I didn’t know I signed up for this!! Six zip lines and a drop down a rope to get to the ground!
Sliding to the ground upside down! So fun!
Everyone got to the bottom safely!
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This was Liz.
This was breakfast before the zip line. Note the rhinos on the wall (??)
Lots of hiking through the virgin forest – meaning the trees have never been cut.
I had 2 jackets and was glad I did.
Liz and Lesa were racing.
Unfortunately, I quit filming and Liz never made it to the stand. I guess she didn’t keep her knees high enough, she didn’t get enough speed and stopped before getting to the stand. And then she slowly slid back to the center and just hung there.
Our Zip Line Guide had to zip out there himself and pull her in by hand. It was a lot of work and he had threatened us beforehand with getting pushed off the stand, if that happened. But he was gracious.
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I love a suspension bridge where we are actually ABOVE the trees.
This is how I came down the rope — upside down. But no one kissed me at the bottom.
We got so much information here. They have little birds who swoop out of the trees to grab the worm people are holding.
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The birds of NZ are disappearing because before humans screwed up the fauna, there were very few predators of the birds, so they got lazy, quit flying and laid their eggs on the ground. Then stoats, ferrets, opossums, rats and dogs arrived in the country. So officials have set a date of 2050 to be rid of all non-native mammals. The original traps could never do the job. But with new ingenious traps where a hydraulic shot of air pierces a rat or opossum’s head, there’s a chance of success.
I think the birds should just learn to fly again!
And if NYC can’t do it, I don’t think they will be able to eradicate all rats.
The heat from underground volcanoes bubble up to the surface. A few cities are still using this to heat their homes.
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The thermal mud pools that seeps out of the center of the earth.
You can cook an egg in this!
I always look better in a warm climate.
Called the blueys pool due to the color of the water, gotten because of the minerals in it.
This was an art school where people learned to weave, wood-work, carve and make jewelry. Look at the size of that log compared to the person sitting on that stool!!
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Back breaking work!
The types of weaving they do with the local ferns and reeds.
They like to use the local stones for eyes in their artwork.
Joined a Maori dinner. The Maori (pronounced mow-ree) are native to NZ and they have some weird rituals, to which we were introduced.
We were forewarned NOT to laugh or giggle. It was difficult.
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Each busload of tourists pick a leader (always a man š ) to interact in the show.
Another ritual. Note Jane in the back — who was not supposed to stick out her tongue; but make an ugly smile. Too funny!!
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This is how the above dance was SUPPOSED to look!
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This is another game. You let go of the stick (either right or left, depending on what the leader yells) and you need to catch your neighbor’s stick. Jane and Janice were booted out early on.
(THAT’S why I don’t play these silly games — I don’t like losing!)
I was just coming in close to get a picture of the canape’s they were serving, when Mr. Scary showed me his tongue!!
I just can’t get enough of this guy’s body!!
We ALL had to do this ball swinging act.
All I know is that the sweater I bought in Bolivia for $20 sure is cute!!
The dinner was mostly unappealing to me. They served lamb, pork, duck, spicy vegetables, a little bread. But DESSERTS were wonderful. I had one of each!!
One dessert — the white meringue — was a pavlova — a chef created this dessert for Anna Pavlova, a Russian ballerina, the most-celebrated dancer of her time when she visited NZ and Australia in the 1920’s. Both countries claim their country invented the dessert. US-based food scholar Darra Goldstein said that the precise origins of pavlova canāt be determined. When thereās a dish as popular as pavlova, itās no surprise that both Australia and New Zealand would want to claim it as something they have given the world. Friendly rivalries are always fun, and for some itās a matter of national pride.