Last updated on Januar 9, 2023
2nd of January until 8th of January 2023
Approximate reading time: 12 minutes
Big Nige – Big Start into 2023
Our new year started quite busy as we had a lot of tours, bookings came up back to back. Good money for the company and also good money for the guides as well. On the 2nd of January, we had probably the „hardest“ day so far as we ran two intermediate trips on one day with the scout group we have had on the 30th and 31st of December. Fortunately, most of them have been quite confident and keen to join us for the intermediate trip. Water level was low, so it was a nice day with them. Unfortunatelly, not all of them already knew that they gonna go again with us so we missed some sizes of the wetsuits. Solution? Grab everything and just try to fit them into the wetsuit as best as possible 🙂
After two trips in Big Nige and after almost 13 hours of working, we just sat on our terrace, enjoyed a drink and had some nice conversation. I felt quite nice, even if my body was really tired and a little sick (might be because of the swim in the lake the day before or because on of our house mates was sick several days ago). Nevertheless, next two days another tour, beginner trip with Daniel. And this was one of the best tours so far as both of us knew what the other guide has to to. How to guide. What to tell to the customers.
And our customers have been fun as well. They enjoyed the trip, the conversation with the guides and also the fact, that they stepped out of their comfort zone into something real fun.
Days like those don’t feel like work at all, it is more paid fun (don’t get me wrong, there are also hard days with difficult customers).
Silence on Rocky Mountain
What is the best you can do after a canyoning trip? Resting at your terrace with a good drink, having a nice conversation and some ideas for the upcoming days? Thinking about a nice hike up to the mountains with your sleeping bag? To sleep there, having a nice view to Wanaka, even if you have to work the next day?
Yepp – that’s it guys. Daniel and I did exactly this kind of adventure. After our trip on the 3rd of January we headed up to Rocky Mountain, which is located at the Hospital Flats area (you might remember my hike up to the Rocky Mountain with Croques).
This time, we did not walk up, we did a nice and fast trailrun up to the peak (about 400 meters in elevation). Normally, you need about 90 minutes to hike up. We arrived at the top after 45 minutes 🙂
And guys, what could be better that sitting on the top of a nice hill, having an amazing landscape ahead, a deep talk with a good friend and your legs in a sleeping bag? Not much though.
Clouds above us, lights in Wanaka everywhere and silence. Pure silence. Powerful. Full of energy. Full of soul. With the right company, the right food, the right drink, there is nothing more to add. If you need to recharge your emotional and mental batteries, nature might be your power socket.
Milford Sound – Roadtrip to Peace
After our busy after-christmas period and after those really exhausting trips at the beginning of January, I decided to take some days off. 4 day in a row. To relax. To sleep. To travel. To have some adventure. To step out of my own personal comfort zone.
The first day of my „off“ was just about relaxing, sleeping, doing almost nothing. I just slept. I sat on the terrace, had some nice food. Slept again. My body was tired, so was my mind. Even if there is something like daily life, there is still a lot of stuff going on around. And I still felt a little sick (and I still do). And on this first day out of four, I decided to travel to Mildord Sound with Anthony the next two days. And I booked a Skydive in Wanaka – why not? Just jump into the new year, what could be the worst thing? 🙂
Back to Milford Sound. Friday, we got our stuff ready and drove to Milford Sound. It is a 5 hour drive from Wanaka to Milford Sound and we decided to sleep at a campsite about 40 minutes away from Milford Sound. The drive itself is stunning as you have a lot of landscape, a lot of small towns and you pass by also some small mountains. Having a short break with some coffee and food, we sat outside of a restaurant. When me moved in again, the firealarm started – they just forgot to tell us that they close from 2pm until 4 pm, and they forgot to lock the door as well haha. No fire, no incident 🙂
On our way to the campsite, we passed by an accident. Two cars crashed into each other, one car was lying sideways on the road. But fortunately, everyone was okay, no serious injuries.
After our arrival at the campsite „Cascade Creek Campsite“, we had a nice little walk to Lake Gunn with some sun and a lot of tourists behind us 🙂
Dinnertime and card time at Cascade Creek. Pasta with vegetables and sauce, cheese and some beer. And as it started raining at 9 pm, we decided to sleep early (and I slept until 8.30am the next morning, you see, I was reaaallly tired 🙂 )
On Saturday, we moved to Milford Sound for a boatstour. And the area is amazing. High mountains, many waterfalls, perfect weather that day. And also quite expensive as we paid 50 NZD for a parking slot for 10 hrs (and we just found out that there are some parking slots free of charge – just 30 minutes by foot to the harbour).
Unfortunatelly, there are no hikes at Milford Sound in the area around the harbour (and I am still not able to understand as this area would be perfect). Just some little loops. After those loops, we went to the harbour for our boatstrip with „Jucy“. And guys, this trip was stunning.
We have been on the water for two hours, had perfect seats and I brought my headphones and some nice scenic music (Avatar & Two Steps from Hell). I just wanted to be with myself without talking customers around me, just the music and the nature. To feel the energy of Milford Sound, to feel the power and the soul of this unique place.
And I felt it the most while the boat was so close to this big waterfall and the wind blew the water in our faces. Close your eyes and enjoy. Perfect day so far.
On our way back, the Van of Anthony had some troubles as the engine overheated quite fast – so we had to stop every 50 meters. Fortunatelly, we found out that cooland was missing. A lot of coolant. And we refilled the coolant box with almost 4 liters of liquid as the car was really thirsty and sucked in the liquid literally.
So guys, whenever you are in New Zealand and want to see a special place – go to Milford Sound!
Sky is the Limit
Everybody knows dreaming of freefalling and rushing down to the ground while sleeping. And it the moment you almost hit the ground you wake up. And your whole body is full of adrenaline and full of energy. Just imagine you can have this feeling for more than just a few seconds. Maybe for almost 45 seconds. The idea of skydiving has been in my mind for a long time already – but I was always a little too scared to just do it. To decide to jump out of a plane and rushing down to earth with a speed of almost 200km/h. On sunday the 8th of January, I just did it. I decided to jump into this new year, to step out of my comfort zone and fill up my body with a massive amount of adrenaline.
While driving to the airport of Wanaka (it is a quite small one), I was nervous and thought about how it would feel like to jump out of the plane. To don’t have the chance to go back. To just be above the ground with a distance of 12.000 feet. Well, don’t live in your mind, live now!
I arrived at the Skydive Wanaka base and the staff was really friendly. They explained everything, how to jump out of the airplane, how to fly with your guide (of course it was a tandem flight 🙂 ) and how to get some nice pictures and videos as well (don’t forget to smile hehe).
My guide Barna was really supportive, we talked a lot and he was able to reduce my nervousness to a minimum level. After a short video interview and after getting the gear ready, it was time for us to get into the airplane. A small airplane with two matresses to sit on. And go. The flight was amazing, the landscape and the weather just perfect. There would be no better place for the first skydive than Wanaka!
And then the lights on the door went from red to green. The door of the airplane opened. And Barna asked me if I am ready. Of course I am not ready man! I am fu**ing scared. I almost shit my pants. I don’t want to jump out of an airplane and rush into my death! What I am doing here? Don’t let me jump! Keep the money and we fly back to the ground! Let’s have a beer, or ten. But man I am not ready for this! I don’t want to jump!
Well, no way back. We already sat at the edge of the plane, the wind blew in my face. And Barna just told me to get myself ready for the jump. Banana position (legs between his legs, bended, head back to his shoulder and hands to my harness). And then he jumped out of the plane, with me in front of him. Okay he did not jump at all, he just rolled sideways. Bad boy 🙂
Freefall. Second after second my body was filled with adrenaline. With energy, with life. And we became faster and faster. This was the moment I was afraid of the most. And Barna tapped on my shoulder, time for me to remove my hands from the harness and spread my legs and arms. And guys, what an incredible feeling!!!
It doesn’t feels like falling at all anymore. It feels like the air pushes you up and you lie on an invisible surface which carries you. And the wind blows in your face. Guys, I never felt more alive! I could have kept flying like this forever. And it felt like forever. And then Barna just decided to make some nice movements and we turned around , head down, head sideway, it felt like a caroussell! Leckomio that was so awesome!
And then the parachute opened.
Booooooom.
My body was compressed and our speed was reduced to 50km/h. And immediatly I felt like shit. I felt like I have to puke and I tried to hold it back as best as possible. And I felt like I will become unconscious soon. But we have been still flying with the parachute down to earth, so I kept fighting against those feelings. I just sat in my harness like an old bag of potatoes and try to stay conscious. Don’t try to loose my focus – guys not the best moment in my life 🙂
And 50 meters above ground I had to lift my legs and have them straight to prepare for landing. And it was soft and smooth. And afterwards i just lay down on the floor with my eyes closed. And my body came back to life second after second! And my mind came back to life as well. And I just smiled, enjoyed the sun in my face, the energy in my body and the feeling of being alive, of being brave and being at that beautiful island.
Back to base with a van. I just sat in the back of the van with a smile in my face. With a new feeling in my body, with an undefined energy. Knowing, that from now on everything might be possible. From now on i don’t have to be afraid of anything anymore.
In the base we haved changed and I gave Barna some tips as well for his great job. The rest of the day was meant to be for myself. For writing blog, sitting in the sun at our terrace and try to realise what happened.
Guys, if you think about skydiving – do it! Even if you are scared, even if you shit your pants. Give it a go. The best things happen after you say „fuck off“ (most of the time though 🙂 )
What else to say?
Sunday evening, we went to a rooftop party in the center of Wanaka. Electronic music, some drinks, sunset view and just being together with my housemates and collegues. And with a view to the mountains. Just a nice evening after a morning full of adrenaline!
And it feels quite good to spend some time with my housemates as well at the moment as most of them will leave end of the next week. And then things will change again. We already found some new flatmates, most of my collegues will leave as well so it can be a busy time again. But this is life, full of changes, full of challenges and new adventures. And full of people. So there is only one chance to make the best of it – enjoy your time with them as best as possible. And share moments, experiences and adventures.
Have a great week, enjoy the new year, go for some adventures, go for some people, share your time, emotions and thoughts. And live life as its best 🙂
See you next week
Your dingyinternational
Felix
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