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Marty's Adventures
So I woke up this morning with full intentions of hitting the road first thing and heading to Fox Glacier....I went down to check out of the hostel and a couple of girls were talking about paragliding and I kinda got in on the conversation and next thing you know I am standing there with them waiting on the weather report to see if we can go.....within 15 mis the van picked us up and whisked us up the mountain....we went to a place called Coronets Peak which is the ski hill area....there was a big group of us so I went in the second group....I watched the others run and soar....looked very peaceful....it took them about an hour to get bak up the mountain so I spent that time taking pictures of the valley and just laying there in the mountains.....was beautiful! So Tony the Bavarian was my para-glider a big burly man but seemed so gentle and sincere.....he has para-glided thousands and thousands of times as he said.....for 25 years.....he loves his job! I told him I told my mom I would not jump off of anything....he said in his Bavarian accent....."no vooorries.....you run off!!!" So we hooked up and he took some video and we ran off this grassy "hill"..... It was so amazing....even with the wind it was so peaceful....we soared around....a beautiful panoramic of the valley and mountains.....saw some wild mountain goats....he let me fly it for a minute or two.....this is all on video and there are pictures but I can't access them on my card so I may need a real computer......before we started he asked if like roller coasters...I said yes.... He said oh good! I have surprise for you at the end!! Totally safe he says!! So at the end we did these real right turns that were really fast and they were soooooo cool am sure the whole valley heard me scream!! Was such an amazing experience! I went back to the hostel and got my bags then off to the airport to pick up my Jucy Campa.....this one is much the same but just a little different set up....the drive through the mountains was amazing.....I literally drove up a mountain on switchbacks and back down the other side.....it was much like the fruitloop mountain(my family will understand) minus the lightening!! The drive was about 3 hours through the mountains to Haast....there were waterfalls everywhere!! Just massive falls coming out of the mountains.....was only able to stop at one where they had a pull out....this was not a pull over on the side of the road kind of drive.....there were one way bridges everywhere....took me a few to figure out how they worked but I got it down pat..... Coming out of the mountains almost felt like you were spit out on the ocean....just like that....mountains gone and beautiful coastline....again not pull over on the side of the road kind of roads but the was one pull out.....beautiful.....I continued on until I was at sea level.....an amazing beach with cool trees....I could of stayed right there....I did for a little while and I finally made my way to the township of Fox Glacier.....was a very long day. I had to set up my campa again....this one a bit different but will do what I need it to do! Plans to hike on Fox Glacier for tomorrow.....amazing sunset in the mountains.....wow!!
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Maxine Forsyth Enjoying your blogs and the beautiful pictures and scenery, Martha. One question - it seems in New Zealand when you are in the lower elevations there are trees but when you are higher up or taking photos higher up there are no trees. Has anyone told you why? Wondered if they were cut or there were fires?