{"id":1551,"date":"2010-04-12T06:00:41","date_gmt":"2010-04-12T11:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=1551"},"modified":"2024-06-19T07:41:05","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T11:41:05","slug":"a-week-in-the-life-of-the-professional-hobo-shooting-a-tv-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/a-week-in-the-life-of-the-professional-hobo-shooting-a-tv-show\/","title":{"rendered":"A Week-In-The-Life of The Professional Hobo: Shooting a TV Show"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2010: Having created the popular week-in-the-life series<\/a>, I\u2019ve not yet written about a week in my own full-time traveling life. The week profiled here is far from my average week, but was enough of a full-on adventure that I thought you might enjoy it. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a quick introduction, I was corresponding with Adventure Aaron while he was in South Africa shooting a tv show called \u201cAlive\u201d. I gave him a few suggestions, including the world\u2019s highest bunjy jump, which certainly helped him feel \u201cAlive\u201d! Shortly thereafter, he told me he was planning episode two in New Zealand, and invited me to come along for a week of adventures as a \u201cfeatured expert\u201d on the show. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, twist my arm. Please enjoy my week-in-the-life of shooting a tv show; an episode of \u201cAlive\u201d. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This post was originally published in 2010. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. <\/em>

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

8:00am<\/strong>:<\/strong> None of us slept well in our Auckland hostel. It has nothing to do with the digs, and everything to do with jet lag for Aaron (the producer\/host) and Fletcher (the cameraman), and sheer excitement for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I take the morning to call my mum for her birthday, and try (unsuccessfully) to log on to the internet. Server problems \u2013 hmph! Apparently this isn’t uncommon in New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12:00pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> We hop on the bus to Rotorua, where most of our week\u2019s activities have been organized for us by Destination Rotorua Tourism & Marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4:30pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> We check into Novotel – our digs for the week. I spend the next hour jumping on the fancy bed, squishing the feather pillows, and gawking at the free toiletries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5:30pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> Okay, I should actually get some work done. It\u2019s been a few days since I logged on, so I set up my laptop in the room. I\u2019m happy to catch up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7:45pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> I go for a walk by the lake, take pictures, then grab dinner at a local noodle house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9:30pm:<\/strong> Although I\u2019d like to have a swim and sauna, the fancy bed with 300 thread count sheets is calling my name. I read up on Rotorua and fall asleep shortly thereafter.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

7:30am<\/strong>:<\/strong> Aah! What a sleep. I make coffee and set up the laptop in my room. How luxurious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8:30am:<\/strong> How about that \u2013 breakfast is included. I\u2019m beginning to like press trips. I meet Aaron & Fletcher at the buffet, and we plan our day. We are supposed to go skydiving today, but the clouds mean a reschedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:00am:<\/strong> We are picked up by Heather of Destination Rotorua Tourism & Marketing<\/a>, who has arranged our week of adventure for us. She is a wonderful lady, full of warmth and Kiwi hospitality. She takes us to a favourite spot of hers called Kerosene Creek: a naturally hot creek. We are amazed that such a beautiful place is relatively untouched, totally natural, and free to use. And it\u2019s bloody hot! My feet actually burn as they sink into the sandy bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"kerosene<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We spend an hour shooting and swimming in this idyllic spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11:30am:<\/strong> We are back in the car and enroute to Rainbow Springs<\/a>. Here, we see native Kiwi birds being hatched, raised, and reintroduced to the wild. We even visit the feeding room for some up-close-and-personal Kiwi bird action \u2013 a very special treat the public aren\u2019t privy to. We take a quick tour of the facilities, which house a number of native and endangered species.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"kiwi<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

2:00pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> A delicious lunch has been arranged for us by Rainbow Springs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2:30pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> We drive to Sulphur Point. Rotorua is perched atop some serious geothermal activity, and the pervasive smell of sulphur is everywhere. Here at Sulphur Point it\u2019s overpowering, as we peer at the bubbling mud and laughing gas pools.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Thermal<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

3:00pm<\/strong>: <\/strong>We shoot a quick interview with Don of Destination Rotorua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3:30pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> Back at the hotel for a few hours of personal time. Fletcher & Aaron transfer the video they shot, and I do some writing. Thank goodness I\u2019ve received extensions on a few assignments; this trip is shaping up to be pretty busy. I\u2019m still juggling some tight deadlines though, so there\u2019s no rest for the wicked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5:45pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> I turn off the computer and race around to prepare for the evening\u2019s activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6:00pm:<\/strong> We meet the bus for a night at Tamaki Maori Village. The driver entertains us with various international translations of the word \u201ckia ora\u201d<\/a>. We spend the evening learning about Maori culture<\/a> and enjoying a hangi (traditional Maori cooking).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9:30pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> Back at the hotel. Despite spending the day shooting together, we haven\u2019t had much time to simply socialize. Fletcher, Aaron, and I head out for a few drinks and non-tv talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11:50pm:<\/strong> Lights out.

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wednesday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

7:30am<\/strong>:<\/strong> Despite schedule changes last night that mean I don\u2019t need to be awake yet, I leap out of bed afraid I\u2019ll get a call to be ready at 8:00am anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8:00am<\/strong>:<\/strong> Downstairs at breakfast, I realize I\u2019m the only one up. I relax over breakfast and cappuccinos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9:15am<\/strong>:<\/strong> I discover that we\u2019re entitled to half an hour of free wifi in the lobby every day, and take advantage of it. Offline computer work ensues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10:45am:<\/strong> Heather picks us up for our day-long epic with Kaitiaki Adventures<\/a>: heli-sledging! This warrants an entire post unto itself<\/a>, but basically we are fitted for wetsuits and helmets, and driven out to the helicopter for our flight to an untouched section of river.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We spend the afternoon white-water rafting and sledging (a sledge is a glorified boogie board that you ride the rapids on). My introduction to sledging is a class four rapid called Smokey Falls. Thinking better of it, I am pushed into the white water and told to hang on for dear life. I survive! Fletcher has fun all afternoon testing his waterproof cameras, getting dramatic footage of the rapids and stunning scenery.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"sledging<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

By the end of the afternoon, the guides are having lots of fun with us, and I\u2019m regularly being tackled out of the raft. We finish off with a hair-raising jet boat ride back to the van.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6:30pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> We\u2019re not done yet. We arrive at the Polynesian spa to shoot (and soak in) the natural geothermal pools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8:00pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> Back in town, Aaron & I enjoy dinner at an Indian restaurant, where we talk business and travel. Fletcher is transferring video in preparation for tomorrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9:00pm<\/strong>:<\/strong> Fletcher joins us, and we head out to meet the river guides at a local bar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12:00am:<\/strong> We\u2019d love to stay all night, but we have a big day tomorrow. I need my beauty sleep!

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

6:30am<\/strong>:<\/strong> I consider getting up so I can get some work done, but I think better of it after reviewing the itinerary for today, and fall back asleep before I know it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7:25am<\/strong>:<\/strong> I\u2019m up just before the alarm, excited for today. I get ready and pack my bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8:00am<\/strong>:<\/strong> I\u2019m downstairs for breakfast. Thank goodness it\u2019s included \u2013 hotel buffet breakfasts are very handy given our hectic schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8:45am:<\/strong> Heather takes us to Agroventures\u00a0(now referred to as Velocity Valley<\/a>), which is best explained as a playground for adults. (Check out this post for a video of our antics!<\/a><\/em>) Here we shoot (and enjoy) the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n