Black Water Rafting, Waitomo, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

After leaving Taupo and Huka Falls, we drove south to Waitomo and decided to do Black Water tubing and caving in the Waitomo Glowworm caves.  We hired 2 of the young single adult women in Kip and Emily's ward to come to the caravan park to watch the 9 kids.  We also bought them all passes to take the kids to the glow worm caves for the more mild tour.  Our caving adventure was one of the highlights of the trip.  We repelled down ~100 feet through a small opening into the cave, took a pitch black zipline further into the cave, jumped off some small cliffs, took inner tubes down a river system inside the cave and enjoyed seeing thousands of glow worms lighting up the cave, crawled back into a labyrinth of caves and found a black eel that was obsessed with our head lamps, climbed up waterfalls, slid down rocks, and had a wonderful time together.

Playing with flashlights and camera shutter speeds in the darkness of the cave.

Silk hanging from the roof of the cave from the glow worms.

Climbing out of the cave up a waterfall.

Our group before going down into the cave.

Eliza, getting ready to rappel down over 100 feet through the small hole entering the cave.

Cody, repelling down into the cave.

Cody, climbing through the small spaces in the cave.

The group, stopping for some food and hot drinks.

Eliza, climbing through one of the tight spots in the cave.

Eliza, climbing up the waterfall to get out of the cave.

Taupo and Huka Falls, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

We stopped at Huka Falls on the way out of Taupo.  It's an impressive sight with all of the water going through the narrow canyon.

 A view of the falls from above.

 The kids posing for a picture above the falls.

The best kids in the world.

Wind Tunnel and Swing at Agro Adventures, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

We decided to spend another day in Rotorua, given all of the fun things we had experienced there and we were not disappointed.  We went to Agro Adventures and for ~$25/person we were able to do a mini-skydive in the wind tunnel.  It was amazing and all of the kids (even the little ones) were allowed to do it.  We also did the giant sky swing at the park, which was a huge hit.

Ryder, flying high in the wind tunnel at Agro Adventures Rotorua.

Sawyer, floating in the wind tunnel.

Nash, getting blown around in the wind tunnel.

Zander, all smiles and doing pretty well at balancing on his own in the wind tunnel.

Skyline Luge, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

Rotorua was a town filled with lots of fun activities.  While we were there, we were able to do the Skyline Luge (similar to the one in Queenstown on the South Island that we experienced in May, 2014).  We had a blast trying out the different tracks they had.

Daddy, with Nash after a fast run down the track.

Mommy and Zander getting ready to ride.

Ryder was a "little ripper"

Harvey, Nash, Sawyer, and Paige...all smiles after 5 rides down the track.

The group after a lot of runs on the Skyline Luge.

Daddy and Sawyer getting ready for another run.

 Paige riding down with Nash.

 Sawyer and Ryder.

 View from the top of the Luge.

Zander and Addy, ready for another run.

Mitai Maori Village, Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

We had dinner and a cultural show at Mitai Maori Village, where we learned a little about Maori traditions and had some good food, which was fun for the kids.

 The tribe, paddling in on their canoe.

Our tribe, getting ready for dinner.

The Squeeze, NZ Riverjet, Rotorua/Taupo, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

We headed south from Rotorua towards Taupo to go ride the NZ RiverJet boats and hike "The Squeeze," which is a naturally warm waterfall created by the local thermal hot springs mixing with the native river.  To get there you have to "hike" and swim a little bit in warm water through some pretty narrow rocks.

Kemps and Whips doing power slides in the jet boat.

Cody, in the hot waterfall.

Getting washed away by the warm water from the hot waterfall.

Eliza, in the waterfall.

Ryder, enjoying the warm waterfall.

Hiding behind the waterfall.

The crew, making our way through "The Squeeze"

Family picture at the warm waterfalls.

More power sliding on the jet boats.

Sawyer and Paige, best friends making memories.

Whips and Kemps at the hot waterfall after "The Squeeze"

 Beginning the hike to "The Squeeze."

 Having fun on the boat.

 Zander was loving the boat ride.

Zorbing at OGO Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand (January, 2015)

The first thing we wanted to do in Rotorua was Zorbing. Basically, they put you in a hollowed out giant plastic bubble and roll you down a hill.  They fill it partially with water first so that you slide around in the bottom of the zorb instead of tumbling head over heels inside of it.  We each got to take 2-3 runs down the hill on different courses and Cody and Rick tried the dry/harnessed zorb where you are strapped in and go tumbling head over heels down the hill.  This was a very fun experience for all of the kids as well as the adults.

 Sawyer and Paige jumping for joy after their first run.

 Eliza and Alex with the victory jump.

 Ryder and Levi inside the Zorb.

 Sawyer and Paige inside the Zorb.

 Mommy and Nash inside the Zorb.

 Cody inside the orb for his first run.

 Victory jump.

 Eliza gives the Zorbs two thumbs up.

 2nd victory jump.

 Harnessed in and ready to go.

 The straight course where 2 zorbs could race side by side.

Mommy and Nash's victory jump.