Taupo Skydive From 15,000ft... (Videos)

If you have a weak stomach, look away now! Best thing we have ever done in our lives!!

Taupo Skydive From 15,000ft... (Photos)

What was that? Throw yourself out of a plane from 15,000ft? Go on then!!

Waihi Beach Xmas 2008

After arriving at Waihi Beach late evening on Xmas Eve we cracked open the beers to get in the festive spirit, but only once we had pitched the tent and had a dip in the hot tub!

The next day (Xmas Day) we woke up and had a leisurely breakfast followed by a nice walk along the beach - we could tell it was going to be a scorcher!

In the afternoon we packed up a picnic of cheese and wine and walked over the headland to Orokawa Bay - a beautiful secluded beach. It was a strange place to spend Xmas but we had an amazing day relaxing and swimming in the sea.

In the evening we cooked a BBQ of lamb chops, sausages, baked potato, and corn on the cob. This was washed down with quite a few beers and followed by mince pie and custard (the taste of home!)

After ringing home and realising they were just starting their day, we went to bed having had a fantastic yet unusual Xmas day!

The Coromandel Peninsula

It was a long day from Trounson Kauri Park to Coromandel Town but as soon as we hit the peninsula we knew it was worth it. The last 50km were a stunning drive as we twisted and turned along small coastal roads before arriving at Shelly Beach campsite 5km north of Coromandel.

The day after we planned to do a minimal amount of driving so we could enjoy the terrific beaches and just chill out a little! Hot Water Beach was our first stop. Supposedly, this 'thermal' beach is meant to give you a nice hot pool of water if you dig a hole in the sand. After hiring a spade and an awful lot of digging we had nothing but a pool of cold water. Despite the lack of thermal pools we enjoyed watching the surf and picnicking at this lovely beach.

We then moved onto Cathedral Cove. It's a 45min walk from the car park to the cove, and well worth it. The beach had turquoise waters and white sands in the backdrop of a large spit and archway - stunning!

From here we headed to Waihi where we had planned to stay over Xmas.

Cape Reinga

After the boat trip in the Bay of Islands and an early call out to the AA (faulty aircon!) we spent the afternoon making our way up to the northernmost part of New Zealand - Cape Reinga. Again, we made numerous stops along the way including a walk along the beach and a coffee at Cooper's Bay. Finally, just before it started to get dark we arrived at Te Paki Recreation Reserve where we pitched our tent at a DOC campsite in a beautiful secluded bay.

In the morning we headed straight for the famous lighthouse at the end of the cape. We were afforded incredible 360 deg. views of beaches, headlands and seas. Particularly, it was amazing to watch the Pacific and Tasman seas collide and create huge waves in the middle of the ocean!

From here we made our way south stopping off at Ninety Mile Beach, Omapere, and the impressive Waipoua Forest which has ancient Kauri trees of which some are over 2000 years old and 16m in width! We camped in the forest overnight at the nearby DOC in Trounson Kauri Park then made the huge journey to Coromandel the next day.

Bay of Islands

After picking up our hire car we headed north towards the Bay of Islands. It was great to have the freedom of the open road and go literally wherever we liked. We planned to make a few stops along the way. Our first stop was Mangawhai Heads; a beautiful beach where we had a picnic on the rocks.

Along the way we stopped at many beaches and headlands to take pictures and marvel at the scenery but the next notable stop off was at Whangarei where we did a short walk to the waterfalls which were very nice but hard to take seriously after Iguassu!

Our evening was spent at a nice campsite in Paihia where we had booked a trip to swim with dolphins in the bay for the next day.

The trip was fantastic! Although we didn't get the opportunity to swim with the dolphins, we were lucky enough to see three pods together culminating in over fifty dolphins. It was great to watch as the dolphins followed the boat and played along as we made arm gestures and put our noses over the edge.

As well as the dolphins, the scenery was amazing; crystal clear waters, golden deserted sands, and lush green islands - truly a remarkable place!

Auckland

We arrived in Auckland after a 14 hour flight and the loss of a day (due to crossing the international date line) but were warmly welcomed by Tina and Craig in Papatoetoe. We stayed in Auckland for two days before we got our hire car and headed off on our road trip.

We made sure to explore the city but only after taking the passenger ferry across the bay to Devonport. Here we enjoyed great views of the city, walking and lounging on the beach, and a fish and chip lunch!

We would like to extend our thanks to Tina and Craig for having us to stay, we had a great time!

Bariloche (Ruta de los Siete Lagos)

On our return from Colonia Suiza we decided to hire bikes for three days in order to further explore the surrounding lakes and mountains of Bariloche. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into...

Day one of the ride started well and we had a great morning of cycling alongside the Rio Limay. We followed the path of the turqouise river before passing through the Valle Encantado, where there were lots of impressive rock formations. The route was very scenic and the good conditions ensured we could enjoy the suroundings whilst also notching up 70km by lunchtime. After a sandwich and some mechanical assistance from the locals we left Confluencia for Villa Traful at around 3pm. Needless to say the afternoon did't go so smoothly...

The 35km long rubble road from Confluencia to Villa Traful was awful. It was rough, rocky and dusty - very demoralising. We struggled for nearly four hours in the scorching sunshine and when we ran out of water we decided to hitch a ride for the final 6km. Exhausted from the first day we had a quick dinner and an early night.

On the second day we woke up aching and tired so we were a little bit nervous at the prospect of a further 45km on the rubble road towards Villa La Angostura. Fortunately the road conditions improved a little and it was a much cooler day, so progress was steady, even if the ride was still a little bumpy! We were both very relieved when we reached the tarmac road that would lead us into Villa La Angostura – Joe was infact so pleased that he kissed the tarmac! After almost 80kms on the rubble road the final 15km into the town was very smooth and was a nice way to end another hard day. Two days of cycling had left us very tired, so we had another quick dinner with a few beers and then bed.

We were both really looking forward to the final day as it was tarmac all the way and the man in the bike shop had informed us that it was mostly downhill with a tailwind – he was very wrong. There seemed to be an endless number of long hills, and with the wind in our faces for the third day in a row, it was a very long and hard ride. However, the scenery was absolutely stunning as we rode along the shore of the Nahuel Huapi Lake and could look back at the snowcapped mountains behind us. We arrived back in Bariloche at around 4pm after a further 80km, with very tired legs and sore bottoms! We celebrated our completion of the circuit with two huge argentinian steaks and some lovely red wine.

In hindsight, the route we chose was probably a little ambitious (250km in total with 80km on harsh rubble roads), but we both really enjoyed the challenge and found the trip massively rewarding. We saw some spectacular scenery as we cycled through lush valleys, past numerous lakes and dramatic snowcapped mountains. It was a great way to see the area and was a lot of good fun.

We are now back in Bariloche recovering from the exertions of the last few days. Next stop New Zealand...

Bariloche (Colonia Suiza)

We arrived in Bariloche after a twenty hour bus journey from Buenos Aires. After spending five nights in the city we were looking forward to the beautiful scenery and enjoying the outdoor activities.

After a good nights sleep at Hostel Arko we headed an hour down the road to Colonia Suiza, where we pitched our tent at Camping SER. Our plan was to use the campsite as a base for doing some of the best treks in the area.

On our first full day in Colonia Suiza we set off early to trek up Cerro Lopez to the refugio. The path was very steep, but with each step the views got better and better. Once we reached the refugio (mountain hut) we were the only people there, yet we still managed to order spaghetti bolognese for lunch. We enjoyed our dinner whilst taking in the spectacular panoramic views of the lakes and surrounding mountains.

Our second day at Colonia Suiza was spent recovering and relaxing. We read our books and played cards by the lakeside and in the evening we were invited for 'Asado' (Argentinian BBQ) with our hosts.

The third and fourth days were spent doing a two day trek to Refugio Italia at Laguna Negra. The first part of the 14km walk was through the valley, alongside the river, and under the trees, before the incline started and the hard work began. However, we were rewarded at the top with beautiful views of at least six surrounding snowcapped peaks which overshadowed the lagoon.

We spent the afternoon relaxing by the lagoon and marvelling at the views. In the evening we enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and good food in the refugio, before crashing into bed knowing we had the 14km walk back in the morning.

After five great days in and around Colonia Suiza we headed back to Bariloche to prepare for our impending mammoth bike ride...

Buenos Aires

After the amazing natural beauty of the Iguassu Falls we were a bit sceptical about returning to a big city, but Buenos Aires certainly lived up to its billing as one of South America's best cities, and we spent five great days there.

We explored a different neighbourhood each day, covering the Microcenter, Recoleta, Palermo and San Telmo. We found that Buenos Aires is a very diverse city, with each neighbourhood offering something completely different. We did some shopping in the Microcenter, enjoyed a coffee in the upmarket Recoleta, strolled through the parks of Palermo, and explored the lively antiques market in San Telmo.

Notably, during our day in Palermo we had just decided to make our way back to the hostel when the heavens opened. Within minutes the roads were like rivers and people were wading through without shoes on and kids were rubber ringing down the street! After sheltering for nearly an hour we decided to make a run for it. However, when we got to the tube station it was shut due to the sheer volume of water that had fallen. We eventually got back to the hostel another hour later via bus and completely soaked through!

Our most memorable experience in Buenos Aires was going to watch Boca Juniors vs. Racing Club at the Boca Stadium. The stadium was plastered in colorful flags, the atmosphere was electric throughout, and the fans were jumping, singing and banging the drums for the entire ninety minutes. It was an amazing experience to be in such an intense crowd; to see them climb the fences and light their flares when a goal went in was unbelievable. The game finished 2-1 to Boca, and despite the away fans attempts to throw urine on us we came away from the game unscathed.

Still on a high from the game and wanting to make the most of our last night in the city we headed out for a steak dinner with our room mate Alan. Incredibly we had to queue to be seated at the restaurant despite it being near on 11pm. However, it was worth the wait, as we had a gorgeous meal to end our time in Buenos Aires.

Iguazù Falls (Argentina)

After seeing the falls from the Brazilian side we were both really excited to see the Argentinian side, which are well known to be more spectacular. We woke early as we had a trip booked for 9.45am and we got to the national park for opening at 9am.

Our Jungle Explorer 'Gran Adventura' included a jeep ride through the jungle down to the riverside, where we boarded a boat which took us upstream through the rapids and towards the waterfalls. After the peaceful boat ride towards the falls we soon found ourselves directly beneath them, soaking wet and feeling the enormous power as they roared straight on top of us! This was a brilliant start to the day.

After the tour we took another boat across to San Martin Island, which gave us some fantastic views of the falls from a variety of different angles. We were really lucky to get this opportunity as water levels often mean the island is closed.

From the island we made our way back across to the mainland where we started the tour of the lower circuit of the falls. This circuit is designed to give you a close up experience of the falls and you can really feel the sheer force and volume of the water.

After lunch we made our way to the upper circuit where the views were completely different yet just as rewarding. We were standing at the level of the upper tributaries just as the water was falling over the top. The circuit had lots of different walk ways and viewpoints and we took our time marvelling at every one.

We had been advised to save the best part until last, so we were excited as we boarded the electric train for 'Garganta del Diablo' (The Devil's Throat). Although we had seen this from the Brazilian side, nothing could prepare us for standing at the very top and experiencing the ferocity as the water crashed over the edge. We were soaked through from the spray but it was so spectacular that all you could do was keep looking over the edge in amazement.

In addition to the majestic falls the park also has a lot of great wildlife, and we saw many colorful butterflies and huge lizards. The two days we have spent in the Iguassu National Park have been two of the best days of the trip so far.

Iguaçu Falls (Brazil)

After a nice relaxing day at Hostel Bambu in Foz do Iguaçu we set off early to see the Brazilian side of the falls.

We had been told that the Argentinian side was more spectacular but that it was important to see the Brazilian side first in order to gain an appreciation for the size of these falls. The falls are over 60m high and cover a length of 2.7km.

When we got there we were in awe and could not believe that it could possibly be better on the other side. We took the walkway along the riverside and into 'The Devil's Throat'. Along the way there were numerous viewpoints where we stopped to take pictures.

As we got closer to the main falls there were paths leading into the middle of the falls where you could feel the power as the spray kicked up and soaked us through. The whole experience took about three hours, and at the end we were excited at the prospect of visiting the Argentinian side in a couple of days.

We decided to make a full day of it so we crossed over the road to Parque das Aves (Bird Park). The park had many different species of birds, including flamingos, toucans, parrots and a whole variety of exotic birds we had never seen nor heard of before. The day was an absolute scorcher so we were pleased to be in the shade of the trees as we looked around.

We headed back to the hostel and relaxed by the pool for the rest of the day.

Sao Paulo

We arrived in Sao Paulo early after an overnight flight from Lima. We had plans to stay with our friend Patricia who we had met in the Canadian Rockies. From the airport we headed straight to her apartment where we received a warm welcome.

Although we were tired from the flight we had a really good first day. We went out for a lovely lunch at a typical Brazilian churrascaria (steakhouse) where we got our first taste of the amazing beef. After a well needed afternoon nap (life is tough) we went out for some beers and empanadas and got a look at the city by night.

The next day we headed to the beaches surrounding the town of Ubatuba, where we ended up spending two nights. The road trip ensured we saw a number of different beaches, including Almada, Felix, Almada Brava and many other secluded spots. Unfortunately the Brazilian weather let us down, but we still got chance to walk along the beaches and enjoy the views from the great beach bars!

After the first two days on the beach we headed south in search of sun and to meet up with Fabricio and Carlos. We stayed at Carlos' cousins' apartment where Carlos prepared us a fantastic BBQ and taught us the traditional Brazilian card game called Truco. This, combined with a healthy number of beers, saw us roll into bed at 4am.

To our amazement the sun was shining the next day so we headed to Maresias beach for a true Brazilian beach experience. It was a lovely beach with golden sand and clear blue sea. We enjoyed watching the many surfers, and were disappointed that there was nowhere to hire a board. Instead we chilled out and tried some of the exotic drinks from the beach bar.

After the beach we headed back to the apartment and cooked another BBQ and drank more beers. We had a great time at the beach but had to get back to Sao Paulo to catch our onward bus to Foz do Iguaçu. We had a farewell lunch back in the city and then said goodbye and thank you to Patricia and Fabricio for showing us such a good time in Sao Paulo.

Last Night In Lima

After a few very relaxed days in Cusco we took a twenty hour bus ride back to Lima to complete our loop around Peru.

We were once again back in Miraflores and despite being tired we got in touch with Monica and Manolo for one last night out in Peru. We went for a lovely meal at the Larcomar shopping complex where we tried anticuchos (cow heart) alongside other traditional peruvian dishes and washed down with four pisco sours!

It seemed rude to end the night there so we headed on to the nightclub for more pisco sours and some crazy dancing. It was an excellent way to end our time in Peru and it was a great night to remember.

Thanks again to Monica and Manolo - we hope to see you in England soon!

Salkantay Trek & Machu Picchu

After a couple of days in Cusco to 'acclimatize' we set off on the Salkantay Trek (an alternative Inca trail) on November 6th. The Salkantay is a four day three night trip involving hiking on all four days and covering 53km in the first three days. We started at 4am in Cusco and got a bus to Mollepata - the starting point of our trek. After a brief breakfast we started hiking at approx. 8am.

The first day involved quite a bit of climbing (1000m to be exact) as we made our way to Soraypampa where we camped at an altitude of 3900m in the shadow of Mount Salkantay - it was pretty cold and we were glad of a warm meal and an early night after 9 hours walking.

The second day was the longest, hardest, but ultimately the most rewarding. We were up at 5.30am for coca tea and porridge and started walking at 6.30am. We made our way to the highest point of the trek known as the Salkantay Pass (4600m). As we approached this point it was hard going to say the least, each step was a massive effort and each breath didn't give you enough oxygen! However, the scenery was spectacular, especially the snowcapped Salkantay and the lush green valley behind us.

We were at the top of the Pass for 10.30am and although we were worn out we knew we still had another six hours to go. As the afternoon wore on the scenery began to change dramatically as we lost altitude and began to enter the jungle. We eventually arrived at our camp in Chaullay (2900m) at 5.30pm, which gave us time for a couple of well deserved beers before bed.

Day three started at 5.30am again, but was to be the shortest of the first three days. The five hour walk to our final destination Playa (2400m) was a beautiful hike through the jungle, where we saw numerous different types of vegetation and wildlife, including some amazing butterflies. After lunch at Playa we got the Hidroelectrica train to Aguas Calientes where we finally saw some civilisation, had a warm shower, and a comfy bed.

Day four was the day we had been waiting for - Machu Picchu. Eager to beat the crowds and get a valuable ticket for Wayna Picchu (the peak in the background of the famous Inca ruins), we set off at 4.15am. The asscent was hard going with over 1000 steps to climb. However, we were spurred on by what we were about to see and arrived at the gates at 5.30am - numbers 6 and 7 in the queue! As we were let through the gates it was well worth the early start as for the first 20 minutes or so we were able to witness the incredible site without people spoiling the view.

We headed straight for the entrance of Wayna Picchu and managed to get tickets 1 and 2 (they only allow 400 people in per day), which ensured that we would be able to climb the amazing peak and get the panaramic views of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, and the surrounding landscape. We spent eight hours exploring and marvelling at this unbelievable place, but had to draw ourselves away around 2pm, as we were absolutely exhausted after four long days.

After an 'interesting' journey, we arrived in Cusco via Ollantaytambo at approx. 11.30pm on the fourth day and crashed into bed tired yet exhilerated from a truly incredible trek.

Next stop.... Sao Paulo, Brazil!

Puno & Lake Titicaca

After our excellent trekking trip in the Colca Canyon our next destination was Puno and Lake Titicaca (yes Daddy.P after all your talk we finally made it!).

After the long bus ride from Arequipa we decided that we'd leave the exploring until later, so we stretched out in front of a few movies in our shared apartment in the hostel. After a brief venture out to the market we cooked our tea and had an early night. Puno was a very small but nice city, we spent our time here enjoying the lovely cakes served up at Ricos Pan, wandering through the many craft markets and generally taking it easy.

The following day we started our tour of some of the islands on Lake Titicaca. First stop was the impressive Uros Islands (Floating Islands), which are constructed entirely of reeds from the Lake. We had time to look around the houses of the inhabitants and take a boat ride across to one of the other islands.

From here it was a smooth three hours in the boat to Isla Amantani where we were greeted by our host family who would look after us for the rest of the day. This was a great experience if somewhat humbling. The conditions the family lived in were very basic and hygiene and cleaniless were not top priorities. However, they looked after us and fed us very well, and one of the highlights was the fiesta around the bonfire in the evening. We were dressed in the traditional clothing of the Island and enjoyed dancing to the sound of the local band!

After a yummy birthday breakfast of pancakes for Joe we made our way to Taquile Island, an hour from Amantani. From the port we walked around the Island to the main square. This provided us with some spectacular views of the hillside farming and Lake Titicaca. After lunch at a hilltop restaurant, we descended approximately 540 steps down to the principal port to board the boat back to Puno. Overall, the experience of visiting the Islands was fantastic and gave us a great insight into the way of life of the islanders.

Back in Puno we went for a lovely meal to celebrate Joe's birthday. After our huge pizzas, sickly cake, beers, and coffee we returned to the hostel exhausted from the last few days. Next stop Cusco...

Arequipa & Colca Canyon

We arrived in Arequipa after a 12 hour night bus yet still on a high from the great time we had had in Huacachina. We were pretty tired so decided to check into our hostel (which was really nice) and get some supplies. Unfortunately when we got back to the hostel Joe collapsed into bed and didn't get up for 4 days - a stomach bug picked up from some dodgy food somewhere.

However, after a trip to the clinic and some expensive antibiotics he was back on the road to recovery and we were looking forward to exploring Arequipa and taking a trekking trip into the Colca Canyon. Arequipa was a really nice city and we enjoyed spending time walking in the Plaza de Armas, Jerusalem, and San Francisco.

On our 6th day in Arequipa we were up at 3.30am for our trip into the Colca Canyon. This was one of the highlights of the whole trip. On day 1 we passed through Chivay on our way to Cruz del Condor and Cabanaconde. After lunch, it was from Cabanaconde that we set off trekking into the canyon. It was a four and a half hour descent which was tough going on the knees but the views made up for the pain - they were spectacular! We finally arrived at our destination - a tiny little village deep in the bottom of the canyon - this was our biggest culture shock yet!

Day 2 started bright and early with some lovely pancakes served up by our guide, Victor. We then made our way through two more small villages, which included a tour of a museum (we use the term 'museum' in it's loosest sense). Throughout day 2 Victor also explained all the different types of plants, their medicinal properties, and how the locals use them. Our favourite was the 'white trumpet' which supposedly provides hallucinagenic affects for up to three days!

By the end of day 2 we had arrived in Paradise, literally. At the bottom of the canyon was a lush oasis with palm trees, a pool, and some interesting bamboo huts to sleep in! After diving straight into the pool we spent the afternoon fishing for trout in the river.

Day 3 was a hard slog back out of the canyon to Cabanaconde. Fortunately we were up at 5.30am and managed to avoid most of the sun's heat. Joe came within a whisker of the tourist record as he steamed up 6km of near vertical mountain in 1 hour 40 mins (the record was 1 hour 23mins). Jen followed 20mins later after a sprint finish to ensure that she beat the donkeys! Tired from 21km of walking over the last three days we finished the tour with a visit to the hot springs in Chivay followed by a brilliant buffet lunch.

We arrived back in Arequipa at around 6.00pm and relaxed prior to our journey to Puno and Lake Titicaca the following day.