#15 - Go paragliding

This is a bit of a cheat, since I added this one to my list after the event, and before I actually turned 30.  Although it was a spur of the moment thing, it was my 30th birthday present from Matt, so it seems appropriate to include it here.

As part of our conference/family visit/holiday around New Zealand earlier this year, Matt and I spent a couple of nights in Queenstown.  The main thing we were planning to do there was the gondola and luge.  We'd seen lots of people paragliding, since our accommodation was not far from the base of the mountain.

When we were up on the mountain, I commented to Matt that it looked fun, and I was tempted to have a go.  Matt said I should, and it could be my 30th birthday present.  I deliberated for quite awhile - should I do it?  Will I be too scared?  Am I too heavy?  Is it too expensive?  Aw, but it would be fun!  But I'm scared!  This went on for quite awhile, but Matt is very good and knows me very well, and knew just how much encouragement was appropriate without pushing me into something I didn't really want to do.  So I did it.  And it was awesome!

While we were waiting for my turn, I was going to SMS my parents to tell them I was about to go paragliding, but I thought I'd better wait until I was down safely!  It turned out they didn't think it was too bad (although when we were in NZ for a family holiday years earlier Mum wasn't keen for my brother to go parasailing) - Mum was apparently jealous!

One of my PhD friends had gone skydiving while we were both still working on our theses, and she said it was a great boost to her confidence - if she could jump out of a plane, she could do anything!  Paragliding is not quite jumping out of a plane - not even jumping off a mountain as much as just getting blown off the mountain!

NZ, Part 5: Oreti Beach

We were privileged to experience the hospitality of many members of Matt's family in New Zealand: home cooked dinners, accommodation, and great company.  We stayed with Matt's uncle and aunt on their farm near Invercargill, enjoying a dinner of home grown lamb, vegetables and salad; home made blackcurrant syrup with home made soda water; home made meringues and lemon curd for dessert.  After dinner, they drove us onto Oreti Beach - not just to the beach, but on to the sand.  We went for a walk despite the cold, watching a kite surfer and taking photos of the sunset and other random things, like seaweed, driftwood and Millie's paw prints.

Sunset from Matt's iPhone

Sunset from my camera

Fascinating seaweed

NZ, Part 4: Slope Point

After leaving Dunedin, we headed down to Invercargill, taking a scenic route through the Catlins.  Unfortunately the weather was not great, and we were trying to avoid taking the rental car on gravel roads, but we did take a detour to Slope Point, the southernmost point of the South Island of New Zealand.  The path to the lookout runs through a sheep paddock (closed during lambing) and it was a very windy and very cold walk.

 

NZ, Part 3: Around Dunedin

Our time in Dunedin was quite busy.  I was at the conference and a subsequent workshop for 6 days in total, and we had a lot of family to see.  On my one completely free day (except for a family dinner), we toured the Cadbury factory, had an early lunch, and then I wandered off to occupy myself for the afternoon with things that Matt wasn't particular interested in.

Firstly I went to the Otago Museum to see butterflies in the rainforest exhibit:

Then I wandered towards Baldwin Street, reputedly the steepest street in the world.

The oldest Anglican church in Dunedin

And I walked all the way to the top of Baldwin Street - some beautiful views!

At the top of Baldwin Street

NZ, Part 2: University of Otago

This was the second conference I had attended at the University of Otago in Dunedin.  A very pretty campus, and very different from universities in Sydney - no real boundary between the campus and the rest of the city.  Here are a couple of photos I took in December 2005, and a couple of the same place in February 2011.

2005

2011

2005

2011

NZ, Part 1: Larnach Castle

Matt and I recently returned from a holiday in New Zealand.  The initial impetus for the trip was a conference I wanted to attend at the University of Otago in Dunedin, but it was also a good opportunity to see some of Matt's family and to do some sight-seeing together.

As part of the conference, we had the option to participate in an excursion to Larnarch Castle (or "the camp", as it was known by its original owner.)  It was almost worth it just for the bus trip up to the castle - some really lovely views of Dunedin and entertaining commentary from the bus driver.  The tour of the castle was fascinating, though a little sad - the story of the family who originally built the castle was rather tragic.  The castle was purchased in 1967 by a couple called the Barkers.  It was in a state of complete disrepair, but Margaret Barker lovingly and painstakingly restored the house and the grounds.

After a tour of the house and climbing the tower, we had tea, scones and shortbread in the ballroom, and then wandered through the beautiful gardens.

View from the tower - a hazy shade of Dunedin

"The Camp"

Thistle