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I feel like when you get married, you find yourself doing things you never would have imagined doing for anyone else.
You do things; like smell clothes to see if they're clean (I always used to tell Jesse that was a disgusting boy thing to do... and now I'm guilty of doing it myself), actually wanting to spend time looking after someone who's sick instead of running away from the germs like your life depends on it and you have way more inside jokes than you ever thought possible.
You also do things like risk your life for the sake of your husband's enjoyment... or maybe that's just me...
The next edition of our New Zealand Adventures which I'm sharing with you today is about exactly that. We called this day "The Adrenaline Day" and it was EXACTLY that. A day that was totally, completely and utterly outside this girl's comfort zone, however, I actually found myself loving every second.
Find out how this day for Jesse turned out to be one of our favourite days of the trip! >>
Our day started early at Offroad NZ. We'd driven over from our accommodation in Tauranga which took around an hour. The last little bit of the drive is on an unpaved road as Offroad NZ is set on a whopping 60 hectares of land. The current activities only take up half of that land with the rest left as pristine native New Zealand bushland.
We were there for the Ultimatim Package which includes all three of their adrenaline packed adventures;
- The 4WD Bush Safari (where Jesse would be driving!)
- The Monster 4x4 Thrill Ride
- Raceline Karting
First up was the Monster Truck Thrill Ride. We suited up in our seriously fashionable protective clothing (because things were about to get MUDDY!), donned our helmets and jumped into the back of the truck.
We were buckled in our harnesses and it was time to go....
Click to watch | Taken on our TomTom Bandit
Since I knew we weren't in for a smooth ride, I videod the entire thing for you on our Bandit Action Cam (which recorded some serious speeds as we hurtled through the track!).
Going over jumps and tricks like "The Rollercoaster" and "The Widow Maker", my heart was definitely pumping and I struggled to hold the Bandit with one hand as I clung on for dear life with the other hand :P
Next, it was time for Jesse to get in the driver's seat! In addition to their adrenaline packed Monster 4X4 experience, Offroad NZ also lets everyone have a chance at tackling some 4WD tricks as they head out on a guided 4WD safari adventure.
We hopped into our car and buckled up, switching on the radio receiver so we could here our guide as he navigated us through the course.
Jesse drove us through steep climbs, rapid descends, tight curves, twisting bends and lots and lots of mud as our driver shared tips and tricks for making the most of the experience.
Click to watch | Taken on our TomTom Bandit
As you can hear in the video (apologies to your ears), there were plenty of squeals and laughs as we hurtled the car down huge drops and dived into muddy waters. "The Waterfall" was bigger than it looks, however, it wasn't the biggest we would experience...
About halfway through the safari we came to what looked like a dead end.
"The Luge" is a six metre drop/slide and definitely the highlight of the course.... but let me show you, rather than tell you!
Click to watch | Taken on our TomTom Bandit
Thank you to the drop for essentially bleeping out Jesse's bad language there :P As you can see, it was a seriously steep drop and my heart was seriously racing as Jesse held onto the brake before we were pushed over the edge.
But the adventure didn't end there! Next up it was my turn in the driver's seat!
We got dressed in our super sexy race gear and headed out to our karts.
Jesse had been go-karting before but I hadn't so I was feeling a little bit apprehensive. So apprehensive, in fact, that the whole time the guys were telling us about the course and what the flags meant, I was too busy wondering if I'd suffocate to death in the balaclava and feeling seriously claustrophobic in that helmet.
It was kind of apparent I wasn't listening very well when I managed to start the race by going to wrong way out of the entrance and had to make an awkward u-turn.
Jesse zipped around the track whilst I let him overtake me so I had a bit of distance between us because the last thing I wanted was him ramming into me as I tried to turn a corner!
We came to the end of our ten minutes on the track and I was wishing I had have listened a little more intently instead of worrying about suffocating because I had no idea what the yellow flag meant when it was one way compared to the other way. Luckily when I spotted the checkered flag I knew exactly what that one meant and pulled into the exit lane!
We took off our race gear and headed back inside to say goodbye before heading off to our next adrenaline packed adventure!
Next on the agenda for the day was ZORBING! A quick 15 minute drive from Offroad NZ took us to OGO Rotorua; created by the original zorb-masters who developed the first experience in the world back in 1997.
Rotorua is the only place in New Zealand where you can plummet down a hill inside a giant inflatable ball so we decided why not! and headed off to do it ourselves. It's weird, it's wonderful and it's slightly terrifying too.
Click to watch | Taken on our TomTom Bandit
The video above is both of our rides in one. The first was the Straight Track where we hopped into the ball filled with 40 litres of (freezing cold IMO!) water and slipped and slided around inside as we went down.
Excuse my attractive facials as I was trying to avoid getting a mouthful of water - and trying to remember to breathe at the same time hahah. Props to youtube for not letting me change the thumbnail image too :P
The second ride was the Side Winder which winds down and around the hill. The second ride was a slower gentler one - and you'll even see we get stuck halfway through and Jesse has to stand up and push us over the edge.
If you noticed the lovely bright red sunburn on my ankle - that was from our boat ride the day before! Dopey forgot to put sunscreen on the 2 inches of skin showing between the end of her leggings and the start of her socks. FAIL!
Hopping into the ball was probably the hardest part of the whole experience as you have to dive right inside as fast as possible to avoid getting stuck. Apparently I don't know how to throw myself with enough force as I got stuck every time :P
If you're a bit of a scaredy cat like me, here's my tips for zorbing;
- You will look like a drowned rat
So don't wear makeup. Stupid me wiped all of her makeup off, however, forgot about taking all of my mascara off and I ended up with it ALLLL over my face! - You won't throw up
My first question when Jesse told me about zorbing was "but will you throw up?". The team at OGO told me this is actually the question they're asked the most, however, no one has actually thrown up.
When I heard that I thought I was certainly going to be the first, however, all of my food quite happily remained in my stomach and I wasn't even queasy! WIN! - It's quite a quick ride
Even if you're ridiculously completely terrified, it's all over in around a minute. Seriously one minute. Just remember to breathe.... I tell you that because I kind of forgot on the first ride and wondered why I felt a little odd :P - It's a once in a lifetime experience
I mean, when else are you going to hurtle down a hill in a giant plastic bouncy ball? - Make the most of the spa
The water is cold so make sure you jump right into the spa whilst you wait for your next ride. Be warned though... you may never want to leave :P - Pair up with a friend
It's so much more fun to ride with someone as you have someone to laugh with! - Be sure to video it!
We used our TomTom Bandit to capture the action, however, you can also pay for GoPro footage of your ride - just ask when buying your tickets!
And my final tips? Have fun, be silly and JUST DO IT! I promise you won't regret it!
The Details;
Off Road NZ - The Ultimatim Package (all three adventures) $209 NZD per adult/$109 NZD per child. See all prices and packages here; starting at $50NZD per adult.
OGO Rotorua - $80 NZD per person for a 2 ride package or $45-60 NZD per ride - get 5% off if you book online. Towel/shirt hire available or bring your own. Photos and videos are additional.
Kristy and Jesse explored NZ as guests of Tourism New Zealand.
But tell me, are you an adrenaline junky?
Or do you prefer calmer activities?
I'm definitely not an adrenaline junky and prefer to play it safe but this day was so much fun! My adrenal glands just needed a lot of relaxation afterwards to recover haha!
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