A fear of Hieghts--Kaikoura New Zealand
I noticed last night that they had a great 4 hour hike called the clifftop walk and it started about a half mile from the hostel. The more I thought of it the more I was intrigued and decided to do it instead of whale watching. At worst I would save 130.00 dollars and at least I had done the whale watching before.So I got, did laundry and left the hostel about 8.30. The town in located on the northern side of a peninsula about a mile form the tip. On the other side is a village called Bayside and I began by walking for about an hour across the peninsula towards Bayside. It is a well marked walk and you head up into the hills and then cross over to the other side by walking along woods and pastures. It was Nice walk but I was a little surprised when it started descending, but the next thing I know I am back on sea level in Bayside. But it was a very nice walk.
Then I headed through the town, as the map indicated, until I reached the edge of town. It was a great walk along the coast and I really enjoyed it. but at the edge of town I noticed that the path went up the side of a cliff with no railing. Not a big deal to 99% of the world but to those of us who have a fear of heights. But I looked at it for a while and decide to go for it.I headed up about halfway and stop to take a break as I had planned. Then I continued and as I went around a curve I freaked out as the wind was blowing hard, the gravel path narrowed and the drop off on my right side was straight down. I stopped, hesitated, tried unsuccessfully to regain a normal heartbeat, and then slowing turned around and headed back down to the place I had taken a break,.
Wow. I sat and looked for a while thinking I should try again and eventually I did at a much slower pace but with the same result except not even as far up. I turned and headed for the bottom. It had been a good walk, I am scared of heights and that is that. I walked down to the bottom and found a place to sit, have a drink of water and regain my composure. After about 15 minutes I got up to leave but I could not help but re-examining the trail from my seat. Maybe I should try again. Just one more time. It couldn't be more than 30 more steps past where I had gone on the first attempt that it looked like the path headed inward. I decided to at least go to my resting place and look again.
After about 10 minutes of rest at my halfway rest point I went for it. Only 30 steps--don't look to the right, think about something else....Man the wind was blowing hard....but finally the 30 steps was over and I rounded the curve and ----major miscalculation on my part...it did not go inland yet....it continued for another 50 steps or so along the edge of the cliff. But what was I to do..I was too scared to try and turn around so 1,2,3,4,....53....I made it. Wow. I was winded, exhausted, excited happy --all at the same time.And now all I could see ahead of me was 10 or 15 minutes of walking on a 10 foot wide path 10 or 20 steps away from the edge. YES.
But I was not thinking properly because at the top of the next rise was another cliff side walk, and then another and then another....but I couldn't go back so I had fun after fun after fun...of course it did hit me along the way that maybe that is why they were called Clifftop walks. The views, when I looked, were incredible and I was doing kind of OK until the thought entered my mind about what might lay at the end of the trail. I wondered how the descent was. Well to close this story...the walk down was paved had switchbacks so it was not nearly as bad. The walk was the best hike I have ever taken. It ended up taking me about 4.5 hours and I would not trade it for the world. But I am so tired.....fear really takes a lot of energy :).
Then I headed through the town, as the map indicated, until I reached the edge of town. It was a great walk along the coast and I really enjoyed it. but at the edge of town I noticed that the path went up the side of a cliff with no railing. Not a big deal to 99% of the world but to those of us who have a fear of heights. But I looked at it for a while and decide to go for it.I headed up about halfway and stop to take a break as I had planned. Then I continued and as I went around a curve I freaked out as the wind was blowing hard, the gravel path narrowed and the drop off on my right side was straight down. I stopped, hesitated, tried unsuccessfully to regain a normal heartbeat, and then slowing turned around and headed back down to the place I had taken a break,.
Wow. I sat and looked for a while thinking I should try again and eventually I did at a much slower pace but with the same result except not even as far up. I turned and headed for the bottom. It had been a good walk, I am scared of heights and that is that. I walked down to the bottom and found a place to sit, have a drink of water and regain my composure. After about 15 minutes I got up to leave but I could not help but re-examining the trail from my seat. Maybe I should try again. Just one more time. It couldn't be more than 30 more steps past where I had gone on the first attempt that it looked like the path headed inward. I decided to at least go to my resting place and look again.
After about 10 minutes of rest at my halfway rest point I went for it. Only 30 steps--don't look to the right, think about something else....Man the wind was blowing hard....but finally the 30 steps was over and I rounded the curve and ----major miscalculation on my part...it did not go inland yet....it continued for another 50 steps or so along the edge of the cliff. But what was I to do..I was too scared to try and turn around so 1,2,3,4,....53....I made it. Wow. I was winded, exhausted, excited happy --all at the same time.And now all I could see ahead of me was 10 or 15 minutes of walking on a 10 foot wide path 10 or 20 steps away from the edge. YES.
But I was not thinking properly because at the top of the next rise was another cliff side walk, and then another and then another....but I couldn't go back so I had fun after fun after fun...of course it did hit me along the way that maybe that is why they were called Clifftop walks. The views, when I looked, were incredible and I was doing kind of OK until the thought entered my mind about what might lay at the end of the trail. I wondered how the descent was. Well to close this story...the walk down was paved had switchbacks so it was not nearly as bad. The walk was the best hike I have ever taken. It ended up taking me about 4.5 hours and I would not trade it for the world. But I am so tired.....fear really takes a lot of energy :).
posted by Bryan at 5:57 PM
<< Home