Skiing on a volcano?

As a late August baby, I'm used to beachside birthday celebrations. But here in New Zealand, we're at the height of ski season so we took off for the weekend and went skiing on Mt Ruapehu, one of three active volcanoes located in the center of the North Island.

To say the trip to the mountain was a study in contrasts would be an understatement. From spring-like Hawke's Bay where the daffodils and apple trees are blooming, we drove along the "Thermal Explorer Highway" through steaming sulphur springs, then we made a left at the placid Lake Taupo and travelled along aptly named "Desert Road" until we reached the mountain access road. The first half of the 16km drive uphill was lined with lush rainforest and Kiwi crossing signs (referring to the flightless national bird, not the fruit). Then we crossed the treeline and were surrounded by lava rocks and finally snow.

At a height of 2322 meters (7,618 feet) the summit is comparable to those found in Lake Tahoe, but the skiing is completely different, because there are no trees to define trails. You basically just ski down the mountain and try to steer clear of volcanic rocks and cliffs. A feat easier said than done, as I found out. After falling on a large patch of ice, I kept sliding down the mountain, and when I finally hit some soft powder and came to a stop, I looked up to see a "DANGER Cliff" sign about 10 feet below me. But it was all good fun.

Signs posted in the bathrooms warned of the danger of volcanic eruptions and advised skiers to stay out of the valleys and head to higher ground in case of lava flows.

Overheard on the mountain: "Trails? What trails? Just follow the white stuff." "Don't let the T-bar hit you on the way up."

A welcome home surprise

After a whirlwind trip back to the States, I was greeted by this beautiful surprise blooming along our driveway--gorgeous white calla lillies, much like the ones I carried on our wedding day six months prior. Of course, I took the liberty of snipping them after I took this picture, and they're still looking lovely on our windowsill. I'm already looking forward to the next batch!

Paul's a Netballer!

Our local bartender invited me to play a weird sport called Net ball the other day. What is netball you may ask? Well, it’s a lot like basketball. It is played on a court that has similar dimensions to a basketball court. There is a goal at either end that resembles a normal basketball hoop yet without the backboard. This hoop is about the same height as an American basketball goal yet the diameter of the rim is smaller. The netball is larger than a volleyball, but smaller than a basketball. It’s probably the size of a womens basketball only a little lighter.

The way to score points is the same as in basketball. There is very little contact allowed. If there is too much contact then a foul is called. You are not allowed to dribble the net ball and you are only allowed to take two steps. If you bobble it as your catching it and the ball hits the ground then it’s the other team’s ball. There are 6 players on each team. Two on defense (who aren’t allowed over onto their offensive half of the court), two offensive players (who are not allowed on their defensive half of the court), and two “centers” (who are allowed on both halves of the court but are not allowed to penetrate past a roughly 15 foot diameter semi-circle around each goal).

The other cool and different thing is that once you have the ball the other team isn’t allowed within (roughly) a three foot radius from you. That means that most shots to the hoop have to be uncontested. Uncontested! It’s literally like shooting fish in a barrel! -Paul



FYI-for more info on Netball, see www.netball.org, where I got these pics.-Jen

Deco Decanted

Last weekend the locals and a few tourists put on their finest Art Deco outfits, and went for a leisurely Sunday stroll and drive as part of the "Deco Decanted" festival, which is the winter version of the much larger Art Deco festival the city of Napier has each February to celebrate its architectural history. Napier has one of the largest collection of Art Deco architecture due to the fact that the entire city was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and subsequent fire that destroyed the city. If this is the smaller version, I can't wait for the big one. They have Art Deco dinner dances, picnics, concerts, and other events. I'm already shopping for the right outfit!

Paul in the rough

Eagerly awaiting the arrival of his clubs from the U.S., Paul practices his swing at the local miniature golf course. Apparently he might need the practice, as I managed to beat him with only a slight handicap, HA!