great adventures down under this side of the world is a reputation well-earned.
if there is one single superpower i could have, i wouldn’t think twice about getting the ability to fly, and so during a day of break from the apples and grapes in hastings, daniel and john were convincing me to do the skydive, and in matters like these, i am not a very very hard person to convince. 
the truth is, the first thing that comes to my mind is that i hope they have video and photo services so i can have a look of my skydive, and souvenir too. hastings is not very big when it comes to skydiving industry. a further up north, taupo, is more popular being the skydiving capital of the world, or down to adventureland queenstown in the south island.
a couple of minutes driving from hostel, we arrived at the diving site. it’s in a sidestrip of a small local airport, operated by a small team. we watched skydive dvd videos to get more of an idea how is the sports like, and a few minutes later, i was holding the waiver form in my very hands. i didn’t even have to read the whole legal verbosity because i know there is only one important thing, that in case something happens, which could even result to my death, well, there’s really nothing we can do about it. in some ways, it is like signing your own death certificate. good thing my insurance policy is still premium paying.
if you think about it, this is a good way to die. diving out of the open air at plane-cruising altitude, susceptible to gusty strong winds, tandem master faults, malfunctioning chutes, bad landing, pilor error, or even plane technical problems! who knows? i might be hidden in clouds and nowhere to be found again. but more than that, they don’t have photo equipment during that day. so, i didn’t sign the waiver. 
so during that day, i was just the photographer.
leaving hastings with taupo as my first stop, i have to admit that i’m still unsure if i’ll do the dive or not, but being certain that i’ll do it sometime in the future, i decided to do it just right then, to finish this diving ordeal. plus the fact that the hike to tongariro wasn’t possible for the first few days i was in taupo, doing the skydive would at least mark a check on my things-to-do-list, and so not waste time.
march 12, 2009 was the biggest jump of my life. actually, i was suppose to do it the day before, but due to bad weather and strong winds, it was cancelled. taupo tandem picked me up in the morning, just in time after a late breakfast. after picking up a couple of divers along the way, and 20 minutes later, we were at the venue. the weather was cold being less than 10C outside, which of course, made us a bit shiver. i checked in my backpack in the locker, went to the toilet, and used their free internet to write something on facebook. like i even cared what would be my last status be in case i don’t return back on land safe! now, suiting up. the temperature up in the sky could be unbearably cold that i was in my jacket inside the overall. more video instructions, and some waiting as they have only one plane, then it was our turn. the plane was packed full of jumpers, and cameramen. spluttering sounds of the engine, passed along the short runway, and then we were up in the air.
getting to 15,000 feet took more than 20 minutes, and jumpers are positioned in such a way that the person close to the door jumps first. i was the second to the last. i don’t know if that’s good or bad, but i can hear people screaming seconds after they left the plane. then it was my turn, i don’t know how to explain this, but i was honestly not scared. maybe a bit nervous, but not frantically in panic or alarmed. i was in more frightening situations, and playing resident evil and silent hill alone in the middle of the night is one of them. i don’t mean to be arrogant, but when i was there, i just felt..well, normal, a bit strange, but normal in more sense. ;D
the pictures say otherwise.
the jump. it was all of a sudden. for a brief review in physics, the acceleration due to gravity on the earth is 9.81 m/s2. all objects will accelerate downwards at this rate, regardless of mass. well, there’s air resistance i’m sure, but plummeting down the earth at freefall speed for about a minute, and reaching speed minimum of 200kph, it was more than thrilling. in the few seconds of being exposed, it was hard to breathe. i was unsure if i’ll breathe from my mouth or my nose, and i was unsure where i breathed from.
we even had some spins, the fall was vigorously fast, and then in the middle of it, we gained more balance, and it just feels like flying in the air, like floating with strong winds against my torso. i can’t put the experience into words, but this is something really worth trying. it’s worth the money, it’s worth the hassle of being nervous (a bit hehe), and i can say, it’s worth the risk! (only because i survived with no injury, haha)
so why did i skydove? well, i can’t do proper dive in the water, and i just thought it could be any better in the air. =D
PS
i’m trying to make the video work, and upload here. be back soon!
tired of the same very jobs (if not zero) when finding cobol jobs, i thought of maybe searching ingenium. the software that my previous company uses, and voila!!
Sorry - we couldn’t find any jobs for ingenium
Did you mean ingenious?
anak ng pusa, sobrang rare ata ng talent ko!?!?
Oceania → Australasia → New Zealand → Ruapehu District → Tongariro National Park
march 13, 2009
doing the tongariro circuit is not possible without missing coldplay’s concert, so i decided to hike just the alpine crossing, a full day’s hike, less daring than the full circuit, but offers great view that it is reputedly the best 1-day walk in new zealand. tongariro national park is the first national park in new zealand, and became a world heritage site in 1991. the main park is dominated by three great volcanoes which rise starkly from the desolate plateau, Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro, and Mt Ngauruhoe. the latter being called Mt Doom most recently as it was the volcano used in lord of the rings films, and the entire expanse of the park as the set of fictional land of mordor.
the area is far from tranquility as these volcanoes are not dormant. mt ruapehu, the highest and most massive of the volcanoes, burst into life just last 1995 and then a year later again in 1996. with that, it is safest and most common time to walk the track during summer, which is from december to march. hiking during the winter would require ice axe and crampons, and the experience in using them. the crossing traverses spectacular volcanic geography, from an active crater to steaming vents. several steep path that are really challenging and exhausting, but the view from the top is well worth it. 
the track passes through varied vegetation and forest zones ranging from alpine scrub, to higher altitude where there is no vegetation at all, and then to subtropical rainforest descending at the end of the track. the whole track is 18.5 kilometers. it starts from mangatepopo valley and immediately climbs to red crater, going down to emerald lake, followed by blue lake where the track sidles around the northern slope of mt tongariro, and then descends in zigzag to ketetahi hut, and down to roadend. the whole walk is not a roundtrip, so tongariro expeditions (shuttle service) made all the arrangements starting from picking from the hostel early in the morning at 6.20, to going back in taupo. i was with diana (coming from taupo too), and met jonas (did the mt tauhara with him) in the area as he is staying in turangi, and then later on met more people, everyone doing the hike by themselves so we just made a group, alex, philip, and sophie. a good thing doing this hike with a group is that, well, first, safety in numbers, and second, the opportunity for someone to take pictures of yourself as the scenery is just too good to miss it!
it is a shame that i only saw mt doom in half. the clouds were so low, (or we were so high?) that the summit can not be seen. 
however, i saw ice for the first time (not from fridge!), remnants of snowfall the night before. the group is a slow hiker, hehe, but i like it because it gives us more time to look around, take pictures, sit down and have a break, but at the end of it, we lose track of the time and might miss our bus at the other end of the track! the last bus leaves at half past 4, but all of them are staying in turangi, which is just some 40 minutes away, while i stay in taupo, 2 hours north of tongariro, so it will be bigger problem for me if i miss the bus. plus, i have bus ticket leaving taupo early the next day! diana hiked in a faster pace that she left the group. and so, for the last 4 kilometers or so, alex and me were running wildly, crossing the bushes, wooden bridges and muddy forest, and in the end, made it to the end of the track 2 or 3 minutes shy of the deadline.
to sum, the trek is definitely worth it. it really offers majestic views of nature, volcanoes and lakes, and although mt doom was only in half, and in even desperate search for the hobbits, wizards, or gollum, we couldn’t find any, this is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular panorama my eyes laid upon.
the rest of the group’s bus left first, and i just waved goodbye to them. they were really nice people, but i may not see them again apart from facebook. one of the disadvantages of backpacking is that you meet a lot of nice people, but seldom keep as everyone has his own travel plan, which i’ve known for myself as i have my own plans too. meanwhile, i was the only one to be transported back in taupo, so i sat in front beside the driver, mr. albert, who upon knowing i am from the philippines, started to talk in great enthusiasm about the country. he frequents the country, and go there once a year. it was really interesting as this 73-year-old man has been to more places in the philippines than myself. he works during the summer, and vacation for the rest of the seasons. he has travelled the country from north (vigan) to south (mindanao), and knows everything it between. he even knew that sugar cane is the major trade in negros! i swear he must be a filipino disguised under his white skin, and easily betrayed by his unability to speak tagalog! 2 hours was easily passed talking to this man, who was originally from england, and moved to kiwiland as a boy. from the way he tells his story, his memory is so sharp for his age talking about places he has been like subic, baguio, the rice terraces, and his diving adventures in mindoro. i can see from his face the total adoration he has for the country, and he made me think for a moment when out of his excitedness sharing his tales, he blurted, “oh, i’m so happy when i’m there”.
i asked him what is the most negative that happened to him in the philippines, and unsurprised, it was the rampant stealing and pickpockets, but he added more, it’s “the balut egg”.
photos -> here.
* facts from lonely planet
that is most likely the result of every cobol job search i’ve been doing again and again for these days.
i’m still here in auckland city, trying to get an IT job, and just like everywhere around the globe right now, it is not becoming easy. i’ve sent dozens of resumes to companies, mostly to agencies listed at seek.co.nz, but only 1 called for a personal interview, and that was last monday, march 23rd. it is an agency, and as most headhunters would like to interview as much candidates as they can, i’m not sure if i should heavily expect on this. the interview went fine, i guess, and then 2 days after, lydia (from the agency) called again to say that the employer has some follow up questions before setting up for an interview. she sent the questions by email, to which, with the very ample time i have at the moment, replied as soon as i got it. then i heard nothing more.
auckland is a nice city, and i can see why it’s bigger than wellington. it looks a lot more developed, with buildings more taller, and of course, auckland skytower added to the sense of being the metropolis. in some ways, it’s similar to philippine cities. it’s not perfectly clean. trashes here and there scatter along the road. people cross the streets ignoring pedestrian lanes, and pedestrian lights too, public buses arrive late, and don’t get me wrong as these may sound to be negatives, i like it that way, i feel more at home. hehe.
one would enjoy the city center if shopping is in his top of things to do. but as for myself, that is the last thing i would do. you have not missed a lot of things even if i haven’t posted for days as nothing really happened much. i was in perpetual hunt for IT jobs in the net, or just watching some movies, reading, playing dota, or browsing around facebook. i met petra (friend from hastings) the other night for a drink, and met owie (ex-officemate from sunlife) and her family after the interview last monday. i was planning to do mt eden short hike, but then, i got some skin allergy, it’s so itchy even now. i’m taking some anti-histamine (a recommendation from jun), and anti-itch cream, and i hope it’ll go away soon as it’s really hard to get out. i already missed the fray’s concert last thursday, which is just in a bar close to this hostel..but then again, i’m not sure if i’ll see it even if i don’t have this allergy, haha, as i’m trying to save the diminishing cash i have left.
anywho, i haven’t finished writing about my way north to auckland, and left it with the hike at mt tauhara, so will try to catch up some back posts.
i was in st. paul, mn for a short time last year. it was just july but coldplay’s viva la vida concert ad has been teasing people at the xcel energy center, which is not far from the office. i know from the very start i can’t possibly watch the show as it will be on later part of last year, november 14. i will be back in the philippines by september, so missing it by more than 2 months, i’m not really hoping. as i consolation, i told myself i’ve seen their twister logic (x&y) tour in hong kong back in 2005.
more than four months after the concert i missed in st. paul, i found myself in auckland city, waiting for the show of my most favorite alt band! just how unbelievable. i have not a slightest clue that missing the concert then is only delaying it, plus changing the venue. i bought the ticket while i was still in hastings. helen, my friend from hastings, loved to join so much, but work obligations and the date didn’t match her plans..and since i’m going to be there by myself, i bought an allocated seat (boo!!).
with nothing to do earlier part of the day during their concert, i was in the city center early. i still have to find vector arena, and i couldn’t forgive myself if i ended up running late and missing the opening. ticket says it’ll start a bit past 7, i was there outside the arena at 6. yes, i am excited. i collected my ticket after showing my reservation code and identification. the official concert merchandise has just started to open, i can’t help but buy a $50-concert-shirt, which i guess is worth it specially the feeling it gives me when i wear it! haha
and then i was inside the arena. i’m surprised it started right on time, but with opening acts. not 1, but 2 opening act that occupied most of the time until the clock ticks passed 9. that was 2 hours sitting inside this gigantic enclosed stadium waiting patiently for the big show. and then it started..silhouettes of four musicians started to outline the stage, and not long after, life in technicolor, filled the entire hall. afterwards, another song, violet hill, from their newest album, and then old hits clocks and in my place. the song, yellow, was performed with big yellow balloons bouncing in the crowd (just like from twisted logic tour). i could not perfectly remember all the songs they played in the right other, 
but it was really a good mixed from their old popular hits, and songs from the viva la vida or death and all his friends. of course, viva la vida, 42, yes, fix you (i made a call to helen, as per her request!), strawberry swing, lost!, cemeteries of london and even old songs like god put a smile upon your face, and the hardest part. they even sang a couple of songs i don’t know! then, the band walked up the stage, closer to the back and upper seat where they performed 2 or 3 songs including green eyes, a cover song from the monkees, then i saw her face (i’m a believer), and not so common, the band’s main drummer, will champion, sang a song (death will never conquer) with chris martin playing harmonica! it was really nice of them to be trying to get upclose to every part of their audience…and then there was a short break.
the pause was dramatically interrupted by the loud yet pleasing beats of politik. i enjoyed lovers in japan, complete with butterfly confetti effects, and the band said their goodbyes and thanks, and after death and all his friends, they bowed down, and left he stage.
at that time, i was hoping the crowd will ask for more, and then everyone hummed in “oohh-o-ohh..” in tune for that in in viva la vida…and few moments later, christ martin was back. i was really hoping they sing the scientist., and a bit surprised when he sang exactly the song! playing in piano solo, it was very calming, and then the other band came back, the crowd cheering ever more, and then continuing to songs, life in technicolor ii, and then the escapist.
overall, the concert was amazing. it was so powerful and overwhelming to be just sitting, watching, and hearing the band playing their songs i only hear as mp3s before. they did put on a very good show, and if you think about it, the band is playing the same show 161 times all around the world for more than a year (that’s a wiki).., still keeping the show topnotch, and having seen only one of that is a great opportunity.
i posted some pictures i took in my multiply, and facebook, (but they were really not excellent) and most reaction is that i am lucky to see the concert. yes, i think i am indeed lucky, to be in the right city at the right time!
now, even a few days after the concert has passed, their music is still ringing in my ear..like an infectious melody playing again and again. 
