This weekend in Lake Tekapo

Hello everyone!
This past weekend was amazing and probably my favorite weekend so far being here. I am now an official member of the kayak club and this weekend we all went to Lake Tekapo.
There were about thirty of us and we all carpooled for the five hour ride across the country to a beautiful turquoise lake in the moutains. The color was identical to the color of the water of the lakes in Alberta, Canada. The color is the sentiment from the glaciers and when the sunlight hits the water it creates this amazing bright, turquoise blue.
We arrived late friday night and had a bonfire while sharing stories and laughter. A few of the kayaking members are fire jugglers (my two kiwi flatmates do this, too), and they light the ends of a pole on fire and juggle it. It's quite impressive. This was a great opportunity to get to meet other members as well.
We pitched a tent - ours was HUGE. A lot of the Kiwis joked about how us Americans march in with a huge tent that dominated all the others. It was all in good fun though.
The sky that night - incredible. We were surrounded by nothing but mountains and water and we could see so many stars. It reminded me a lot of the Grand Canyon - that feeling where you are unable to comprehend how many stars there are in the sky and that there are millions more besides the millions you can actually see. It made me sad to go to school in Boston. In the city we get excited if we can see six or so stars.
I don't know why I chose to go to school in a city.
I'm really not looking forward to going back to Boston. I know I shouldn't be thinking about that now, but I am just so happy in nautre. I am fulfilled. I feel at peace here.
Anyway! We woke up bright and early the next morning because that is what Kiwi people do - party late, sleep for five hours, then wake up and do some extreme sporting.
I have NEVER kayaked like I did this weekend.
We were in wetsuits and helmets and skirts which wrap around the pit of your kayak so you are securely placed in there and the way to get out is you have to pull this red emergency rope and lift yourself out of the kayak. Intense!
We started off on course II rapids. I cannot explain to you how afraid we all were. I will post pictures of the course soon - it was so intimidating. We didn't have to do the course if we didn't want to. We were practicing other things like turning and stopping and such, but I felt confident enough to give it a go. My heart was beating and all I keep saying in my head was "paddle, paddle, paddle!" because that is what you are supposed to do in rapids - keep the nose of the kayak facing straight ahead and paddle your face off. So that is what I did. And somehow I didn't flip. The course started off with a HUGE hole - meaning, the water shoots straight down very heard and creates a hole that you have to reach your paddle up and around to get over and out of.
This is what I love about being here - these kind of adventures that I never thought I would get into elsewhere. My confidence is skyrocketing right now. It is so important to challenge yourself on a constant basis. Always break out of your comfort zone, always test yourself, see what you are capable of. There were about 12 instructors, too, who were protecting us and making sure we wouldn't die so I felt safe, don't worry. I know you are worrying.
But it was so insane! And I did it again and didn't flip and I felt so so so good...then we spent the rest of the afternoon practicing rolling - still can't get that down. It's difficult, but I will conquer it by the time I leave!
Then the night came and a few of us drove into town and took pictures and explored Tekapo. Afterwards we had another bonfire with more dancing and fire juggling and what not. My kayak instructor is my new favorite/inspiring person in this world. His name is Jethro and he is only 19 but he doesn't extreme kayaking, surfing, snowboarding, and the first time he went bungee jumping he was six! He was born in raised in Queenstown so that isn't too much of a suprise - that's the adventure capital of the WORLD.
Another beautiful night of stars and another early morning the next day on Sunday. Sunday was great, we kayaked down an actual river...of course with crazy rapids, but I did not flip, I came close a few times though - but it such a rush! Such a rush! I cannot even explain! It takes HUGE amounts of mindfulness, too. All I am concentrating on is my boat, the rapids, and where the rocks were.
Afterwards we went swimming and sunbathed.
We packed up our belongings, said goobye to Lake Tekapo, and headed back home.
On the way home we took the scenic route - although that doesn't even make sense because no matter where you are in New Zealand, no matter what road you are on it is the scenic route because there is beautiful everything and anything EVERYWHERE. This is most amazing country I have ever been to - have I made that clear enough by now haha =)
We drove through the mountains and the sun was shining with no clouds and all of a sudden we turned the bend and there in front of us was Mt. Aeoroki (Mt. Cook) standing stoic and brave before us. It was across another beautiful turquoise lake and had snowcaped peaks and it really felt like the king of New Zealand - the same way the Pru feels like the king of Boston - and I started crying.
We pulled the car over and I cried and cried and cried and writing this now is bringing tears to my eyes because I am remembering how amazing it felt. I have never seen a mountain like that before. I was overcome with happiness and my friends began to cry, too, because the people here are beautiful and cry when they are overcome by nature's beauty. And I knelt down in the dirt and stared at Mt. Aeoroki and the beautiful lake and let myself cry and was aware of each and every breath I took thinking "I am alive I am alive and I'm in New Zealand and I'm alive...."
Coming home through the green rolling hills I was so excited to see Dunedin! Whenever I drive into Boston I normally feel sick to my stomach.
I know that sounds awful, but I feel my stomach get weak and I get somewhat sad.
Dunedin does not make me feel sad. It empowers me.
I am home.
I spent my night with a new friend of mine - Jake. He is from the states but is actually going to school here. Lucky....
We sat drinking tea and taking about philiosophy and life and nature and religion and everything I love talking about with people here.

SOOO much more to say but I need to turn a paper in in the next five minutes! I haven't even told you about my classes or my flatmates in detail! I love my Theories of Social Power class - it is amazing and nothing like back in States and everyone loves that I bring an American perspective to the class. I love it I love it I love it!!!
So I guess more later...
This weekend for Easter we are going on yet another roadtrip. We are going to camp out for five nights. We are spending one night in the Catlins, driving to Invercargill...maybe going to Stewart Island, going to the Fiordlands (AHHH!!!!!!) for two nights, then Queenstown for two nights (AHHHH!!!!!) and I want to bungee jump!!
LIFE LIFE LIFE! I am so amped and love New Zealand and I love and miss you all at home and am very sad I will not be here for Easter this year!
I told Aunt Helen to eat an extra piece of bunny cake for me!
I love you all. Pictures later I promise! Only good things...only good things...just let go, no worries (Kiwis love to say "no worries" !!!), and only good things. I promise.

written by

Kiwi-Travels on March 16, 2008 from Dunedin, New Zealand

from the travel blog: I'm going to live as a New Zealand Kiwi for six months!

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Sarah, what would it take to finish your studies there? No, seriously. Have you looked into it? Talk to me on email about this if you want; I'll do what I can on this end.

written by Mary Frances Angelini on April 1, 2008

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