Jet boat ride across Lake Rotorua

Schweebing, swooping and a spot of Maori culture

An action-packed day started with a visit to the Rotorua Agroventure Park, where the group took part in a series of outdoor activities, including power jetting, schweeb, swoop and simulated free falling.

All the events were adrenaline-packed. The power jet boat accelerated from 0-100 kph in 4.5 seconds so it was quite a ride, while schweeb was effectively a push bike hanging from a track and could get up to quite a speed (fastest time of the day - Doran Jr).

Swoop was a dangerous looking activity where groups of three were packed into what looked like sleeping bags, tied to chains and hoisted to an enormous height. They were then let go, swooping to about 6 feet off the ground as if in a giant swing. It looked terrifying and it was. However, it was also excellent fun and proved the most popular activity of the morning.

The simulated free fall comprised a massive fan blowing upwards to simulate the effect of falling from a great height.

After the excitement of the park, some boys chose to further the rush with a trip to the luge, which included a scenic route, which was slow and delightful, and an advanced route with some tortuous bends and a couple of hefty jumps that were enjoyed by all. To the delight of all concerned, Mr Hobbs was seen to crash a spectacular number of times but it would be unfair to say whether he was on the scenic or advanced route!

In the afternoon, the whole party took a jet boat ride across Lake Rotorua, taking in the sights and history of the lake, as well as 360 degree turns in the scarily quick boat. We got wet but it was worth it.

The evening was our last night in Rotorua and we went on a Maori cultural experience, where we viewed an authentic Maori settlement and learnt about the traits and traditions of the Maori. Tom Bliss, as our "chief'", was responsible for leading us into the park.

The whole day was huge fun and one that few in the party will forget.