Wellington, Blackwater Rafting, and A Very Rushed North Island Road Trip

We opted to stay in Wellington an extra night, and end up doing the Makara beach hike. It was a bit windy, but we didn't see a single soul for nearly the entirety of our 2+ hour hike.

After our hike, we wandered around downtown and then had another spectacular dinner at Charley Noble. Bigger cities do have their perks.

The next day was a bit of blur of crappy weather and too much driving so that we could get up to Hamilton where we'd have easier access to the Waitomo Caves. Nick convinced me to commit to the Blackwater Rafting Company adventure on Saturday involving a substantial rappel, tubing through caves full of glowworms, and a lot of spelunking. The water was COLD but the caves were absolute magic. We had a guide who made the experience really special and as freeze as I was, I loved every minute. Finally, on Sunday, we limped into Auckland, returned our crappy car, and hopped a flight for warmer climates.