They asked if I can join them. At first I thought why not. Then I saw the pamphlet and was sad to see that only one of the 18 days will be spend in a kayak. So I thought, why don't I do my OWN kayaking trip along side? Hopefully I can time my expedition so that I can meet them somewhere for food and fuel supplies. That's what parents are for, right? (anxiously waiting for the next thunder to strike O_O)
Which means I'm planning a circumnavigate NZ trip for early next year. I don't even know if my parents are going to go for sure, but if I do go, I need to start preparation now.
Just some random thoughts about what to train for, but I should probably consult someone with a bit more experience before I go. Then again, my entire life has been a long string of suicide-attempts anyway. So why stop now? :-)
- Landing/ Launching in surf zones, esp. seal landing/ launching skills.
- Continuous paddling in big swells
- paddling a fully loaded sea kayak
- weeks or even months of paddling without a break
- self-rescue in rough sea with a fully loaded sea kayak
- Get that stupid ham license and VHF radio already, c'mon!
- get a reverse osmosis pump
- [on-going updates]
Not sure about item 4, because it's also known as over-training. I've been on the water nearly every day in May and my back is screaming bloody murder. Petroleum jelly can help with salt blisters, but not fully eliminate them. If I can't extend my tourist visa, I'll still have to finish the trip within 90 days -- and that includes waiting out the storms, pre-trip planning time, replenishment, etc.
Still pondering about sponsorship. Don't really want the trip to be a huge advertisement gig, but it can be a stepping stone to getting helps with the transpacific epic that I hope to paddle somedays. If I can't work out sponsorship, I think I might just get Fred to paint a tiger for me and ship it over for the trip. If nothing else, circumnavigating NZ with an old tiger has to be a bit of a dare-devil stunt.
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