Tramping around Gandalf's backyard
Trip Start
Feb 15, 2004
1
31
34
Trip End
Dec 18, 2004
Queenstown,
New Zealand
Thursday, December 9, 2004
The next morning, I jumped out of a plane. Yes, that's right - I went SKY DIVING!!!! It was such a surreal experience, but I'll try to describe it. The whole bit leading up to the jump didn't quite seem real - driving to Fox Glacier at 6 AM, the "training" at the office, putting on the jumpsuit and harness, getting on the tiny plane that took only 2 people up at a time. It all happened so quickly! The flight was incredible - it took about 20 mintues to get to 12,000 feet (I was pressured into jumping from 12,000 instead of 9,000 by the owner and this bitchy british girl) so we had a great view of the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea. It was the perfect day - beautiful sunny clear blue skies. Somebody up there must like me! I was surprisingly calm until they opened the door to the plane - then I totally freaked out! Panic overwhelmed my body, but I didn't really have a chance to chicken out because all of a sudden the guy strapped to my back was throwing us out of the aircraft! I think my brain shut down for the 45 second freefall - I don't really remember what happened. I couldn't really comprehend what was happening... air, wind, cold, loud, falling. I was concentrating so hard on just breathing! And I screamed my head off - my instructor said it was some of the best screaming he'd ever heard. :) I forgot everything they had told us to do, but then the parachute opened and everything was ok again. I was actually able to enjoy the experience as we floated over the beautiful landscape. I wasn't scared anymore - I just enjoyed the 4 minute ride back to Earth. I'm really glad I did it, even though I didn't really enjoy the freefall part. I don't think I'll make it a hobby, like this Irish girl I met on the glacier walk.
The next day, I went on the best hike I've ever been on in Mount Aspiring National Park with a Dutch girl and a German girl I'd met on my bus. We followed the Rob Roy Track, which we'd been told was an "easy" walk. Apparently "easy" in NZ really means medium-hard because it was pretty tough! We started off in this beautiful green pasture surrounded by snow-capped mountains, then crossed a scary swing bridge over the creek, and hiked through a beech forest. As cheezy as it sounds, I felt like I was actually in "Lord of the Rings". After about 2 hours of mostly uphill walking, we came to a clearing with a spectacular panorama of Rob Roy Glacier. We took a short lunch break, during which this kea bird almost stole my friend's camera. The birds in NZ are ballsy - I was almost maulled by seagulls on a beach in Kaikoura and I was nearly attacked by ducks at Lake Wanaka. After the walk back, we were all exhausted and sore. Our super cool shuttle bus driver (who spent 2 seasons as a guide in Nepal!) tore down the winding dirt road back to Wanaka, pretending to hit any sheep or cows that got in our way so we could have some meat for dinner. :)
By the way, Wanaka is my favorite place in NZ. It's such a cool, laid-back town with an incredible view... it kinda reminds me of Breck actually. It's got everything you could want - nice weather, good vibe, awesome skiing nearby, cute cafes, good local beer, even a super cool little cinema with homemade ice cream! So many backpackers skip it because they just want to get to Queenstown, which is bigger and more touristy. Big mistake - I love Wanaka! I love it so much that I ended up staying there an extra night. I didn't really want to leave at all, but now I'm in Queenstown because I have less than a week left in NZ. I've enjoyed this trip, leaving my comfort zone and facing my fears. But I'm also looking forward to seeing everyone back home very soon!
