Travelling

12/09/2016

Today I went with a large group of international students on a camp. We were with a group of 32. I was looking forward to the camp, we already had to decide - in the beginning of August - if we would like to do the camp or not.. We had to be at school at 6:30 .. An early start. We went to the Tongariro National Park. Which is about 350km from here. It took us around 9 hours to get there. Fortunately we didn't drive the whole time 😉. We first stopped again in the Waitomo Caves. More about this can be read under 'Rotorua'. Then we stopped in Otorohanga to eat our lunch. Afterwards we went to 'Kiwi House’ .. We saw a couple of kiwis there. Wow, they can be aggressive 😅. We were there at the time they were given food. Kiwi began to attack the nurse haha. It was actually pretty cute because the little one would not win. There were also found many other birds. It was actually a kind of zoo, especially for birds. After the bird adventure we drove to Camp Taurewa. The camp consists of all different huts. The girls were divided among four cabins. Two of two persons, and one of eight and one of ten. I slept with six others in the room 8. In my room there were four Germans, two Belgians and a Norwegian. So we had a bed extra to put on our bags. After we settled in we were expected in the dining room. Here we were placed in mixed groups. In these groups we had to do a job every day. The tasks were: doing the dishes, cutting vegetables, cooking, cleaning the bathroom and preparing lunch. After dinner (salad with pasta with a white sauce and broccoli) we had to do the dishes. It wasn't that bad. After that we played a game of table tennis. It was not really tennis. we played: Around the world. You walk around the table and when it's your turn, you hit the ball. When the clock hit ten-thirty it was time to go to sleep 💤

13/09/2016

When we got up today, we couldn't complain. At 06:00 we were woken up and when we went outside to go to the breakfast table, we were overwhelmed with a super beautiful sunrise. Photos can be found at “Photos New Zealand” 😊
After we had put on our warm clothes we got on the road to the ski-bus. We left on to 'Mount Ruapehu ". That was a short drive, but soon fell in all not too bad. On arrival we were shown all the skigerief. I looked forward to it. The only downer was the weather. There was lots of fog so the visibility was maybe 50 meter. We had to endure all a little practice test. Afterwards, we were divided into two groups. Beginners and advanced. I found this not ideal as I'm not a beginner but am certainly not progressed. I was well placed exacted but just had not planned to join the class if I did not want to because "any excessive difficulty '. Anna and I started skiing on the beginners slope. We were told that soon tired and went over but 'Up the Mountain'. Here were 4 different types of slopes. They do not really work here with red, blue and black, but if I have to judge it, I would say: two blue, a red and a black. I made a blue and a red. We started with the blue run the 'Rock Garden’ is called. Probably because of the large number of rocks to be found there. Afterwards we went to the red runs. I personally found this quite dangerous, partly due to bad weather. Also, it just was not very clear where to ski and the snow was quite bad. Stop was a real job. After the adventure we have put in a pub eaten on the slopes and our lunch.
After skiing, we went to the hot pools. These are naturally heated pools. It did really very much pleased after skiing with a temperature of 5 ° C once in a pool of 40 ° C.
Then we returned to the camp to eat and prepare our bag for the next day. In fact, we went on two-day leave. We also had the task: the bathrooms clean up. After the tiring day it was finally bed time.

14/09/2016

Also today rose up early in the program. Her best was good that we had prepared our bags yesterday. I would include in the morning no longer appropriate in. We had to take quite a lot. We had everything we were wearing even more to bring in our backpack. Which consisted of: a thermo leggings and top, a short, want sokken, rain pants, a wool sweater or fleece, a raincoat and gloves. We had to take everything twice because everything you wore would still be soaked on arrival at the cabin. We also had to carry food. This consisted of risotto, peas, a half loaf, butter, two pots, two Exchange stoves, lighters, jam, pap, chocolate mousse, corn, sugar, milk powder, chocolate powder (for chocolate milk), … And some stuff. The food was well distributed among four. We were divided for even further hike in two groups. One group consisted of 12 girls and walked 8km on the first day and about 5km back. The other groups consisted of 12 boys and 8 girls, I was a member of this group. 14,3km We walked on the first day and 5.6km on the next day.
For the real departure we are still by bus to the Visitor Centre of Whakapapa driven. From there we were then finally split and could begin the adventure. We started our walk pretty quiet. It was pretty close the first half hour. When we go down got started it some more mountain and hill in the forest. Eventually we arrived at a waterfall! That was really nice and cool! We are there also stopped for the first time in two hours for a cookie and a sip of water. We are therefore behind the waterfall walk. That was really cool to do and quite adventurous too. As I said, we were anyway soaked. It was not just the falls but also because since morning was early rain. In the forest we had some protection but it remained in. Then we hiked further. It was still about 4 hours to the hut. We started with a lot of these four hours, lots of stairs. Had namely obtain information as where the waterfall begins. That was actually really the worst of the whole walk, kick. Afterwards, we walked into a sort of open spaces on the side of mountains. We therefore had no protection from the rain. After about two hours, it was time for the next 'challenge'. We had to cross a river. He came up to our knees. Not exactly a picnic to continue hiking back with wet feet, maar and yes, which was once part Now!. After the river adventure was dinner time, was again about two hours later than our previous stop. Much time we did not, We soon began to continue walking. Along the way there were some games played and there was something to solve puzzles. When I return home I will certainly tell you a mystery, hihi. 😊 . Also, we had to cross another river, this was not so deep. What I really liked is that we even walked through snow. It was definitely a walk to remember. After a six hour and half hour walk we finally arrived at the cabin. This cabin is also called the hotel of the cabins because it is so new. On arrival there appeared also to stay three other people in our cabin. Indeed, it is open to everyone. When we went we had to immediately do all our wet clothes off and putting our shoes and backpacks. We then took our stuff out of the backpack and went to our room. The boys and girls each had a separate room. We had to share our room with three other guests. One problem this is obviously not, we just get to sleep in the room after a tiring day. After we had settled a bit, we had to cook. We had to prepare for four in the same groups of four our food. Anna and I made the main meal ready and Ariane and Julia made the dessert ready. It was actually pretty cool to do. When our food was ready, the teacher came to each group a taste of the rice. We were second with a 6,8 10😂. After dinner there were still played some games around the fire. First they played with the cards and then have games like 'black magic’ played. We ended the evening with werewolves. It was not played the way we know it but it was really super fun! At about ten we finally went to sleep. What a day!

15/09/2016

Then today we got up in the cabin we had to immediately start having breakfast. We did not have much time because we were to 11:00 weather expected in the bus. For breakfast we made some hot chocolate and cornflakes. After breakfast we had to prepare our trek backpack. That meant you could go stabbing again delicious all your wet clothes in. Also back roll up our sleeping bags, this is not always fun. After we had cleaned the entire cabin and what the pictures were taken was time to leave again. The moment we had to put back our backpack was the worst. You're already everywhere stiff and must then put back the heavy backpack. Luckily for us most of the food already gone. It was also not raining. We soon began to walk. It was still about 5.6km to the nearest road. It was pretty warm today. We are moving also stopped so we could take off our fleece sweater. On the road the bus driver was (Freddy 😆) waiting for us. It was a pretty quiet walk. Relatively flat and partly through the forest. When we came out of the forest we also had a view of a beautiful mountain! We finally arrived in the bus. The first thing we did was right with the other group sharing our adventures. The other group sides that they had to spend the night in a small hut without light. They were to 16:00 all in their hut and we to 18:00. They also had to stabbing a river up to their hips (for the smaller of the group, of course,). I am glad that I was in my group. We then drove to a village near the place where we go rafting. We have been there for 45 minutes put down and eaten. Then it was still 5 minute drive to place the rafting.
We got there all kinds of things we had to do to before we could step on the boat. To start we got a fleece pullover over a wetsuit with short sleeves, then a raincoat and then water shoes. We also got a helmet a life jacket. After we were wearing everything we hopped back on the bus and drove to the river. On arrival we had from big to small stand and we were divided into six groups. I sat with Anna in the group and got a supervisor of our group assigned Grace. She was the only female "water guide". I thought that was cool, maybe it's even something for me 😉. First we got a 'Safety Briefing’ and then we could finally leave. It was a river of grade three. Five is the highest and one is the lowest. Beautiful in the middle so. I was looking very much forward to rafting and it was definitely worth. The river contained many rocks so you must sail sometimes very technical. Almost every new challenge as a 'rapid’ heard the name. These names were given in the past, the hand of events. So said one of them 'Air New Zealand'. This was because there was once a group of flight attendants and the whole boat was overturned at that location. They had to swim behind the boat. Also, there is a piece of the river that the "Legbraker’ call: (Not for sensitive readers) There was a group of young people who came rafting unaccompanied. Someone had the idea to spingen off the boat and swim the entire piece. This unfortunately ran else. He got stuck with two legs between two rocks. The only way there was to get out of his legs by breaking them both. But enough, with us nothing happened. At approximately 3/4 the whole rafting was a quiet area where we could jump off the boat, this I also did with pleasure. 😊 It was indeed a 14km journey on water. On arrival there were some pictures taken of us in the boat.
When we pity we all soon enough had walked out of the water toward the bus and we drove back to the hotpools. I was again very much enjoy. When we arrived we had to go back to the camp immediately start cutting with vegetables. It was namely spaghetti today. I found the food very good today. Then we had to prepare our bag for tomorrow. We had to leave the next day ie quick to arrive to school on time. We also had to clean up the whole camp. We were again divided into groups and each group got a checklist of things that needed to be done. We had to work in the kitchen and cleaned about two hours sleep in the same kitchen. Then it was time to go to sleep.

16/09/2016

At 6 o' clock we woke up, less than 45 minutes later we were on our way back home. We are not often stopped on the way back. We are around 11:00 back in Otorohanga stopped to eat. Then we drove to Pukekohe. We stopped there for ice cream. I first wanted to take two balls but saw the size of a sphere. One was enough 😉.
At 14:45 we finally arrived at school. It was a really nice week!
But my plans are not yet done. Evening to 19:00 we went to a musical school. We had namely already bought tickets for. The named musical 'Hairspray'. It was really professional. I was glad I had gone!

I really enjoyed my week! I would like to do it again one day!

The waterfall

The Waihohonu cabin where we stayed