Day 18 :: A Leap of Faith

Day 18 - Deep Canyon

Yesterday, I made a very difficult decision. Of my mere 24 days in New Zealand - and I've skipped a lot to make most of it happen - I had allocated 3 glorious days to the famed Routeburn Track, which is a beautiful hike up steep glacial mountains for a good view of the souther alps. I even had packed some of my camping gear for the trek. Last night, however, I realized I hadn't left much time at all to see Fiordlands - the very reason I wanted to come to New Zealand 4 years ago. In fact, I left it as no more than a day trip. This is the area that the UN had declared a World Heritage site! So, last night I cancelled my trek on the Routeburn. In the process, I had booked myself an overnight kayak and cruise of Milford Sound... and 2 free days to kill. To fill this new found time, I walked around town searching through hundreds of adrenalin-promising-brochures. Sure enough, I ran into Deep Canyons (www.deepcanyon.co.nz) and was allured by the abseiling into waterfalls and jumping into stream pools.

I arrived on time and found out that the other 3 people that signed up were a no show and there was a good chance that I would either have to take a raincheck or downgrade to the easier "Little Niger" package from the "Big Nige". (I had chose "Big Nige" because I had found out in Waitomo Caves that abseiling is "my thing" and I simply wanted more of a "PUSH".) But the folks at the tour company as well as my awesome guide James took me anyway! So my first 1 hour or so was just me and my guide James abseiling down 3 waterfalls (maybe a good 12 or so meters down), before we eventually rejoined the rest of the group signed up for the "Little Niger". Don't get me wrong... the "Little Niger" was certainly as exciting as the "Big Nige" - full of slides, (small and BIG) jumps, as well as 5 abseils. But I really wanted MORE... and I got what I asked for! Did I mention that I did 8 abseils and jumped off a 40-foot ledge into a pool of water and the bottom of a waterfall? About 5% of their clients jump from that high... that's all I needed to hear to do it. :)

If you don't know what abseiling is, it's basically "repelling" - like in the movies where the hero or heroine zips down a cord off a straight down a building or into a cave. (Think Tombraider or Mission Impossible.) And if you still can't figure it out, why don't you check out my photos, or better yet the VIDEO! (Since my cameras would've been totally busted, these pics/vids are complements of the outfitters.)


(Problems? Try here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1867266483002795568&hl=en)

Cheers for now. I promised more heart-pumping (or -stopping?) action when I get to Queenstown.

Video soundtrack is "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin.