Mary Bishop
-
North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Auckland ▷
GO Rentals
Took ages wading through car rental options.
Read heaps reviews, good and bad. Contacted several companies with questions etc. Wanted a car for a month. One company was just not interested in helping us at all. Go Rentals answered all our questions, gave discount and added some small incentives. Was able to take car on ferry. Drop off at different location to pick up. Pick up and drop off were hassle free. Had a cracked windscreen during the trip, contacted them, bit of back and forth, as was after hours Friday night, but all sorted to suit us and our itinerary. No issues with car mechanics at all. Took us everywhere we wanted to go. Few chips and scratches on car at pick up, which made the whole trip less stressful. Would highly recommend taking out full insurance. Yes, in case you have an accident, but also lots of road works in NZ, chips, windscreen damage etc. inevitable. Extremely happy with our choice.
-
North Island ▷ Coromandel ▷ Thames ▷
Canyonz Adventure Company
Saw this adventure under "Things to do near Thames" & at the same second I decided I HAD to do it - I also decided I was too OLD to do it.
Was planning to go sky diving, but my heart wanted the Full Day Canyon. Never been canyoning before, abseiling, rock climbing or the like, in all of my 60 years. Live in a perfectly flat countryside. What was I thinking!!!! But my heart was taken and I had an overpowering desire to give this a go. Contacted Canyonz almost a year before my trip and inquired further about fitness and any age restriction or concerns. I was mainly concerned about the 300m climb but set about walking up and down the local grandstand steps and started doing mat pilates, to try and build up to it, plus kept walking daily for an hour. The day after arriving in Auckland, I took the ferry across to Rangitoto Island and did the hike up an back-like a trial run. Russ and Anna picked me up from my accommodation in Thames. Friendly, casual and professional. Great attitude to help settle the nerves. As it turned out, the climb up was manageable and I was actually surprised when we arrived at the starting point.
Russ and Anna were AMAZING. Even though I was feeling confronted and like I wouldn't be able do it, their calm preparation, instruction and confidence made me feel like it would be alright, I just had to TRUST them. And I did do it, gingerly I admit, but did it. Even two of the three jumps. At no time were any of us rushed, asked to do more than we felt we could or pressured and Russ and Anna were continually checking that all was well, with each of us. The lunch was GREAT, thank you - you will appreciate it.
For a full year I longed to do this Canyonz trip, for the whole year I doubted I could, age, fitness or that something would happen to prevent it going ahead on the day. I worried for nothing - yes it was challenging, physically and mentally but more than any of that it was AMAZING and I am extremely glad I listened to my heart.