Blog
29th February 2016
Hooked on Huka…
Taupo is home to some of the North Islands most adrenaline fuelled activities and there are literally so many of them that I would challenge anyone to actually experience boredom! Personally, I would happily spend every day in Taupo, were it not for the fact that I have a bank account that is less Bill Gates and more Billy no mates!
Anyway, I digress… The Hilton Lake Taupo was our hotel destination thanks to Di Christie and it truly is a 5* property, both in personal service and aesthetics. Just up the hill from the waterfront, it has an idyllic setting with stunning views of Great Lake Taupo to the front and the gardens and hills to the rear. All the bedrooms have been refurbished and you could swing 5 cats in even the smallest of those! The self-contained apartments really do give you that little something extra too. They each have their own washing machine, tumble dryer, living and dining areas, a great kitchen and a sizeable bathroom with both a bath and walk in shower. Not only that, our apartment had a balcony so large, we could have invited the entire cast of Lord of The Rings over.
Our group had dinner that evening in Bistro Lago, which is part of the Nourish Group and boasts Gareth Stewart as the Executive Chef. The food and wines were delicious so if you’re ever in Taupo, get yourself booked in because it is well worth a visit!
However, despite the above, this famil wasn’t all serene hotel rooms and lovely dinners. Cue Karen Rainbow of Destination Great Lake Taupo, who I’m blaming for my current loss of speech and sore vocal chords!
First stop = Taupo Bungy and Cliff-hanger Extreme Swing, located on the Waikato River outside town. Weight noted, shoes off, hair up and off we went to give it a try. After four safety checks, we were hanging 144ft above the Waikato River and around 25ft from the cliffs, which was the worrying part! Then without warning, we were freefalling and I let out a scream so high-pitched that only dogs could hear!
Despite my screams, the experience was incredible. That initial 40ft of complete freefall is quite possibly the closest I have ever been to thinking ‘I’m going to die’ and it’s definitely the closest my stomach has been to my mouth.
The next stop was the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, where we were to take part in their 5 lap Fundrive experience. This experience uses 1.8 litre Mazda MX-5 sports cars and thankfully for my driving skills, the rain managed to hold off, which enabled me to keep the little rear wheel drive car moving in a forward direction rather than a sideways one! The track is great fun with some good twisty corners and for anyone who loves driving, I’d whole heartedly recommend getting down there to try it. They also sell an experience which involves driving V8 racing cars, so for the hardened motor head it’s an awesome place.
The final stop was the Huka Falls Jet on Sunday morning and to say that I was absolutely ‘messing my undies’ for want of a better expression, is an understatement. I needn’t have been worried, our guide Jeremy was absolutely fantastic and I would recommend him to anyone. I would even go as far as requesting him for my corporate groups as he has a great personality, hilarious sense of humour and for the ladies, he’s not bad looking either! Jeremy is even in the running for TV Guide New Zealand and being as I came out alive, I thought it only fair to vote for him.
The actual jet boating was amazing too, zipping in and out of trees and right up to the falls is an exhilarating experience. I got wet, VERY WET. The whole weekend was fabulous and I’d do it all again in a heartbeat, thankfully I still have one! If you’re ever in Taupo, definitely hook a left for Huka falls!