path, including the dramatic coastline itself! The weather had already led to the cancellation of all departing boats that day by the time we arrived, so instead we ordered a portion of chips from a local cafe, browsed some of the gift shops and parked up by the coast for a night of freedom camping.