Wanaka. The one and only.

I have not been everywhere in the world but it is safe to say that I have found one special place that I will forever treasure. Wanaka in New Zealand is the one. The moment I got off the bus and arrived in front of Lake Wanaka last year, I knew I have come to a pretty special place. It was love at first sight. The people, oh the people of Wanaka, are the friendliest on earth. Four days were all I had to get to know Wanaka. It was too short, but I lived those four days to the max. I faced my demon head on and booked my first skydive. I strapped myself to a beautiful stranger and jumped out of a perfectly good airplane at 15,000 feet and screamed on top of my lungs all the way down. Did I tell my mom? Yes I did but I did not tell her how high. After skydiving, my confidence was super charged and I was sure I could face anything…or so I thought until I was on the top of 28 meters high canyon. I was so scared and screamed like I was getting murdered when we did the big slide. Even the guide tapped me on the shoulder and congratulated me for the loudest scream she has ever heard in her entire guiding experience (mind you, she has been guiding for years). It was embarrassing but, thinking back right now, it was undoubtedly one of my proudest achievements so far. A new friend restored my faith in humanity and made me believe that good people still exist today. He proposed the idea of taking me as one of his flying companions and was willing to do anything to make it happen. The next morning, I was up there in a helicopter flying through Mount Aspiring National Park. Seeing the snow-capped mountains almost face to face was pretty remarkable. The surrounding peaks gave a feeling of timeliness. We were chatting so happily only to be stopped by the sound of the falling rocks in the distance. Our ears carefully followed the thudding sounds into the ground…and then silence. We were in complete awe. On my last day, I chose a much simpler way to see Wanaka. I hired a bike, but where to go? I made a conscious decision not to use the map and just followed the tracks along the lake to see where it led. I felt so exhilarated, thrilled and free. I am sure I have not seen everything in Wanaka yet. That is why I need to go back. I would not change a thing of my experiences in Wanaka but if I were to do it all over again, I would make sure I stay longer. So I could do more and see more. Or maybe do nothing at all and just relax by the lake.