Round The World: [Days 10-11] Stench, Debauchery, Adrenaline

Rotorua is known for awesome geo-thermal hot-springs... they're a trip to see but the steam is full of sulfur and shrouds the city in the disgusting smell of rotten egg... and it comes in whiffs! You'll be walking down the street, enjoying the quaint little town and it's natural wonders, when all of a sudden a revolting gust of ass will slap you right in the face. SO BITTERSWEET! As the group checks out some hot-springs, the weather transcends from mellow rain to super gnarly downpour. Time to find a holiday park (upscale campground). We find one that provides free thermal spas (small pools filled with naturally-heated and scentless mineral water) Free natural spa, in freezing rain, with 4 fantastic Swedes. NICE! We drive straight to the liquor store and stock up.

8pm. RV is parked, clothes come off, bottles are opened, and we run off in a shivering shuffle to the spas. Needless to say things get out of hand. We get back at 11 and San Diego-style debauchery is in full effect. People are wrestling, yelling, Bradon and Ahna go out into the storm and Melbourne Shuffle. Some how an empty box of Speight's Ale finds Brad's head & he starts dancing like a techno-gimp... We've got quite the group!

-sorry about the angle

**Side note, Prneella just told me, right now, as I right this, that tomorrow we're jumping into an ice water pool on Fox Glacier together. I'm very very anxious. That water is going to be really really cold. Like ice cold. Literally. Frick'n Swedes. Haha this is ridiculous. Wish you all were here with us!!

The next morning we wake to heavy wind warnings on the PA. Guy camping next to us complains that a massive tree might fall on his tent. WOAH! Still full of luster, we decide that luging down expansive hills is the wildest thing to do amidst heavy wind. Off we go! Luging is essentially riding a small plastic cart down steep cement roads. We're not sure what to expect as most people there are between the ages of 8 and 15. It ends up being identical to the Super Mario Cart video game, but with 4 Swedish girls instead of King Kooba, Toad, that annoying Princess. Incredible surprise!

- again, 'my bad' on the angle

The advanced track is especially crazy... almost vertical hills, insane turns, dangerously fast straight aways, and a even a point to catch air. On the first run I ride a wicked straight away standing up. I surf that crazy little cart for about 30 ft then fly over my handle bars and plow head first into cement. Brad, instead of stopping to see if I'm alright, just laughs and speeds by. “YOU-ARE-AN-IDIOT!” he shouts. Whatever bro, I SURFED on my Super Mario Cart. UH! The group races all day and has a priceless time.

The crazy wind never arrives. We return to that rocking holiday park and request another night. The receptionist kindly informs us that we received countless complaints and must find another campground. Haha so it goes! We cruise throughout the breathtaking hills and come across another great park, located on the beach of Blue Lake—a massive body of water that glows vibrant aqua in the sun! Adjacent is Green Lake—same thing but forest green!

We wake to gentle rain and the taste of adrenaline still on our tongues. We race to the local iSite. iSites are agencies that provide free activity & accomodation info. They're located in almost every Aussie & NZ town. The day's thrills are booked.

SLEDGING!!! Sledging originated in NZ back in the 80s. Simply put, you ride a plastic pseudo-bodyboard down white-water rapids. The moment we see the brochure we realize it's a must. To top off our excitement, the iSite lady says people tend to return “really shaken up”... perrrrrrrrfect! The girls are amp'd on some mud bath thing, so they jump in a shuttle and head out. We throw on crazy electro in the RV & pound red bulls.

We arrive. Surfer-esque instructors inform us that we're the only Sledgers for the day, but there are 16 rafters (the same river is used for both activities).... cool yet intimidating! After a brief safety instruction we find ourselves traversing ancient Maori tunnels toward the river. The entry point is beneath a 6 meter waterfall and we're suddenly face to face with roaring rapids. Fear and anxiety whisper in the breezes... the water is so powerful that it pretty much does whatever it wants with you... an eerie idea! But we follow the guides instructions and quickly get the hang of things. We blast down the river, stopping just twice to recite Maori prayer, catch our breathes, and enjoy the wondrous scenery. The river runs through a temperate rain forest... brilliant green vines and high thriving branches reach out over the boulder lined bank, everything glows as soft rain glistens in the afternoon light. MIND-NUMBING! We reach the final rapid after 45 thrilling minutes. The guides teach us how to situate ourselves in the current to surf it! Brad busts a barrel roll. I try to do the same but end up getting a mouth full of river water. Lol.

It was a perfect length of time... sledging required a lot of counter-current kicking and after 5 fierce rapids our legs were shot. But so worth it! Both of us agree it was easily one of the coolest things we've ever done, and something unavailable in most places around the globe!

That afternoon we drove to Taupo, a small town half-way to our next destination. Checked out Huka Falls.. incredible but a storm hit right away! Next day was sunny so we taught American Football to the Swedes. HILARIOUS!