The Adventure Takes Its Toll

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With sadness I realize our time in New Zealand is coming to a close. Its quite amazing when I sit back and realize just how much we were able to do with our time here. But with all the adventures that we have had has also come the soreness and aches. I've had an anatomy lesson here from Jason learning all the muscles that can hurt. After a wonderful week of hiking the Milford Track and the Routeburn Track I learned how the calves, knees, feet and shoulders can hurt. After this I thought I was done with the aches but then we went paddling along the Abel Tasman National Park and I discovered that I had given no thought to my arms. A day of leisure turned into a 42-mile bike ride looking for Hoglund Glass. I thought I would never sit down again. I learned that this to would pass with time. Then we travelled to Waitomo Caves and did the Haggas Honking Holes. We did three abseils (repelling) down waterfalls, rock climbing and grovelling Indiana Jones style. This was such an exciting experience. It had an Rambo Rating of 8/10, Jason thought I would never do it. Boy did I shock him and myself. But along with the wild , exciting, fast, moving adventure came the feeling that my ribs would never be the same. I couldn't touch them for days due to the grovelling. Just in case you are wondering, grovelling is crawling along on your stomach through small cracks in the rock that are half submerged in water. After all this excitement we are spending a couple of days in Auckland where they have a 640 foot jump off the Sky Tower. As I'm still recooperating, it is probably best that I save something for Thailand. Despite the aches and pains New Zealand has been a wonderful experience, only complaint is that one month is not enough time to spend here, must return!

SB