Heli-Skiing Fresh Powder In The Southern Alps of New Zealand

I have been snow skiing since I was a 14 year old in high school. I learned on a rope tow hill called Bell Mountain in Mercer County New Jersey. Since that time I have always dreamed of going heli-skiing in fresh untracked powder. This winter in New Zealand I got the opportunity to live my dream.
My youngest son Jeffery, my mother Gloria, my wife Bonny and I flew down to Queenstown on the South Island for a ski holiday. We stayed at Blanket Bay on beautiful Lake Wakapitu. The lodge booked us a trip up the mountain with Harris Mountain Heli-Ski for Sunday. The day dawned bright and clear and we awoke with the excitement of a new adventure but also some anxiety about the danger of "steep and deep". We had warmed up the day before at The Remarkables Ski Resort just outside of Queenstown so we felt prepared for the challenge.

Jeffery and I warming up

We arrived at the Heliport on Lake Wanaka for a safety briefing with our guides.

We received our avalanche beacons in case we found ourselves buried in 10 feet of snow. We learned how to huddle with one hand on the guides pack when the "machine" comes in to pick us up.

The chopper huddle

We then loaded the ski's and snowboards and flew up the mountain to our drop off point. We landed on a ledge about the size of a postage stamp 8,000 feet (2,438 meters) above the valley floor. We did the chopper huddle and the "machine" lifted off as the downdraft whipped up snow all around us.

Our Guide Chris made it clear that for safety reasons we needed to follow his path so we didn't end up skiing off a cliff. This sounded like good advise.

Chris our guide.

Then it was off down the mountain for some fresh powder skiing.

My powder run.

My son Jeffery

After the first run our fear and anxiety evaporated into sheer exhilaration. We had a wonderful day Heli-Skiing completing four runs. On the last run I went right and the rest of the group went left. I soon found myself at the edge of a precipice looking down on the valley below. I had no choice but to make a 30 minute climb back up the mountain and over the ridge so I could ski down to the group below As the helicopter came to pick us up after our last run we felt a sense of accomplishment and relief that we had survived. P.S. (I only skied off one cliff).

Kia Ora from New Zealand!

Our Afghan Family in New Zealand

                                                        Niam buying cauliflower
Bonny and I spent the day today with our Afghan family. We took Niam to get some clothes, toys and a bike for his daughter Mancha (top photo) donated by the New Zealand Army. Then we dropped by Moshim's to do some shopping. Then it was off to Telecom to get the family a landline and internet service. Finally we stopped by Dick Smith's to get a headset and microphone so Niam could Skype with his family back in Afghanistan. I help set up his modem and taught him how to use G mail. Niam took a computer courses in Afghanistan but they did not have any computers or internet access.  Last Friday Bonny took the family to the farmers market in Fielding and here are some pictures.  The vendors at the farmer's market
were very nice to the family giving the children lollipops and apples.  They took
a walk around the town in search of green peppercorns, but were unable to find them.  They stopped by the cattle auction and Naim told Bonny that in Afghanistan you would find a cow on the street, then ask the cost, pay and walk away with the cow.  Here it is so different especially with the auctioneer speaking so fast.  On the way home they stopped at a farm to purchase fresh eggs. A tray of 30 for $7.00.  Today they are going to a farm to slaughter a sheep to share with several Afghan families. They are getting the lamb for $100 dollars. Kia Ora from New Zealand!

Asma and Mosul                                                      Niam and Mancha

44 year old patient with multiple stents, a heart attack and bypass surgery

Today in clinic I saw a wonderful vibrant energetic 44 year old male. He looked like the picture of health. When I reviewed his medical history I was shocked to discover he had a heart attack 6 years ago  at the age of 38 followed by multiple stents and Coronary Bypass Surgery at the age of 42. He had two risk factors a positive family history of premature coronary atherosclerosis and a elevated serum cholesterol. After I heard him tell his story I calmly explained that his heart disease was curable. He and his wife seem relieved and happy to hear this. I then explained that the diet was very difficult to follow. He would need to completely cut fat out of his diet. I reviewed the scientific work of cardiologists Caldwell Eccleston and Dean Ornish. A diet free of fat will allow you to see your grandchildren grow up I explained.

*

We finished the exam with a sense of satisfaction that if he followed this program exercised and lost weight he could live a life free of future cardiac events. Kia Ora from New Zealand!
* Quote from Caldwell Eccleston

Silver Fern Anniversary Weekend at The Treetops Lodge

It was our 29th wedding anniversary so Bonny and I headed for a romantic weekend at a hunting lodge that our friends in Florida recommended. We got up a the sparrow fart (very early) Sat. mourning.

What a gorgeous sunrise. On our way we drove by the snow covered Mount Ruapehu.

Then out of the brilliant blue sky arose Mount Ngauruhoe.

We arrived at the Treetop lodge and on our walk to the lodge we encountered for the first time the famous silver fern the national symbol of New Zealand.

The underside of the fern is silver and the Maori used them to mark their path as they shimmer in the moonlight. We were greeted with a picnic lunch and given instructions to bridal veil falls.

It really does look like a brides veil.

I continue to be amazed by the natural beauty of New Zealand! On a way back we did not get lost because we had marked our trail with the silver fern.

Along the trail near the entrance to the lodge we were greeted by a Maori God.

The next mourning Bonny went for a horseback ride and had a Facial, while I tried my hand at Pheasant hunting.

It was a very successful hunt thanks to David and his pointers Radar (above) and Rufus.

After hanging my birds in the walk in fridge

It was off for a drink in the hot tub with Bonny

We had a romantic dinner of Pheasant that night in front of the fireplace in the lodge library.

After a bubble bath the next mourning in was back to Palmy and a week of work.

Bonny with her Maori guide Diddy

Kia Ora from New Zealand!