Serendipitous Meeting

While we were in the States, we flew to Alabama to visit J's family, and then back to the Manhattan Airport. When we arrived, we waited in the entryway for Dad to pick us up, and a lady asked if there were cabs that waited at the airport to take people into town. We weren't sure that there would be, and she seemed disappointed, so I offered her a ride ("generously" offering Dad's car and time, but I knew he wouldn't mind, as he doesn't stuff like this all the time, and had actually given someone else a ride just a few days before after he'd dropped us off at the airport). The lady's name was Kat, and we found out that she'd never been to Manhattan before, and she was actually going to a new restaurant, which she had helped to get started, and was in town for the launch.

The restaurant is called Cowboy Chicken, and I'm convinced that it will do very well in Manhattan. We had a lovely chat as we waited for Dad, and then in the car on the way into town. She asked us to come back for the grand opening the next day, and wanted to give us a free lunch to thank us for the ride.

This was my lunch, every bit of which was delicious. I got their signature wood fire rotisserie chicken, a baked sweet potato, and corn fritters, all of which were amazing. I'm actually a bit hungry as I'm writing this, and really wishing I could just head over to Cowboy Chicken again. The memory of the corn fritters especially is making my mouth water.

Kat took time out of her very busy day to come and sit with us, and we continued to be amazed by how much it felt like we were old friends catching up, rather than new acquaintances. So fantastic to meet people with whom you have an instant affinity.

We all had a wonderful time together. It was truly a beautiful moment, and I'm so glad random chance (and a generous father) brought us together.

P.S. If you live in Manhattan, I highly recommend trying Cowboy Chicken. It's out by Target and Panera, and well priced as well as delicious.

Kiwi Christmas Songs

J and I are having a very relaxing, peaceful Christmas, just the two of us. We've been so busy for ages, getting ready for the trip to the States, and then the whirlwind trip itself, and then getting organized and back into work afterwards. So it is nice to have some time to just relax together.

To wish you all a Merry Christmas, I thought I'd share a couple Kiwi Christmas songs I really enjoy.

The first is Pohutukawa Tree, which I just learned this year. We actually learned and sang it with the children at our End of Year Celebration, which was wonderful. To watch a video of it being sung, click here. I find the lady singing it a bit strange, but she does the actions well.

I know I post every year about Pohutukawa trees, but that is because I can't get over how awesome they are!

I took this picture of one that I walk by on the way into town from work. 

And here's a bit closer, so you can see how much they look like fireworks. They even have the tiny touches of gold at the ends. They're just so bright and happy, and I love them.

I didn't take this picture, but I thought you should see a picture of a whole tree. Their colours range from this deep red to almost orange.

I also thought you'd enjoy A Kiwi Jingle Bells. This is another one that we sing often with our children, using the book in the video, which you can watch here. It's lots of fun - you'll notice many Kiwi trademarks and traditions. I think it might be more fun for me than it is for the children, because all of this is just ordinary for them, whereas I'm delighted to recognize each unique bit of Kiwi culture. I feel I should mention, on the food page, that when it says "cheerios in bread" it means those little pink sausages next to the kid with dark brown hair. I still find this hard to remember when people talk about cheerios, but I'm getting there.

If you're wondering about any other lovely Kiwi words or traditions, feel free to comment and I'll explain further.

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Fun with Family from India

One special thing about this visit to the States was the we got to spend time with our newest family members - Patty's in-laws from India. It was amazing to get to know them all, after hearing so much about them from Patty. They were as lovely as she described them as being, and it's just a pity to have to go back to the other side of the world when we were just getting to know each other.

Sowmya, Patty's sister-in-law (and so ours as well, I think), very kindly offered to do some henna for my cousin Maria, Patty, and me. It was actually her first time to do it herself, as her mother, Latha, usually does it. She was amazing at it from moment one!

For those of you who don't know, henna is a dye made from henna trees. It is applied by squeezing out thin lines of paste, which is left on the skin for up to 12 hours to dry and soak in, and then washed off. The result is rich brown-red stains in amazing patterns. Sowmya explained to us that in her region of India, they mostly do henna on special occasions or celebrations, and usually on the palm of the hand.

Maria and I both had a turn doing some on her hand/wrist, before the expert took over.

This was mine after washing off the paste. Sowmya and Latha explained that it gets so much darker on the palm because your pores are more open there, and also because when you sweat, it helps darken the dye.

This was Maria's. She did the back of her hand because she had to drive us to Grandma's house right after we were finished. Also, can I point out the that small flower right in the middle of her hand, as well as the side-view flower near the base of her thumb were my contribution? I was really proud until I saw Sowmya's bold, sweeping designs and realized I'd been rather missing the point. But still, they're pretty!

This was Patty's. You can see the hand-wrist change in hers as well.

One other very generous thing they did (among many) was to let me wear a sari for an evening party we had. They wrapped and tucked and pinned it around me with amazing skill, and I don't think I've ever felt so fancy in my entire life! 

They also brought this sari as a present for my mom, their new mother-in-law. It is totally stunning as well and Mom really enjoyed wearing it.

Whanāu/Family Photos

After a lovely 3 1/2 weeks away, we are back in Wellington, tired and happy to be home. I'm finding it a bit challenging getting back into the swing of things at work, but it's only day three, and I'll get there. J is coming back to lots of new things to deal with, but is doing well.

For perhaps the first time ever, I remembered to take pictures of family while we were together. I was inspired/motivated by my Whānau (Family) Leaf at work, which needs updating. Each child and teacher has a leaf that goes on the huge tree that I painted, with pictures of their family on it, to celebrate and affirm our connections to our families. Mine, sadly, has outdated pictures of each of my family members separately, because on the rare occasions that we are together in person, I never think to take pictures. My lovely children sometimes have a hard time making a clear connection between the disparate pictures on my Whānau Leaf and an actual family, both because we're each alone and because many of us don't look very much alike at all. Anyway, the point is, this time I took pictures, and my new-and-improved Whānau Leaf is going to be amazing! 

Here's me and Dad at his birthday dinner.

Here, in all it's glory, is documentation of the first time in many, many years that all my siblings and siblings-in-law have been together in the same place.

For those of you who don't know, my mom is next to me and J, with my sister Patty in front of her. My brother Abe is in the middle back, next to my brother John, and his partner Alyssa is in front of him.

This is J and his dad. Notice the family resemblance.

Me and Patty.

Me and John and Alyssa.

(Side note: Alyssa made that awesome mirror-flower creation behind us. How cool!)

J, his mom, and is brother Dan.

Me and Abe.

Me and Mom.

Most of us were together for Thanksgiving, and everyone was a good sport about me insisting on pictures. It was so amazing to get to spend time with my family, and I think that I have learned to appreciate it more over the years I've been on the other side of the world. I'm already looking forward to next time! Luckily, Dad and his partner are coming to visit in just a few weeks, so I don't have to wait long!

We're off!

It's a beautiful day, and in just a few hours, we'll be flying into this stunning blue sky, off to visit friends and family in America. I'm sitting here appreciating this amazing view, so thrilled to be on my way to see so many people I love, and also thankful that I'll be coming back here afterwards, because I truly love living here. I think that's a pretty lucky situation in which to be.

We'll be in Kansas, Iowa, and Alabama for the next several weeks, and I am not promising any blog posts during that time. I am not even taking my laptop, in an effort to go into full relaxation mode and focus my attention entirely on the people I'm with. But I will hopefully remember to take pictures.

We're about to embark on about 27 hours of travel time, which is a lengthy journey, but not nearly as long as the insane itinerary we had last time. Also, we have invested in a variety of tools to help me sleep on the plane, as I have never been able to do so, and the results are not enjoyable for anyone. So cross your fingers that I manage to sleep. (You can cross your fingers for J, too, if you'd like, but he's usually asleep by the time I've put on my seatbelt, so we're pretty safe there).

I'm still wearing my brace for my sprained wrist, which I was hoping to have finished with by the time we left, but that's okay. I also have a softer one that the physiotherapist said I can wear sometimes, so that is nice.

The house is clean, the bags are packed, the taxi is scheduled, the comfy travel clothes are on... here we go!

Last of 2017's Snowboarding

This will be a picture-heavy, word-limited post, and I'll tell you why at the end. Fortunately, the pictures are wonderful.

Overview: We went snowboarding more times this winter than almost all the other winters combined, and would have gone even more had the weather cooperated. We went from lots of falls to entire days with only a couple of falls, even on more challenging slopes. It was all very exciting and invigorating. 

This is Mount Ruapehu from the road on the way home. I love the drive there and back, because the countryside is beautiful and we often see many tiny lambs in the vibrant grass.

This is on the road up the mountain, just before we hit the snow.

The majority of our days were like this - snow, fog, low visibility. But it didn't bother us.

What did bother us was the occasional tendency towards hail, which hurt our faces!

We learned to come prepared to have 100% skin coverage, and that fixed that problem.

And sometimes the sun came out, and it was glorious. In addition to this cloud-bow, there was also a beautiful rainbow that day.

We stayed at mostly average places (as we made reservations last minute, waiting on confirmation of passable weather), but one time we stayed at Cairnbrae House, which was stunning. 

We got a free upgrade to the master suite, and it was fantastic!

They even have their own hives and serve their own honey there with breakfast, which was a special treat for us, as we're definitely bee enthusiasts.

In case you're wondering, this last picture is the reason for the minimal text. I have a tendency towards tendonitis in my right wrist, and I have thought for the past several months that a couple of my harder falls had aggravated it, because it's been really painful. When it started waking me up in the middle of the night, I gave up on my "It will get better on its own" plan, and went to a hand specialist. She told me that it isn't tendonitis, it's a sprain, and put me in this complete immobilization splint. No wonder it had been so unreasonably painful! Anyway, I can type (obviously) but am trying to avoid more than is necessary as I'm healing. I am glad that I finally went to the doctor, and also thankful for being fairly ambidextrous, such that avoiding the use of my dominant hand is not too great a hinderance.

The end.

Surprise Labour Government!

I will preface this post by again acknowledging my ignorance of political systems, and by asserting my intention to make up for this shortcoming by providing you with links.

So here is what I understand: After the election that ended on the 23rd of September, National (more conservative) had a larger percentage of the votes than Labour (more liberal), with New Zealand First and Green both having a small but meaningful percentage. I mistakenly thought that this would mean that National would be mostly in charge, and that their party leader, Bill English, would continue to be Prime Minister. Wrong! In NZ, after the election, the parties go into negotiations where they discuss their policies and form partnerships to combine their percentages and get a majority. This means that for this election, where National and Labour (the two biggest parties who always get the vast majority of the votes) were fairly close, either of them could form the majority by joining up with New Zealand First. So the debates were apparently about which of them New Zealand First could collaborate with to achieve their goals. People seemed to be assuming that they would side with National as they have done in the past (hence the disappointment in the education sector), but they didn't! They chose Labour, and so we're going to have a Labour-lead government! Yay for education, healthcare, and the environment!

You can read more about New Zealand's First's decision at this link. Feel no obligation to watch the video, which is half an hour long, but the summary below it is helpful.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/nz-s-new-government-nz-first-chooses-labour.html

You can read more about Labour's policies and intentions at this link. If you're going to read any of them, I'd read this one, as it is so encouraging - if they're really able to get all this stuff done, it's going to be fantastic!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/97964558/labours-top-priorities-and-those-wholl-make-it-happen

I like the video on this link, which is Jacinda Ardern, our new Labour Prime Minister, responding to some questions. I appreciate the respectfulness across party lines.
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/pitfalls-and-benefits-in-nz-first-labour-coalition-government.html

Speaking of Jacinda Ardern, I am very excited to have a young woman as our Prime Minister, and I think that she's going to do a wonderful job. You can read more about her at this link. The more I read about her, the more I like her.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacinda_Ardern

How exciting that she's our Prime Minister!

I think that all of this is still technically subject to confirmation, as official ceremonies and swearing ins and such have not yet taken place. But I also think that it is unlikely to change. So I'm going to be happy about it starting now.

Maui and Te Rā

As promised, today we'll learn about another pūrakau (legend) about Maui, the Māori demi-god. He also features in the legends of many other pacific islands, but obviously I know him through the NZ Māori versions.

Before we launch into how Maui slowed Te Rā (the sun), I thought I'd give you the link to the Maui song in Moana, in case you have still not seen it. Did I mention that you should see it? You should.
In the meantime, here is Maui's song, You're Welcome, which very quickly goes through many of the wonderful pūrakau about him. Today's pūrakau is in there as "Also I lassoed the sun - you're welcome - to stretch your days and bring you fun."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpcv-g9TEPI

Again, I've given you the Peter Gossage version in Māori, with English subtitles, for the authentic experience. It's the one most Kiwis know best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbM3PwcGi0g&t=38s

And also a version a early childhood centre made, which is a bit strange, but must have been wonderful for the children bring to life together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ojGahXIb0E

If you're interested, there is also version to read from the Ministry of Education.
http://eng.mataurangamaori.tki.org.nz/Support-materials/Te-Reo-Maori/Maori-Myths-Legends-and-Contemporary-Stories/How-Maui-slowed-the-sun

Before European settlers came to NZ, Māori was a spoken language with no written version, and pūrakau were passed down from generation to generation through storytelling. This meant that while most tribes had similar pūrakau, the details might differ greatly as they were passed down through individuals over time. My children sometimes find this frustrating, as knowing the "right" answers is a big focus when you're three and four years old. However, I think it's interesting to hear different versions and think about the lessons and values that come through.

J's Exciting New Job

As I shared back in August, J got a new job as Senior Advisor in the Biosecurity Response Team. He has now been there for about a month, and we wanted to update you on how it's going. Spoiler alter: really well.

I'm still developing an understanding of what J does each day, partially because it can vary quite widely depending on what biosecurity threat he and his team are responding to. His knowledge and skills have been noticed and appreciated from day one, and he has already been asked to manage particular aspects within a major response, which is both intense and rewarding. J says that his job is to make things happen and to ensure that the government's response to a biosecurity threat is efficient, effective, and streamlined. He comes up with ideas, coordinates people's tasks, and gets people the resources they need to do their jobs well. He also contributes to the overall response plan, helping everyone think through the reasoning behind their actions and the benefits and risks involved. When something needs to be done, J figures out how to make it happen and distributes the workload so that everything is accomplished. This requires working with a wide variety of people, from farmers out at the site to policy-makers, and many in between. It also means that his team changes based on the specific threat that they're facing.

J finds this work very rewarding, and feels confident and happy with the positive impact his skillset has on his team. He has connections with lots of people in various positions from his previous jobs, so he's very useful in helping people work together. He also has a lot of background knowledge about how the companies and people involved operate, so he can come up with solutions that other people might not see. That is a huge contribution, as it saves time, effort, and money, and helps keep everyone happy. He also likes that his job isn't about developing a polished finished product, but rather about creating a system that will help other people get a job done, and it doesn't have to be pretty or perfect, it just has to be functional. That kind of grounded, practical thinking is a strength of J's, and something for which he is already being recognized.

Another interesting thing about this new position is that J will get to travel from time to time. He is spending most of this coming week on the South Island, handling some aspects of their current response on-site. This is another great way to build connections and broaden his horizons, which is wonderful.

Hopefully things will continue to go great, and he will have many opportunities to be in a leadership role.

Te Ika a Maui

Sorry for the late post this week. I am sick again, or still, depending on how you look at it. I am finally focusing on complete rest and recovery, instead of trying to continue on with all the things I have to do, even though my body is struggling. I'm hoping that it makes all the difference.

For this post, I'd like to share a wonderful pūrākau (legend) with you, and I've decided that a couple videos I found will do a much better job of that than I would. Plus, while you watch them, I can take a nap.

This one is in Māori, but it's got English subtitles, and it's great to listen to Māori language, as it is beautiful. It is a reading of the book by Peter Gossage, who writes amazing versions of many pūrākau. We have this book at work, and read it all the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb9Y99KQG1k

This one is an elementary school class who did a video/storytelling project on this pūrākau, and I thought it was wonderful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=use33jVKo7o

Lest you think that this is unrelated to your life, one connection you might have with this story is to Moana (which I still recommend, if you still haven't seen it). During his song, Maui sings, "What can I say except, 'You're welcome, for the islands I pulled from the sea.'" That's this one! I live on the island he pulled from the sea!

The amazing thing about this (and other) pūrākau is the connection my children have to it, and the sense of ecological identity that it gives them. It is part of their worldview that they live at the head of Te Ika a Maui (Maui's Fish), and this rich cultural heritage forms some of their sense of self in a beautifully interconnected way. I love it.

I will share more fantastic pūrākau in future posts.

We Voted!

J and I became permanent residents of NZ last August, and we immediately registered to vote, being thrilled to have that right. Also, NZ puts a lot of effort into getting people to register, and sends letter after letter telling you that you need to register if you have not. So it was also nice to get those letters to stop.

I have to admit, before launching into this post about elections and politics, that this is not a strong suit of mine. In fact, calling it a weakness would still be an understatement. I know that my vote is largely based on education and environmental issues, and I know who I need to vote for to support those things, and I don't know much else. That was true in the States, and is equally true here. This post will, therefore, be link-heavy, as I feel that it's better to refer you to sources than to try to sound knowledgeable about a topic in which I am ignorant.

In my understanding, NZ elections are held every three years, but it is up to the Prime Minister to decide when exactly they happen. This year, Prime Minister Bill English had until November to hold them, but chose to hold them in September. J says that the Prime Minister might choose to do it early for a variety of reasons, including wanting to switch up who is in parliament, or feeling that the political climate at the time is more likely to result in their party getting the majority, etc. 

Here is the first of several links, which has a great little video about how NZ's MMP system works:

http://www.elections.org.nz/voting-system/mmp-voting-system

This one is full of its own links, and explains more about the government systems:

https://www.govt.nz/browse/engaging-with-government/government-in-new-zealand/

And this one tells you about the leaders of the two main parties, National (more conservative) and Labour (more liberal). 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/19/new-zealands-general-election-all-you-need-to-know

So for this election, because we were registered in advance, we got this in the mail:

You'll notice we had a couple weeks to vote, which is nice. The letter also included a list of places in Wellington where we could vote, and there were lots of them, and they were well positioned. We had one just a the bottom of our hill, as well as at my university. (J used one, I used the other.)

Also included were our EasyVote Cards, which we took with us to vote. (I erased our address and a number that I think might be my voter-ID from mine, so I think it's okay to put the picture up).

I went in, handed them my card, they checked me off the list, I voted for a party and for my local MP (Member of Parliament), and I was done. Very simple and straightforward, which I appreciate.

Unfortunately, NZ, like many countries around the world, seems to be going in a more conservative direction, and National got the most votes, again. Disappointing, especially as those of us in ECE were really hoping for a change. National is not nearly as supportive of education and social programmes as Labour or the Green Party are, although I have to remind myself that it's still not as bad as in the States, for which I am thankful. National does not want to give ECE nearly as much money as we need, but even they are not going to take away the 20 hours a week of ECE that the government pays for for every 3- and 4-year-old child in the country, completely free of charge to parents. So the baseline is still much higher. 

This link gives a summary of the results:

http://www.electionresults.govt.nz/

As you can see, the Labour Party will still have lots of seats, and hopefully plenty of influence, especially when they team up with the Green Party, as I understand they usually do. 

Also, Wellington Central voted in the Labour Candidate, Grant Roberston, as our MP, which is awesome. The capital city is more liberal than much of the rest of the country, apparently.

29th Birthday

A couple weeks ago, it was my 29th birthday. I don't feel a need to do anything particularly special for my birthday, but I was a bit disappointed to spend it at home with a chest infection. Oh well. I'm lucky that I have a job at which I wanted to be on my birthday, and people (preschoolers and grown-ups) who are delighted to help celebrate with me, even if it's delayed due to illness. We had a lovely little celebration when I came back to work.

On a much more positive note, I was delighted by the thoughtfulness of the presents I received the week of my birthday. I am not particularly into owning lots of things, and so getting presents is a mixed bag for me, but when people are so intentional about choosing things that I will use and enjoy, it is wonderful. And that's what happened.

J bought me this stunning tea set, which is just perfect, and which I have used almost every day since he gave it to me. He knows how much I love to have tea parties, and also that I am not allowed to have caffeine (because of my heart), so I need to be able to brew my own tea at said parties, so as not to limit my distinguished guests to the distressingly narrow choice of decaf tea. Therefore, personal teapots. Perfect. Also, the same pattern done in different colour schemes is one of my favourite things. Perfect again.

The pots and cups are beautiful, as is the way they stack together. The saucers have my favourite pattern of all, and I admire them each time I use them.

J also bought me some loose-leaf tea, and managed to find some that is decaf and also delicious, which is impressive.

Also, I discovered by accident that when the cup is in the sun next to a shadow, the gold leaf makes wonderful reflective patterns. I foresee hours of entertainment.

One of my children gave me this beautiful flower, which she'd brought back from the Marshall Islands (tiny islands in the Pacific). They make these flowers there from coconut flower fibres, and they are unique to the Marshall Islands, which is so special. Also, my wonderful children all think that I look like Moana when I wear it tucked behind my ear, which is a serious compliment, and a special connection to the child who gave it to me, with whom I sing Moana songs almost daily. You'll also notice that my necklace, which J gave me seven years ago (long before Moana), is accidentally lit up in this picture. That is fantastic, because the children remark on a regular basis that it looks like "the heart of Te Fiti", which Moana wears in a necklace in the movie. It looks even more like the magic movie one when it's lit up like that. Also, I was wearing the beautiful earrings that Mom sent me for my birthday, which you'll notice are also ocean themed. Conclusion: I definitely became Moana when I turned 29. 

(Note: If you have not seen Moana, you should watch it. It is not only a truly inspiring movie, it is also a wonderful way that Pasifika is being celebrated in the wider world. I will have to post about it sometime.)  

My lovely colleagues at work, and my head teacher in particular, got me these stunning orchids. She had no way of knowing that I love orchids, but she does know that my favourite colour is green. She picked well. Plus, two weeks later, they are still gorgeous and are brightening up our dining room.

Mom sent me this charming canvas painting, along with the delightful suggestion that I use it as inspiration for imaginative storytelling with the children. I suspect that they will come up with some fantastical ideas about how she got in the jar and what she might do. I love gifts that I can use with my children, as they bring joy to me and to some of my favourite people in the world.

I am so thankful for the kindness and generosity of the people around me, and it is touching that they know me so well that they can pick out things that are so meaningful to me. I'm a pretty luck 29-year-old. Pretty lucky for any age, I think.

Adrenalin Forest

Recently, I found a voucher on GrabOne that looked interesting: a high ropes challenge course about 1/2 hour outside Wellington, in Porirua. It is called Adrenalin Forest, and it looked like exactly my kind of adventure, and something J could enjoy as well. I wasn't quite sure what we were getting into, but then our friends Christophe and Anaïs said that they'd done it and really enjoyed it, and that's when I started getting quite excited. I am happy to report that it was, in fact, quite fantastic.

We walked into the forest, and our eyes were immediately drawn up into the canopy, where we could see a variety of platforms and bridges and all manner of exciting things.

First, we learned about how to stay safe, using these amazing Clic-it carabiners, which I just learned were invented in France, which is cool. Anyway, they have a magnet system so they can only clip around the steel cord, and they lock so that only one can release at a time. You clip onto the first metal cord at the beginning of a course, and then move from one challenge to the next, around trees, etc. by unclipping one at a time to hook to the next cord, but there is no possible way for you to have both of them unhooked at the same time, until you're back on the ground at the bottom of the course. At the end, there is a tail that allows you to completely unhook. It is actually impressively idiot-proof, which is a necessity when you're allowing random people to be up to 31 metres off the ground. Anyway, the point is that they're very cool, and made us feel completely safe.

We don't have a lot of pictures of ourselves, as it was challenging to be taking pictures while maneuvering the course, and they're all of me, as J was the only one with a zip pocket in which to keep the camera safe. This is me getting through the last of an upside-down tunnel bridge.

And on a rope ladder. This is in stage one, which is only a few metres off the ground.

I would recommend clicking on some of these pictures to make them bigger, as there is a lot going on and it's hard to see all the levels of ropes.

There were all different kinds of challenges, including logs that spun when you stepped on them, rings to balance in, a snowboard that zipped down the rope when you stepped on it, ziplines, tightropes, log ladders, loops of rope that blew in the wind, etc. In addition to being up high, it was very physically challenging.

This is looking down at stages one and two from up on four. They go up to six.

This was by far the hardest challenge, You have to move from log to log, balancing on those little pegs at the bottom. The picture does not do justice to how far apart the logs are - a long way! 

J and I both made it across, but ended up with extremely tired arms. The fatigue had been building, but that was the limit. I noticed that there were two ziplines and then the end of stage four, and concluded that those logs were put there to make sure you recognized if you were too tired to continue to level five, and J agreed. Then, when we got to the bottom and talked to an employee, he explained (without us even asking) that that is exactly why it is there! I felt triumphant to have figured that out, and also completely convinced that it had done its job, as my arms were quite clear about their fatigue.

This is the view looking down from the platform after the convincing logs.

I managed to get the camera across the second-to-last zipline and take a picture looking back, but you can barely tell that that's J standing on the platform, about to zip.

And here he is coming down the last zipline of stage four, but again it's hard to tell it's him. I promise that it is! The ziplines were exhilarating, and I especially liked some where you flew right over the top of some shorter (but still plenty tall) trees.

We would very much like to do stages five and six, as they are even higher, which would be lots of fun. We've decided to keep an eye out for another GrabOne deal, and then go back and start straight into five with fresh muscles and see how we do. I'm excited already!

You can read more about Adrenalin Forest here if you'd like.