The last week has been a whirlwind trip through New Zealand's North Island. Auckland-Raglan-Waitomo-Hahei-Lake Taupo-National Park-Wellington.

My only real adventure activity was a 100m abseil into the Waitomo Caves then walking through, up and out. The underground river, glowworms and rock formations were neat but the descent was spectacular. Unfortunately bad weather ruined plans to hike the Tongariro Crossing--one of the best one day walks in the world. It's closed when the conditions make it too dangerous. Decided to save the other fun stuff--kayaking, rafting and whatever else--for the South Island.

I saw a couple Lord of the Rings sites. Nice scenery but since I haven't seen the movies I can't tell you where I was by naming scenes.

North Island highlights: Rotorua geothermal sites and boiling mud and hot water pools; Wellington's Te Papa museum (Maori culture and NZ geology, history, wildlife); Wellington's botanical gardens; Raglan's black sand beaches and scenic views; friendly Kiwis; interesting travel companions; and, just seeing something new around every corner.

On to the South Island via the InterIslander Ferry.