The scenery whips past as the powerful boat accelerates down the river. Pine forests, pumice cliffs, ferns and the blue-green water of the Waikato all slip by as we slide along the glassy surface.
Next to me, my 7-year-old's mouth is open in a perfect O of surprise. The driver circles his hand in the air and, a few seconds later, whips the boat into a 360-degree jet spin. I glance at my daughter again, half-expecting her to be freaking out. She's not. She's giggling like a maniac. "Mum, this is fun!" she exclaims. "I love jet boating!"
Which is great news, because we're only a few minutes into a 35-minute trip aboard Rapids Jet, the company which plies the Waikato River from the bottom of the spectacular Aratiatia Rapids right down to the large standing wave of the Nga Awapurua (Fulljames) Rapid, beloved by kayakers and jetboaters alike.
Rated the No1 Taupo tour on TripAdvisor, Rapids Jet is based on a scenic stretch of the Waikato River, 15 minutes' drive north of Taupo.
Here, the company's jetboat trips take in three sets of rapids on the river and include an extended play in two.