dear blogosphere, hey guys, it's been awhile. just thought i'd drop a quick update here with the latest and greatest from down under. internet is a bit too expensive to do trip reports, but in general, here's a brief synopsis of my existence as a traveling kayak bum.
1) Hot Wheels. this is Big Brown Betty. She butters up tarmac like biscuits and gravy, baby, gravy. she set me back about $475 USD but i love her to death and would take her back if i could. pimp wheels are a must.
2) the Kaituna. the Kaituna is a classic on the North Island... it's uber-short but has some of the best rapids you could ask for, including Tutea Falls, pictured below. I was lucky enough to be around for the Andy Duffs Memorial Race... which is a mass start (picture 50 or so kayakers) tearing down a river that is as wide as Difficult Run. Kind of scary, but really flippin' fun.
And here's a pic of the Weir. super deep, better boof.
3) Endless park n' huck. if you look, you shall find. Karen drops her first waterfall.... 24ft isn't a bad start, hahaha.
4) Heli runs. When Big Brown Betty can't make it to the put in (which is most of the time), we just call up the local heli pilot! I've only done one heli... it's a super-quick way to get to the put-in but at about $55USD per ride they really break that "daily budget" thing I try to keep to. I love it, novelty has definitely not worn off yet.
5) Nevis Bluff. I've been staying around Queenstown lately with some friends from Nepal and the Kawaru river is the closest backyard thing-o. it starts with a crazy-scary rapid about 1km long. I walked the crux and put in for the outflow and it still makes me cry inside. haha, greaaaat. but more than the kayaking Queenstown is just an amazing place. Here's Colin Hamilton, Scotland's finest, in the pit at the crux of the Bluff.
alright there you go... fun times in NZ. soooo good. anybody want to send me some money?
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