Rogers Big Adventure

I have a couple of half written posts that just arnt making it to post. As usual I have bad internet connections and too much to do. I'm hoping 6 months in India will give me time to update! I was in Auckland a couple of weeks ago to pick up a package Rod and Joane had sent out with some more cold weather gear. Turns out one of my boxes I had sent over went missing. The BIO cops had seized it and I finally got a letter at the post office saying they had held it because there was mud on my boots. I sear they were clean, but there ya go. It was more hassle to pick the boots up form them so I bought a new pair. while in Auckland I met an Austrian girl, Joane, who was also looking at going on up to the Northlands. We talked and kind of danced around the idea of going together in my van. An odd arrangement when you dont know someone and your in very confined quarters. It worked out so well, we had a great time and it totally made the little 8 day trip. She introduced me to the joys of music! and I now have an ipod fully loaded with the sounds from her ipod. 21st century here we come.

theres weeks of updates i need to do, but I'll come back and fill those in later. so for now im up to date in Taupo
about to take a look at the Huka falls, then go do a 15,000 free fall skydive, before heading further south for an 8 hour hike at Mount Tongariro, that one should be fantastic, there is snow on the mountain and radio reports of volcanic activity and speculation of an imminent eruption!

This gives a better idea of the size of these trees

We drove through the Kauri forests and took hikes to see the biggest trees, making time to get down to a camp site that offered guided night time walks in the forest with possible sightings of Kiwi's. Now its off season and no one else showed up for the walk so the guide didnt want to take just the two of us. I have a red bike light and he said we were welcome to do the walk by ourselves. Wow no one else there, we had the whole forest to ourselves and the red light shone out a very dim glow that only illuminated two steps ahead of us on a narrow path with bridges and creepy dangling things. A noise off to our left had us stop in our tracks and there out of the woods walks this Kiwi! He just strolls on up as if we wernt there. It was amazing and we were jumping around so excited. Walk on a little way and more noise, wait theres more Kiwi, two this time! ok this is so cool, walk on some more and glow worms start to appear. Ok ive seen those before, no big deal, but Joane is totally intrigued. walk on, oh yeah more Kiwi, more glow worms, walk on, fucking kiwi, there everywhere, whats the big deal! Joana and i are making jokes and a hell of a racket and still the frigging Kiwi wander around us, no wonder they are nearly extinct.