My First Adventure.

So, of the three clubs that I've joined over here, certainly the most prolific and presigious is the MUAC (Massey University Alpine Club). They arrange activities ranging from Rock Climbing and Tramping to the annual Freshers trip, which I went on yesterday.

Everybody knows how very much I enjoy heights, so it only stands to reason that This:

Would be something that I would not hesitate to do.

To sum up: There were two busses leaving Massey for the Manawatu gorge, one leaving at 8:00, one leaving at 11:40. I don't even have to tell you which one I chose. From there we took a bus to Ballance Bridge, which I was later to jump off of. But first, there was a river underneath the bridge that was perfect to swim in. So I took my glowing, white body for a brief dip in the river water. Humorously, the Kiwi's all thought that the water was cold, but having swum in Lake Tahoe, I thought it was bath water. So did the pair of Swedish people that I got to know a little bit. After a brief bath in the Te Au-Rere-a-Te-Tonga (Maori for The Rushing Current Of The South), I found some of the people that I'd met in the climbing gym at Massey, and one of them was nice enough to be belay bitch for me as I went up one of the two climbable rocks:

I went up the route in the middle. After all, madhyamā-pratipad, is often known to be the best path. After I'd finished with swimming and climbing (two of my favorite past-times), it was time for the main event. It was on top of the rail, overlooking the river, that I experienced a familiar physiological reaction: I was about to ride a roller coaster. You know, that feeling you get a the top of a roller coaster before the first big fall, that "OhMyGodWhoTalkedMeIntoThis," sort of feeling? Yeah, I had that. And, just like riding a roller coaster, the ride was awesome after I took the plunge.

The one big plus I had, was that I didn't have to feel like a wimp by being scared before I even got in my harness; everybody was scared before the big fall. Especially this guy:

Oh, and just to prove that I actually did it, you naysayers you, I'll show you a picture.

Skeptical Saloups.

Butko Out.