{"id":4405,"date":"2020-03-12T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-12T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=4405"},"modified":"2020-03-14T15:27:47","modified_gmt":"2020-03-14T19:27:47","slug":"new-zealand-on-to-lake-taupo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/12\/new-zealand-on-to-lake-taupo\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand: On to Lake Taupo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Taupo<\/a> (the town and eponymous lake) was our next stop (see previous New Zealand posts<\/a>); a 2-night stay that would allow the group to scatter for planned or ad hoc activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But before I get to that, let me jump ahead a bit with this silliness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the afternoon when we arrived at Lake Taupo — and after a very nervous lunch — I did my first bungee jump<\/a>, 47 meters (152 feet) from a clifftop above the Waikato River.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I admit it’s silly, but it also was exhilarating and fun… and undignified. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The jump operator’s camera took this shot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
It was 15 stories down. I could see birds flying below me.<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A fellow tour member took this video. I had never heard myself scream before. Brief video: <\/strong>https:\/\/photos.app.goo.gl\/ZuMXBwUTEBsi4bV19<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The jump operator took this multi-cam video which documented the entire jump — except for the screaming part. Jump operator video: <\/strong>https:\/\/photos.app.goo.gl\/6ERDR7RGVwX5pYzN6<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Man, it was a rush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I probably never need to do it again, but I’m glad to have had the experience once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK, back to more important stuff tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Permalink: https:\/\/langa.com\/?p=4405<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"[seperator]\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

COMMENT \/ QUESTION<\/strong> on THIS ITEM?<\/strong> See the<\/em> Comment box<\/strong> at bottom of this page!<\/em>

<\/em>NEW QUESTION? <\/b>Ask<\/em> here<\/a><\/font><\/u><\/b>!

(Want free notification of new content? Click<\/em> <\/strong>here<\/a><\/b>!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Taupo (the town and eponymous lake) was our next stop (see previous New Zealand posts); a 2-night stay that would allow the group to scatter for planned or ad hoc activities. But before I get to that, let me jump ahead a bit with this silliness: On the afternoon when we arrived at Lake Taupo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[21,36,37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-misc","category-new-zealand","category-travel"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paaiox-193","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4412,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/13\/new-zealand-lake-taupo-cont\/","url_meta":{"origin":4405,"position":0},"title":"New Zealand: Lake Taupo, cont.","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-03-13","format":false,"excerpt":"In the morning (see previous New Zealand posts), we headed to Taupo (\"toe-paw\"), but first took a brief detour to the Murupara Area School, where we delivered extra hangi from the previous night's feast. (We'd all pitched in to help package and refrigerate the leftover hangi, after the meal.) The\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Misc"","block_context":{"text":"Misc","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/misc\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4694,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/04\/new-zealand-index-of-posts\/","url_meta":{"origin":4405,"position":1},"title":"New Zealand: Index of Posts","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-04-04","format":false,"excerpt":"Several readers have requested an easier way to find my recent New Zealand posts, so here you go! Day 1: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/02\/28\/new-zealand-day-1\/Auckland to Coromandel: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/03\/new-zealand-auckland-to-coromandel\/Te Whanganui-A-Hei\u2026 and Hobbiton https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/04\/new-zealand-te-whanganui-a-hei-and-hobbiton\/Rotorua: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/05\/new-zealand-rotorua\/Te Puia Maori center: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/10\/new-zealand-te-puia-maori-center-and-a-night-in-a-rural-maori-family-lodge\/A night in a rural Maori family lodge: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/11\/new-zealand-a-night-in-a-rural-maori-family-lodge\/On to Lake Taupo:https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/12\/new-zealand-on-to-lake-taupo\/Lake Taupo, cont.: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/13\/new-zealand-lake-taupo-cont\/Taupo to Wellington: https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/17\/new-zealand-taupo-to-wellington\/Wellington:https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/18\/new-zealand-wellington\/Cook\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Misc"","block_context":{"text":"Misc","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/misc\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/taupo-sunset.jpg?fit=1200%2C568&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4430,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/17\/new-zealand-taupo-to-wellington\/","url_meta":{"origin":4405,"position":2},"title":"New Zealand: Taupo to Wellington","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-03-17","format":false,"excerpt":"Yes, those are hobbit feet --- Bilbo Baggins', in fact. I'll explain in a moment. The final day of the North Island tour was a long ride down to Wellington (see previous New Zealand posts). Here's a very rough approximation of the full week's driving, with an estimated total time-in-transit.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Misc"","block_context":{"text":"Misc","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/misc\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bilbo Baggins prop feet","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bilbo-feet.jpg?fit=699%2C937&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bilbo-feet.jpg?fit=699%2C937&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/bilbo-feet.jpg?fit=699%2C937&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4378,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/11\/new-zealand-a-night-in-a-rural-maori-family-lodge\/","url_meta":{"origin":4405,"position":3},"title":"New Zealand: A night in a rural Maori family lodge","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-03-11","format":false,"excerpt":"After lunch in Te Puia (see previous New Zealand posts), we next headed out into the very rural countryside, to the Kohutapu Tribal Lodge, where we'd have a communal Maori meal and stay the night. On the way to the lodge, we stopped for a brief hike to some stone\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Misc"","block_context":{"text":"Misc","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/misc\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/lodge.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/lodge.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/lodge.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4206,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/02\/28\/new-zealand-day-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":4405,"position":4},"title":"New Zealand: Day 1","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-02-28","format":false,"excerpt":"It took 2 flights and 22 hours in the air to travel the approximately 10,000 miles (16,000km) from Boston to New Zealand via San Francisco. We left Boston on a Thursday afternoon, and touched down in Auckland around dawn Saturday. The domestic flight, Boston to San Francisco, was on United;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Misc"","block_context":{"text":"Misc","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/misc\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/naumi-room.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/naumi-room.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/naumi-room.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/naumi-room.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/naumi-room.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4617,"url":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/2020\/03\/26\/new-zealand-last-day-auckland\/","url_meta":{"origin":4405,"position":5},"title":"New Zealand: Last Day\/Auckland","author":"Fred Langa","date":"2020-03-26","format":false,"excerpt":"After a good night's sleep and breakfast at Naumi, (see\u00a0previous New Zealand posts), we checked out of the room, left our bags with the bell staff, and Uber'ed into Auckland for a day of pleasant, touristy sightseeing. We started at the Sky Tower, which offered sweeping 360-degree views from two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Misc"","block_context":{"text":"Misc","link":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/category\/misc\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/auckland3-scaled.jpg?fit=568%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/auckland3-scaled.jpg?fit=568%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/langa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/auckland3-scaled.jpg?fit=568%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4405"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4449,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4405\/revisions\/4449"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/langa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}