windcatcher 0 #1 January 20, 2005 So a few days ago I had a wonderful conversation with a friend who talked me into taking scuba diving classes. Next year at school I should be able to become certified. That convo and many other things recently got me thinking, that most of my female friends I've had in my life were more of the prissy, hate-getting-dirty, experiencing ANY thing inconvenient-type, etc, even though I'm more the type to go camping, sleep on a rock,etc. I decided that I AM gonna travel overseas, go camping, backpacking,etc, even if it means going alone. Why should I sit around and wait for the perfect friend to take with me to experience the "thrill of a lifetime"??? I'm tired of girl friends who won't go anywhere or be adventurous, because it's "too expensive" or "too dirty" or "too tiring" or "there aren't enough modern facilities"....blahblahblah. First place on the list: New Zealand. What have I got to lose, right? (except maybe a couple thousand dollars on a plane ticket) Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #2 January 20, 2005 Go for it girl. There should be nothing in this world that should stop you to do what you want to do. If you can't find someone to go it with you, screw them and go it alone. Less feet to step on too. ----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #3 January 20, 2005 hah, thanks Michael. I'm sure I could find a guy or 2 to come with me, but I just want to have fun and not have to worry about complicated issues, know what I'm saying? Besides, I'd probably only take a good guy friend with, and if he was a good friend, he's probably pretty attractive to me at least, so things could be interesting. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #4 January 20, 2005 Good on you girl... in the long run you will find others doing what you are doing who you can bond with. In the long run you will have a far more interesting life and all those girl friends will realize it at some point.. when they are no longer capable whether by circumstances or the ravages of time. Been there and done that.. and have LOVED the ride Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #5 January 20, 2005 QuoteBeen there and done that.. and have LOVED the ride good for you too Amazon. I need more people like that. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #6 January 20, 2005 Quotehah, thanks Michael. I'm sure I could find a guy or 2 to come with me, but I just want to have fun and not have to worry about complicated issues, know what I'm saying? Don't give up to fast, the people your looking for do existI found one a "go dog" instead of a "show dog". You got lots of time to find what your looking for let them down gentle and find another one that your compatiable with. R.i.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #7 January 20, 2005 Honestly, just go on your own, do not go with anyone, If you go backapacking with someone else you have to argue and debate of what you want to do. If you head to new zealand or oz you will find so many people everywhere you go. I am from new zealand and have backpacked right around there and many other countries over the past 8 years. What i love about it is that every where you go you will find a group or a couple of people to travel around with. When you all decide to head your seperate ways you will meet more people at your next stop, or on the bus, or at the back of the plane getting pissed. With others you can never just do what YOU want to do. If you head to new zealand, come and visit our dropzone in mercer and i will sought you out a free room on the dz for your duration of being in auckland. Peace! .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #8 January 20, 2005 Not just girls.... The roomate of the friend who got me into Skydiving, talked me into SCUBA..... He never showed for class. I went, got through to advanced and went to Grand Caymen with the Harriburg Club and a year later... he finally got his first PADI lic._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #9 January 20, 2005 oh man,that sounds like such an incredible time! I'm taking a backpacking class right now and can't wait to test my knowledge. Traveling alone would be fun I think, of course there would definitely be places I'd like to bring someone along with; but still, doing the solitary thing, taking black and white photos, talking to cute little old men in the pubs, ahhhhhhhhh! I can't wait! Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccurley 1 #10 January 20, 2005 Well when you get here, I'll have a room you can bunk in, in Tauranga. Great town close to Rotorua, right on the coast. 45mins to Mata Mata DZ (Hobbiton in LOTR), 1 1/2 hrs to Mercer, if you have enough jumps you can jump right here at the airport on a tandem load. I'll take you for a ride in my boat! Fishing?Watch my video Fat Women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #11 January 20, 2005 okay, it might be awhile before I have enough $ to travel to NZ; however, I am going to do everything I can to study abroad in Scotland or Austrailia this fall. Why not?? Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #12 January 20, 2005 Let me tell you, when i go home and see all my mates every year, we go down to one of our beach houses and have a piss up, then i start telling story's about my trip, like being stuck in the back of a truck with chickens for a 24 hour drive along a strip of pot holed dirt they call a road. now my mates do not want to hear it, i guess because it is my experience and not there's and they can not understand what it was like because they were not there. I belive that Backpacking is something you do on your own because of the freedom you have and the decisions you have to make. You will meet a guy here, and a guy there and have some great relationships with people while you travel but you all know the situation and all know that you will be saying goodbye in a week or a couple of mmonths and there is no pressure involved, more fun. I have never heard of taking a backpacking class, but being from the states i can understand that you should. The reason is that in the states you are in a country of hundreds of millions of people. In new zealand you are in a country of 4 million. Never discuss politics when you are sitting around a fire having a drink cause no one wants to hear it. Take a belt bag that fits inside your pants, take your favourite toast spread, good shoes and comfortable clothes. It is very rare you see backpackers in nz and oz dressing up. Take a bag that you would be prepared to carry on your back fo 24 straight hours. You never know, you might go to thailand and have to keep all your belongings with you. Take a smile and a good attitude but do go on your own. Buy a lonely planet book of new zealand and one for australia. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #13 January 20, 2005 Quoteokay, it might be awhile before I have enough $ to travel to NZ; however, I am going to do everything I can to study abroad in Scotland or Austrailia this fall. Why not?? SCOTLAND!? What a grand idea_______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #14 January 20, 2005 That's a great attitude. As long as you're willing to be flexible and open to new experiences, traveling alone can be a really gratifying thing. I agree that having hobbies and things to do when you travel somewhere can make it that much easier. I'm looking forward to becoming a skydiving tourist when I get off student status, and I know it'll be very easy to connect with new people through that. Same with scuba - I just started that and spent the last few days of my recent trip to NZ traveling alone after my friends went home and a lot of that was spent diving. Met some great people doing that."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #15 January 20, 2005 FUCK DO I MISS THE MOUNT!!! I got my head shaved in the irish pub there right when i made the guiness hundred club...then i left to thailand the next day with the worst hang over ever! .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #16 January 20, 2005 wow, thanks for the awesome reply/advice. I will definitely let any local dz.commer know when I'm abroad ( NOT a broad!). In my backpacking class we're required to take one weekend trip.I've bought a few issues from Backpacker magazine, and growing up camping, fishing, hiking gets me really exicted, especially when skydiving's involved!!! wahoooooooooooooo!!!!! Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccurley 1 #17 January 20, 2005 Make sure you get qualified on packing and do a s**t load of it. A lot of folks travelling through here seemd to find work at the DZs that way. We only had one paker last week at our Nationals (very small comp here) but we could have used two or three more.Watch my video Fat Women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWkEky8GoI Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #18 January 20, 2005 The best web page in the world for travelling australia, new zealand or the Uk is this page right here. I am in the uk at the moment and every couple of months have looked on this page and got a job the next day.... www.tntmagazine.com www.gumtree.com with gumtree search the other gumtrees on that site to find the one you want. You will love australasia! .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #19 January 20, 2005 hey, did you enjoy the nats, bill cole sent me a video of his chuteless dive that we gave away as a prize there. He also sent me his log book of his 2 chuteless dives that Libby was going to present at the nats but it never arrived. I hear our super porter is pretty fast, did you enjoy it? I head back soon to start full time marketing for Mercer. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #20 January 20, 2005 I am working with a packer at my dz, he's very patient in helping me hone my packing skills. I even thought about becoming a packer at my dz so I could contribute more AND pay for my jumps, but I'm still unsure about it. If I caused a malfunction I'd feel terrible, and I don't know if I could ever pack quick enough to be a packer ( without causing a mal that is) ahhh well---maybe I'll find someone to support my habits. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peej 0 #21 January 20, 2005 As far as i'm concerned travelling on your own is the only way to go. On my first trip overseas I spent three months in Thailand and Laos with three friends, two girls and a guy. It was way cool having them there to share some of the most awesome experiences of my life but you always have to think of the others. You can't just wake up, pack your things and mission to the next island, you have to ask if everyone wants to leave, where they'd like to go, etc and it becomes a pain. Also, when travelling in a group people (other travellers) assume you're two couples and are kind of intimidated to walk over and strike up a conversation. You meet way more people on your own and to me meeting people from other countries is one of the best parts about travelling. If you like the idea of NZ you should also think about coming down to South Africa at some stage. Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #22 January 20, 2005 QuoteIf you like the idea of NZ you should also think about coming down to South Africa at some stage. So you can learn how not to play rugby .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
windcatcher 0 #23 January 20, 2005 QuoteYou meet way more people on your own and to me meeting people from other countries is one of the best parts about travelling. Yesss, to me that is what has to be the BEST part about traveling--meeting people from all over. I'd be the type to start talking w/ the waitress, bellhop, etc, you meet so many interesting people w/ interesting stories traveling. South Africa??? gosh, there are a few guys I've met from there, they have the sweetest accents and it's probably gorgeous over there too. Mother to the cutest little thing in the world... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycat 0 #24 January 20, 2005 Quotewow, thanks for the awesome reply/advice. I will definitely let any local dz.commer know when I'm abroad ( NOT a broad!). In my backpacking class we're required to take one weekend trip.I've bought a few issues from Backpacker magazine, and growing up camping, fishing, hiking gets me really exicted, especially when skydiving's involved!!! wahoooooooooooooo!!!!! Hey PM me if you ever need some chick tips and advice on gear and stuff. I've done tons of backcountry hiking and climbing and have enough gear to outfit a small army. Fly it like you stole it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #25 January 20, 2005 Yes, yes, yes. Do it all, and don't worry about needing anyone else with whom to travel or to pursue new activities/adventures with. I highly recommend pursuing new passions by oneself. Personally, I have pursued many new activities alone...like take sailing lessons, scuba diving lessons, learn to rockclimb, learn to skydive, travel to new DZs, etc. By throwing myself into these situations and confronting my insecurities (fighting inner shyness), this has helped me to become a much more confident person with quite diverse friends. I have greatly benefited from my solitary experiences, and I never remain alone for long. Windcatcher, one more thing that you may want to do is to travel to new DZs by yourself. Sometimes I find it a little strange when jumpers will only travel to larger boogies as a "group" from a smaller DZ. Some (not all) groups of skydivers who do this, even skydive, hang out and party mostly just with others from their DZs, and they don't interact with the rest of the boogie-goers as much. It would seem a totally different experience to go somewhere new and to mix it up with everyone, instead of limiting oneself to jumping/partying mostly with just people from one's own DZ. Just a thought. Good luck with New Zealand and all your other endeavors. It sounds like you are about to embark on some awesome adventures! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
