Fierce Invalids in Hot Climates Amber and Jerad chronicle their life-changing journey from Napa Valley wine snobs to globe-exploring vegabonds

Sorry it has been awhile since the last blog, but New Zealand is extremely expensive and the internet is no exception.  We arrived into Auckland and after looking into transportation and accomadation we decided to take the road less travelled and rent a campervan instead of using buses and hostels.  Doing the math it was about the same price and we got to see a lot more of the country and got to take things in at our own pace.  First, we headed south the the Waitomo Caves.  These caves are quite an adventure and we got more than our share of glowworms, underground waterfalls, frigid water, bumps and bruises, and tight spaces to go round.  Amber was a little claustrophobic but we got through it fine and I had a total blast.  Next we travelled to Tongariro National Park and spent a day crossing the Tongariro Alpine Circuit which is an 18.5km hike to the top of Red Crater on Mt Tongariro.  What a hike.  It starts as a nice stroll through the hills and then ascends 1800 meters up a sheer face of the mountain.  The views and sense of accomplishment were well worth it but it was more of a challenge than I thought going into it.  We then travelled to Rotorua to spend a day adrenaline seeking.  We Zorbed, which is rolling down a hill in a giant rubber ball filled with water (see picture for a better idea).  Next we went hydroboating around a water course and finished it all of with the Sweep.  This is a combination between bungy jumping and free falling.  We were strapped into bags and lifted onto a crane to 50 meters and then dropped in an arch back towards the ground.  What a rush!  Next, we spent some time camping on the Coramandel Penninsula before making our way up to the Bay of Islands.  This is a beautiful bay with some nice beachs.  Finally we travelled to the far northern tip of the island to go sand boarding.  There is nothing like hurling yourself on a board down giant sand dunes.  The hike back up and the blistering heat make for an interesting combo.  Overall it has been a great 2 weeks.  Some points of interest; living like homeless people in a van has been quite an experience.  There is nothing like showering out of water bags in the middle of city parks to make one think about were their life has taken them.  Also, we have been astounded by how much everything costs in this country as well as the apparent lack of hospitality from people working in the tourist field.  It is as if they rely heavily on tourism but hate the tourists.  I'm sure this is not true of all Kiwis, but it has unfortunately been true of most we have dealt with.  This only slightly takes away from the mind-blowing beauty of the land.  It is truly amazing how many different and idealic landscapes we have encountered.  Hope all is well and hopefully it won't be 2 weeks until the next post. JN