Waitomo Black Water Rafting

Since I don't know when I can get by free internet again so i thought I will drop by and write a short entry or something just to keep everyone updated on my current status ^.^v

After our trip to Hamilton Garden, we head down to Waitomo Cave for cave trekking! No, I'm just kidding horhorhor. As you remember from my previous post I mentioned that we left Hamilton Garden as the sun sets hence how can I explore Waitomo Cave? We just went to Waitomo to book the trip and also looking for accomodation.

The sky is pitched black when we reached Raft, Rap & Rock. Everyone's tired and no one wants to look elsewhere for accomodation so we decided to stay at the hostel there since the price is really not too bad and we have coupon for discount! Seriously, this is one of the few time that we actually remembers to use discount coupons that we had. Most of the time, we won't remember and ended up paying for much more-.-"

We were practically squealing when the owner said the bed comes with electric blanket and a heater. ELECTRIC BLANKET!!!!! I have never use one and I really don't mind trying it;p

The place was really very tidy and clean. A charming house that consist of 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 toilet, dining hall and living room. We stayed there for 2 nights and on the second night, we practically have the whole house to ourselves! Isn't great???? Seriously, I think the rating on BBH on that place is way below par. I think it deserve so much better than 68%.

Apart from accomodation, we signed up the black water rafting at 9am. I like the fact that they organise small group only. Max is 6pax and we have nicely 6 people (plus UK couple). Our guide, Simon, was really a fun and fantastic guide. We couldn't ask for a better one. He's funny and interactive and he knows his stuff well.

The ride to the cave is bout 15 minutes, then we reached their hub where we get our wet suits and don it before we start the expedition. Seriously, donning the wetsuit is quite challenging. It's so tight that it fits snugly on your body which is good to keep you warm. But at the same time, wearing it is quite an art itself. Being a first timer, let's just say I don't think I look pretty wearing it. In fact, I quite think that I resemble some poor penguins-.-"

Anyhow, after donning the wetsuits and boots, we head to the cave. Before we enter the cave hole, we were given a lesson in correct way of tying the ropes and also all the safety rules to adhere. When this is done, here we go.

First thing to do is to abseil 27m down into the cave. I was really looking forward to abseiling because I have never tried it before. 27m seems quite short a distance as I managed to go down without a hitch. In fact, it was not what I expected. It was much easier than I thought!

Once everyone is down, we walked in the water into the cave and see glowworms, then black water rafting in the currents and rock climbing back up the same way we got down. The glowworms are really beautiful. It kinda like watching stars at night.

As for the black water rafting, it isn't anything that's super challenging like the white water rafting really. It's just tubing in the water. Since it's a cave, hence its dark so the name "black". It doesn't have any rapids, just water flowing by. But it was really fun though. I really like tubing.

Everyone is given a rubber tube like a tyre and sit on it then flow with the water. I always started last but somehow I always ended up first to reach! I have no idea why as I wanted to enjoy the experience more but I kept emerging at the finishing line way too quick-.-"

Climbing back to the top is not too hard as well. Even for people who doesn't have much stamina can do it so I don't think anyone will have any problem doing it. Once done, we went back to the hub to have a quick shower at their basic bathroom before heading back to the office to view the photos and drank complimentary soup.

The whole trip wasn't too bad. In fact, i quite enjoyed it. It was pretty fun. What surprises me the most during the whole trip is the camera. The camera that our guide uses to snaps photos of us. That camera is like, sooo ancient! Who else uses those kind of camera these days????? The fact that that camera is water proof is great but then the photo quality is not really up to our standard. Photos taken were not really crisp and clear hence we thought this is kinda a waste.

Then again, it's better than none right? We shared with the UK couple for a copy of the photos and this save us some dollar. It was then only I know that we can all share a copy to save some pennies. Not bad considering as a backpackers, we need to be frugal at all time!

Hehehehe so this is my experience on the Waitomo Black Water Rafting.

Hamilton Garden

When our business is done in Auckland, we headed down south. We made a stop in Hamilton and visited the famous Hamilton Garden. Hamilton Garden is a very huge park actually and it consist of many gardens. The most famous one has got to be the landscaped garden that features 6 different type of garden concept.

As I have mentioned that Hamilton Garden is a huge park, we kinda got lost. Well, I didn’t expect it to be so big that Landscaped garden was just a PART of it! It was getting dark as sunset in winter is much earlier than usual and we were walking around the park looking for the landscaped garden.

We accidentally covered a few other garden such as Rose Garden; which barely has any roses due to wrong season of the year and also we walked to the Waikato River, which is practically a dead end. We had to retraced our steps to find other routes that can lead us to the Landscaped garden.

Finally, we found it! By then, the sun has practically set so we had to rushed to all 6 garden and take photos in record time. They had the Chinese Scholarstic Garden, Japanese Garden, English Garden, American Modern Garden, Italian Garden and Indian Garden.

Each of the garden is beautifully designed and photo worthy. Finally the guard has to shoo us off as its getting really dark already. And the most foolish thing is, we realized that the Landscaped Garden was located just at the left of the Main Entrance. We missed it because we took a right turn at the entrance and we walked, circled the big pond with duckies in it!

That wrong turn actually wasted our precious time to be in the Landscaped Garden. Not that it was not beautiful along the way, it is. Just that we were pretty late reaching there hence limit is a factor to us. All in all, we still get to see what we wanted to albeit the short time. So, can’t complain.

If I get to visit Hamilton again, this time I will go there early and spend a couple of hours walking leisurely and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Trust me, it is really well worth a trip there again. The greenery will definitely appeal to you, even if you are not a nature person.

I know, because I am not too! ^^v

I might be wrong, but I think it is best to visit Hamilton Garden in the Spring. Spring is when all flowers are blooming so you get to enjoy the Rose Garden at its most glorious. Since I went in the winter, the Rose Garden was practically barren with only one or two miserable roses.

Back to Auckland Again

At one point, it started to feel that each time we were in Auckland, we surely made at least a trip to the car workshop. It was always one problem or the other. This time, I think we made three trips to the workshop to fix this and that.

At the same time, we renewed the WOF (Warrant of Fitness). WOF is compulsory in order for the car to remain on the road. It’s kinda like Road Tax in Malaysia, except that in Malaysia, we can renew our Road Tax yearly easily whereas WOF required the car to be inspected and certified fit on the road before WOF is issued. If I am not mistaken, WOF is done twice a year.

This time around, our stay in Auckland is pretty much free and easy. We spent most of the time shopping, eating and working on the car. Finally, I get the opportunity to visit the most happening shopping centre in Auckland – Silvia Park.

Well, it was nothing much to shout really. Malaysia definitely has much bigger malls everywhere. However, I think malls this size are norm in NZ. It’s not bad really. Apart from Silvia Park, we went to Dressmart too.

Honestly, Dressmart is my fav! It’s kinda like factory outlet stores where quite a few major brands – local or international brand will sell of out of season clothes or stock clearance stuff at dirt cheap prices. Big names that I’m sure everyone will recognize are such as Levi’s, Lacoste, Pumpkin Patch, Esprit and so on.

If you dig deep enough, you will get quite some great stuff that’s selling at a fraction of the original price. This is what I call great buy! Since haggling is not practiced in NZ, buying good quality stuff at a low price is the next best thing for me. However, the only downside is that the shop closes at 5pm.

It kinda limit your shopping time. Over here, shopping is done early as most shop closes at 5pm or so. In smaller town, shops does not even operate on weekends! Time like this make me missed my hometown all the more. Back at home, I can go shopping all day till nightfall.

On one fine Saturday, I managed to visit the biggest flea market in Auckland – Otara Flea Market. It was quite big and happening with live band and singings going on in the central court. The flea market consist of everything you’ll ever need. They sell from vegetables, fruits to clothes and souvenirs. They even sell business suits too, no kidding!

Watching movie in NZ is a luxury affair as well. Cinema in big city charges NZD15.00 for a movie whereas in smaller town charges varies from NZD10.00 – NZD15.00.

I am not sure if I have mentioned this before but parking in Auckland will really cost you a bomb! Parking fees are so so so expensive that you’ll cringe at the amount and probably curse the day you ever thought of driving and parking in the town. They charges exorbitant fee on hourly rate. The parking rate here will put KLCC’s rate pale in comparison.

If you want to save money, my advice is don’t even dream of driving to town. Better take the bus or walk if you don’t mind walking.

Mishaps: good or bad?

As we were heading back to Auckland, things started to make a turn for the worse. Our car started to give us problems. Problems that can make your heart pump a little faster. What happened was, while driving we felt that the car was jerky, not smooth as it supposed to. The car started to jerk every now and then. The climax? Definitely was when the car battery died on us – while we were driving!

Fuiyoh! I tell you, that was really a close call! As the car was jerking and sputtering along, I’m pretty sure all of us were awake (we were sleeping before this;p) and praying to God that we can make it to Auckland in one piece.

To make thing worse, it was getting dark, all shops were closed and we have no one to ask for help. We were practically in the middle of nowhere! We have no choice but to drive slowly and maneuver the car all the way back to Auckland. Initially, we wanted to take the road less taken to explore the countryside but as we realized we have problem, we cancelled the idea and take the fastest, most direct route to Auckland.

As if the sputtering and jerking is not enough to make us turn green, the car decided to died on us right in the middle of the Harbour Bridge!!! Yes, I am serious!

The bridge was heavy with traffic hence we needed to brake more often. Each time Dinosaur press the brake pedal, the engine died. If that is not scary enough, try this: when the engine died, the brake system does not work too, due to ABS system locking and stuff.

Yup, the car was rolling due to momentum, engine died, and we have no control on the brake. Did I mentioned is was traffic jam then???? Yeah, cars in front, beside and behind us. I think that alone is enough to evoke terror in anyone’s heart. We have to cranked the engine every time it died, smacked right in the most busiest bridge.

Thank God Dinosaur was calm throughout and managed to maneuver the car despite the sputtering and jerking to Auckland town and we make a stop at a petrol station. Since the battery keep dying, we suspected the battery is the culprit.

We tried ringing Dinosaur’s uncle for help but he did not pick up the phone. Oh no!

Then we called a new friend who worked in the car workshop that sold us the car for help. We told him that the battery kept dying hence it might be that the battery is dead. And this nice friend actually finished work and reach home wanting to have dinner, bath and rest but as I have said, he is a nice person, he went out again to help us buy a car battery for replacement.

Finally after the long wait, he arrived. When he inspected our car, he didn’t think battery was the cause. Uh-oh, this might be something bigger and scarier than we thought. He spent quite some time fidgeting our car with limited light (Dinosaur’s torchlight) and in the cold too.

After some time, finally the car’s up and ready to go. Well, at least for temporary. Then we all had our long awaited dinner together.

After all the hoo-ha, it’s almost 10pm and we still have not got any place to stay. We tried searching some motel but it was super expensive and we can’t afford that. Lucky us, Dinosaur’s uncle graciously offered us to stay at his house.

After all that we have went through in a day, we were really tired. Both physically and emotionally.

This was definitely an extraordinary day for sure!

Still in North Island

Hi all!

Good greetings from New Zealand!

I have been spending the last two weeks traveling part of North Island here and currently stopping at Auckland again. After this, we will head down to Waitomo for black water rafting. After that, we will head to city of sulphur - Rotorua and continues to Taupo.

In the past few weeks, we managed to cover:

1) White Island - the only active volcanic island in NZ.

2) we went to East Cape lighthouse - to see the beautiful sunrise. East Cape is the the most easterly place in the earth.

3) We went to Gisborne - the first town on earth to receive sunlight in the morning.

4) Coromandel Region - we went to Hot Water Beach to soak our feet, we went to Coromandel town to eat fresh oyster and mussels. It was really delicious albeit a little expensive.

5) Northland - we went to visit the most interesting loos in land - Kawakawa. Also, we ate the world's famous fish & chips in Mangonui. For sure, we went to Cape Reinga and 90 miles beach. Cape Reinga is the most northen part of NZ^^ IT is also where the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean collides.

Yup, that's about all. We will continue our journey and I shall update my travel log as soon as I get the chance. Well, as you know, internet is a luxury here so whenever I can online I'm like on cloud nine!!!! Trust me, I'm really that happy to get internet connection!!!

okay people, time for me to go sleep already as tomorrow will be a long day. Will keep you post soon!

Stay tune! ^^v