It is easily accessible, exciting, anyone can do it and it‘s loads of fun. We choose Turangi‘s Tongariro River in New Zealand for our first white­water adventure, partly because we were fishing in Taupo anyway, and partly because of its reputation as an exciting introduction to rafting.

The Tongariro is considered a grade 3+ river. (They are graded from one to five, with five being the hardest). It‘s a two­and­a­half hour, 13 kilometre trip that takes rafters through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. We start the trip at Rock andRiver Rafting‘s base at Tokaanu, near Turangi. After being kitted out with a helmet, spray jacket, wetsuit, lifejacket and booties, we are ready for what lies ahead, and we certainly look the part.

The 20 minute van ride down State Highway 1 to the entry point gives us a chance to get to know our fellow adventurers, a middleaged couple from Los Angeles and a family with two teenage sons from Levin. No­one has rafted before, and the nervous chatter in the van gives away the false bravado.

A safety briefing on the side of the river and a few practice manoeuvres has us more relaxed, and by the time we have negotiated the first rapid, (Nawmai, or welcome) we are starting to enjoy ourselves.

Fifteen minutes into the trip and we are a well­oiled machine, responding to the guide‘s commands with concentrated precision.

All forward,has us powering downstream faster than the current, which gives the guide steering control. All back,has us suspended in the current positioned for the next obstacle­easy.

right back,encourages those on the right to paddle backwards to give us steering right, and left backhas the opposite effect. This was a piece of cake.

As our teamwork and confidence increases it is easy to relax and take in the surroundings. The Tongariro River cuts its way from the Desert Road to Lake Taupo, passing through lush, virgin native bush, rich in beech trees, rimu and matai. Small streams bubble over rocks, or seep over moss­covered banks to join the main flow.

Rainbow trout dart to the edges or dive deep into the pools to escape the raft as we glide over their world like some Star Wars spacecraft.

Our guide points out the native fauna as we pass wood pigeons, fantails, kingfishers, mallards and the rare blue duck. A fat wood pigeon is too bloated to fly, and tuis drunk on fermented kowhai flowers squawk and fight in the trees.

The river drops and the pace picks up. We can hear the rapids now, and even the mist rising off the troubled waters below. Hold on! calls the guide, and we all clutch the safety ropes, our knuckles white with anticipation. The raft dips and rises with the flow, and white water crashes over the bow as the raft is buffeted from left to right. Cries of excitement and screams of fear are squeezed from our inner beings and the adrenalin flows freely. Boy this is fun!

As the river widens the flow returns to a more leisurely pace, and a quick look around at our companions says it all ­ huge smiles from dripping faces, backslapping and high fives, and excited chatter.

We were doing it ­ pushing the envelope, feeling the fear and doing it anyway. We are adventurers!

For two hours we negotiate our way down the river, down rollercoaster rapids and through calm, clear, tranquil pools. We paddle on, soaking up the scenery and enjoying the camaraderie of our newfound friends. The family with the teenage boys reckon it‘s the best thing they had ever done as a family. The couple from Los Angeles are going to book another rafting trip on the South Island portion of their travels.

Me¬ I‘m going to go raft fishing on the Tongariro and combine my biggest passion, trout fishing, with my newfound love for rafting.