With time running out for having free access to a car, I headed south to experience the Squeeze (http://www.riverjet.co.nz/Riverjet_Thermal_Safari/The_Squeeze_IDL=204_IDT=942_ID=14691_.html), something I had suggested to John that we do but he was too much of a wuss for. For those too lazy to follow the link, the Squeeze looked like a lot of fun when I first heard of it: take a genuine New Zealand jetboat (something I had never gotten to do) through Tutukau Gorge, then disembark and wade/climb through a narrow set of rock formations (hence the name, “Squeeze”) up a geothermally heated stream until you reach a secluded waterfall deep in the bush. Sounds great, right?
Well, the only thing that could make it better is being THE ONLY PERSON ON THE TOUR. I had booked ahead of time and made it down to a hut by the side of the road, kinda near Orekai Karako (astute readers will remember this location from angela’s visit), kinda not near anything else. I signed in and paid and realized as I got into my wetsuit that I was it. No one else was coming. I’m sure they lost money on fuel for the boat, only having one paying passenger, but I have to give New Zealand Riverjet credit, they didn’t cancel on me. I met my driver and we sauntered down to the mighty Waikato River. The twenty-five seats on the jetboat seemed like overkill. Admittedly, this was about a month from the dead of winter, so it’s not a huge surprise that this outing wasn’t well attended, but still. Regardless, I took the opportunity as I sat right next to the pilot to ask the question that any ten year old boy would want to ask: could I drive the boat?
I’m thrilled to say that the answer was, ultimately, yes. Now, for the majority of you who have never been on an authentic New Zealand river jet boat, let me break it down for you. These boats were invented in New Zealand for use in the rivers here. The boats have a very shallow draft; can go through areas with lots of vegetation without fouling, and can fucking move. It may feel like you are going faster than you actually are, but I don’t care. It feels awesome. For more on the history and particulars of jet boats, look here: http://www.alpinejet.co.nz/the-ride.html. Part of the fun of the boats is their ability to turn sharply and even spin 360 degrees with a flip of the wheel. I didn’t get to try that maneuver, but I did get to drive the boat for a good 5-10 minutes and got to make all sorts of sharp turns and passes close to sturdy elements of the environment (trees, boulders, etc.). I felt like a kid in a candy store and it was totally cool for the guy to let me drive.
The trip up the river to our put in point lasted a good while and the scenery was beautiful, even as the country descended into winter. Once we reached our point of entry, the guide tied up the boat and we set off up a small stream that feeds the Waikato. One thing you notice immediately is how the temperature of the water varies. The Waikato is pretty cold in that “I’m going to keep the water level at mid-thigh” kind of way, while the stream (unnamed, so far as I know) is geothermally heated, as are a number of waterways in this part of the country. I nearly lost my crocs to the muck and actually had to step back where I had just been to find them again. The water was about waist deep and we shortly reached the first narrow passage in the rocks. The series of squeezes and boulders to climb is the whole point of this excursion, and it was all as awesome as I was hoping for. It took probably 15 minutes of climbing and wading to get to the ultimate goal: a 12 foot heated waterfall at the end of the line (or at least as far as we were going on this day). The waterfall was really cool. There was about a 10’ diameter pool at the base, with steam rising from all sides, a canopy of tree ferns overhead and rays of sunshine knifing through. The pilot was duty bound to take pictures of the whole affair (most of the guided tours in New Zealand have the guides take pictures for a picture disk that they sell to the participants at the end. I kinda felt bad for the guy this time, so I felt compelled to buy the disk afterwards. But it was cool, because all the pictures were of me ;) ).
The whole experience was amazing. Making your way up the stream to the waterfall feels like wading back in time to a lost epoch. The greens and browns of the ferns and the moss on the rocks add to the experience. It would have been very romantic to have been there with someone other than, you know, the tour guide dude. But, no matter. Coming back out to the boat was a reluctant return to civilization. However, the sadness of leaving the coolness that was the waterfall was ameliorated by (the aforementioned) getting to drive the boat.
The day was not done after exiting the Squeeze. I headed out from the shack on the side of the road to nearby Taupo, home of the lava glass studio. I had been here before, to watch glassblowing and peruse the wares. The art glass created there is really cool and I decided that, expensive though it is, I’m not likely to pass this way again soon and I wanted to get something to help me remember my time here. I picked up a small blue glass vase that I particularly liked. After leaving the glass studio, I then made my way to Huka Prawn Park and Restaurant (http://www.hukaprawnpark.co.nz/). They have an area where you can go “fishing” for live prawns and they will prepare whatever you catch (which is apparently not as easy as it sounds, because the little bastards don’t hold onto the bait well). I got there a little late in the day to go fishing, so I decided just to sample the fare at the restaurant. I wasn’t disappointed. The food was really good, if a little overpriced. They do quite a business in prawns and know whereof they speak.
The ride home was bittersweet. On the one hand, I had had a great day out adventuring and got to see and do some amazing things. On the other, though, I knew that my time in country was rapidly coming to a close and this was going to be one of the last days of adventuring that I was going to get. I’m glad I had made a big day of it.
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