NELSON TRIP

Took a trip to Nelson, NZ and Mouteka this past weekend with 5 of my co-workers.  The 10 hours of total driving was all incredibly scenic and vastly different.  Check out THE FULL ALBUM HERE.

SKYDIVING!!!

I am somewhat afraid of heights.  I didn't ride a real roller coaster until I was 18.  I would say, after skydiving, I'm pretty much over it.  The Kiwi strapped to my back says, "We are now taking off in a plane....that we will not be landing in."

But it was amazing!  Abel Tasman SkyDive is supposedly one of the best places in the world to do it:  the views were amazing (20 minute plane ride) and we jumped from an altitude that is rare to see in the U.S. (16,500 ft).  We had to have oxygen on the way up, and we got 70 seconds of freefall before pulling the chute.  The five minutes after that (from 5,000 ft to the ground) was completely SERENE (a stark contrast from the previous minute).  It was deathly quiet and the views of two National Parks, the Cook Strait, and the North Island were incredible.

DISCLAIMER:  I didn't take this picture.  This is Kiki, one of my coworkers.  Next time I'll spring for the $200 pics/video.

PLANE-FLYING!!

I didn't partake in this, but my co-worker, Chris got to pilot a stunt plane for 15 minutes.  With full-control in the air, he did loops, rolls, and "Cuban Eights."  You definitely won't see this in the States.  I'll probably be back for this.

Chris and Pilot in a "Pitts" stunt plane

THE DRIVE BACK

Driving back from Nelson, we got to enjoy the "warm" river pictured below, a split-apple rock formation, baby seals, and the incredibly scenic east coast.

Two guys (Eric and Chris) swam about 300 metres to "Split-Apple Rock."  It was freezing.

Jumping into the crystal clear river (12ft deep).  See the whole sequence in the album.

Short hike to a rainforest waterfall with baby seals in the pool below.  Me, Kiki, Chris.

Close-up of me and seal-pup.  These little guys climb upstream about 500m from the ocean just to play here.

Gorgeous New Zealand east coast