Stop No. 5: TAUPO

After a night in Rotorua, Cowboy, our bus driver, took us on the Kiwi bus to Taupo, which is located 63km away, in the district of the same name. Taupo is known for its outdoor activities and extreme sports. There are also numerous thermal springs around the city that are used for geothermal energy.

Our first stop was the Huka Falls, an 11-meter high waterfall and a cascade of waterfalls that falls in stages. They originate in the Taupo River, a crater lake of a volcano and the largest lake in New Zealand! The water travels along a river only about 100 meters wide through the canyon until it plunges down the cliff. It was incredibly impressive to see about 220,000 liters of water per second rushing down here and the power it possessed in its current. We also had beautiful weather and the water was crystal clear and very blue, so at some points, we could see the rocks and other things at the bottom.

We stayed in Taupo for a total of two nights, which was really relaxing as we didn't have to pack up all our stuff in the evening or early morning and could make full use of the day. I also needed the whole day because a few days before, I had already booked my skydive from 4000 meters high for the afternoon of our arrival - something I definitely wanted to do in the land of extreme sports! So, right after check-in at the hostel, Miral and I went on the limousine shuttle that picked us up at the accommodation. I was very lucky that the sky cleared up just in time and we had great weather for a beautiful view, as the jump was almost canceled due to the clouds in the sky.

First, we went for the briefing and I was fitted with the necessary equipment, so that everything would stay attached to me even after the jump ;) Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the first group anymore, so I had to wait about half an hour and was glad that Miral came along. You always do a tandem skydive with a guide, to whom you are strapped during the jump, kind of like a baby carrier.

The hangar at the airport

After waiting, we quickly got into the plane with 8 other skydivers and their guides! I was very lucky and had a lot of fun as we gained more and more altitude, because my partner could speak a little German and we tried to do the 'interview' for my later video in my language! The view was already breathtaking from the plane, as we could see the lake, the mountains, etc., and the sun was shining beautifully. At about 2000 meters, I finally noticed that I was sitting right at the front of the plane, next to the door, and should be the first to jump! Everything went very quickly when we reached the right altitude, I was strapped in and given goggles until we moved closer to the exit door and sat right on the edge... I was very excited and looking forward to the jump, but surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all!

A short time later, I found myself in free fall for 45 seconds... the feeling was indescribable! We were getting closer and closer to the clouds below us and flew through them until the count of three, when my tandem master opened the parachute. I had a beautiful view of the landscape and we 'floated' in the air for some time, so that he could explain to me where everything was located. I even got to pull the steering lines myself and change our direction of rotation from right to left! After about 10 minutes, we went into a steep descent towards the airport to prepare for landing :) I am super happy that I chose to do the jump in Taupo and it was definitely worth it!