New Zealand is basically a mecca for thrill seekers.  I’ve never been much of an adventurer.  I’m much more of an inside girl, but this trip has certainly been pushing me out of my comfort zone!

Today, we went whitewater rafting. I’ve never done it before, but Justin went a few times in Costa Rica when he was younger.  I was a little nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect.

We got there around 9 am.  They gave us a  life jacket, water shoes, helmet, and fleece (optional).  They said that the water was warm enough that we wouldn’t need a wet suit. I kinda wish I would have worn one because we got soaked, and I was a little chilly.

We went down the Kaituna river.  It is classified as a grade 5 river with 14 rapids, including a 7 meter high waterfall.  The guide went over all of the instructions on how to paddle and how to brace yourself when going over the big rapids.

I really enjoyed the whole experience, although I was pretty nervous about going over the “big one.”  Before went over it, the guide stopped at a spot and said that it was our last chance to chicken out.  I considered it.  Justin said that my face was very serious when he looked over at me!

Before going over the big waterfall, the guide told us that it may help to put our head down. As usual, I took this instruction seriously.  I’ve heard of some people getting really hurt while whitewater rafting.  As a result, every single picture of us going down the waterfall just shows the top of my helmet!

Overall, we both had a great time.  We weren’t able to bring the waterproof camera because it is too big, but Justin had the Go Pro camera on his helmet.  The company took some pictures along the way, and we were able to purchase the CD.  Unfortunately, we don’t have a disc drive on our computer to post the pictures right now.

After whitewater rafting, we went back to the apartment.  Later that afternoon, we went kayaking right outside the house we are staying at.  They had kayaks that we could use.  The views were so beautiful!