Kevin Scott Banks

It’s been one of the most intense weeks of my life here at Easterfest. First it was wall-building and floor-installing. Now I’ve traded in my hard hat for a press pass and joined the media team with my good mate Aussie Joy. We’re having an absolute blast preparing for 10,000 plus festival goers this weekend! Amidst the chaos this week, I managed to squeeze in a small adventure to a magical place called Table Top Mountain.

Here are 5 reasons things that made it a memorable experience:

1. It’s a table. It’s a mountain. It’s a Table Top Mountain.

It’s a big hill that’s completely flat on top. I’ve never seen anything like it before.

2. The thrill of the climb.

None of these pictures quite do it justice, but it was a steep climb to the top. There was even one section of rock that was nearly vertical. I was only too happy to put my rock-climbing skills to the test!

3. A change of scenery.

Let me start by reiterating how much I miss New Zealand already. I could have spent a lifetime photographing the wonder of that country. However, I’ve already noticed a change in the scenery between New Zealand and Australia. How pretty are the reds in this photo?

4. Golden Light.

You’ve probably heard me rave about this before. As a photographer, I’m always chasing down the perfect light. I’ve waited hours before to get just the right lighting for a shot. On this evening, the lighting was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

5. Enjoying the sunset with a new friend.

I was surprised to meet a young American couple from Alabama here at the festival. Jonathan manages a Chick Fil-A back in Tuscaloosa, and he and his wife Melissa took a leap of faith to spend 3 months helping with Easterfest in Australia. It was Jonathan’s fantastic idea to steal me away from the madness to climb Table Top Mountain.

Curious Question: How has your view of my blog changed since I left New Zealand?

The sun was setting on my great New Zealand adventure. I’d checked off nearly all my bucket list items. I was worn out from 4 straight days of tramping and kayaking in Abel Tasman. But there was still one more adventure to be had. One Last Ride…

Can you believe that was my last adventure in New Zealand?!

My South Island adventure of a lifetime was nearing it’s end. Fortunately I’d saved the best for last. My buddy Ben and I planned the mother of all week-long New Zealand adventures for my last week down South. The plan was to tramp the Abel Tasman Coast track, enjoy a day of sea kayaking, then mountain bike the Queen Charlotte Track. Believe me when I say this was a very ambitious plan! Ben had been itching to get out of the office, and I was ready for the exclamation point to my New Zealand adventure. This was sure to be an unforgettable week.

The Abel Tasman is considered one of the “Great Walks” of New Zealand, and for good reason. For three days, we had the pleasure of walking along one of the most spectacular coasts anywhere in the world. If in any way I had been growing “accustomed” to the beauty of this land, all bets were thrown off on this tramp. Even Ben, who’s lived his whole life in New Zealand, couldn’t help himself as he beheld golden beach after golden beach.

The ocean water was clearer and blue-er than I’ve ever seen before, including Hawaii. During the course of the track, there were several lookout points that allowed us to stop and survey the scenery. On a few occasions, it took all my might not to drop my backpack and jump off the cliff into the crystal clear water!

This tramping trip was also my first real camping experience. I’ve done a ton of day hikes and I’ve been to campgrounds before. But after hauling a bunch of extra gear around for three days, I’m not sure I was missing out on much. Those of you who’ve done this know that you have to carry way more than you normally would for a day hike. In addition to a tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad, we also had to carry enough food for three days, plus a few extras like flashlights and cooking utensils. “Ouch,” say my shoulders. Ben was gracious enough to haul the tent on his pack. But after 3 days both of us were quite “stuffed,” as the Kiwi’s say.

Speaking of tent, we were able to camp within walking distance of the ocean each night. We jumped in the freezing cold ocean for a refreshing swim each day. A chance to watch the sun rise over the horizon had us up early in the mornings. It’s not often you have the opportunity to sit on the beach and say “Good morning” to the sun as it appears over the sea.

Much of the Abel Tasman coastline has been set aside as a Marine Preserve. That means the waters are protected by the government from human intervention. Ben and I continually marveled at the absence of people on some of the most stunning beaches we’d ever seen. “Where is everyone?” At least there were a few living creatures along the way…

We were blessed with three of the finest days of weather for the Coast track walk. However, things took a slight turn on the fourth day. We thought we’d enjoy a nice, calm day soaking up the sun in our sea kayak. All the pictures show people kayaking in clear water with big smiles on their faces. Well, that’s not exactly what we got. Instead, as soon as we’d left the shore, we were getting drenched by rain! We tried to make the most of it, but as we paddled up the coast, the waves kept getting bigger.

Our kayak started to sway, up and down, up and down. Before long, Ben informed me that he wasn’t feeling too hot. Motion sickness. The worst. Let me tell you. I’ve had my struggles with motion sickness over the years, whether it was long car rides or big swells out on the sailboats. Ben said he’s never struggled with it before. But for some reason, I felt fine and Ben was ready to feed the fishes. We managed to paddle over to a nearby island, where Ben took a nap while I ate lunch.

Now we were facing a real dilemma. How would we get Ben back to land as soon as possible, and get the kayak back to the kayak company? We devised a plan: we’d drop Ben off at the closest beach so he could walk back, then I would paddle the kayak back by myself. It seemed like the best idea to both of us. Little did I know what I was putting myself into.

As I paddled back, the waves rolled ominously against the side of my kayak. I had to respect their size and power, paddling at an angle away from them instead of directly sideways. I pumped my arms over and over for what seemed like ages. The beach ahead slowly grew larger and larger. But as I drew near, I noticed a drastic difference. There were big sets of waves crashing onto the once-calm beach. Not knowing any better, I set out to surf the waves back onto the beach in my kayak. Apparently, that’s not the smartest thing to do by yourself in a two-person kayak. Not having Ben’s weight and extra paddle actually made this a very dangerous maneuver.

The first set of waves pushed me closer to the beach. OK, that was good. The second set thrust it’s force against me, turning my kayak almost completely sideways. Uh oh. Now I was perpendicular to the beach, completely helpless as the next set of waves came crashing in. I still can’t believe what happened next. Instead of capsizing my kayak and sending me to my doom, the third set of waves somehow turned my kayak completely straight and sent me all the way onto the beach, completely unharmed! That was a miracle. I’m telling you, it was like the hand of God came in and pushed the front end of my kayak around.

I found out later from the kayaking company that 2 people have died in the past trying to do exactly what I did. If I had known it was that big of a risk, I never would have tried it. In the end, Ben and I had a good laugh, and we were thankful we’d both made it out alive and well.

Once again, I got way more adventure than I’d bargained for!

Question: how do you react when you suddenly find yourself in a pressure situation?

On Friday, March 25th, a routine day of travel turned into one of the most miraculous days of my entire life. I had booked a bus ride from Christchurch to Blenheim, a beautiful drive along the west coast of the South Island. It’s a 195 mile trip that normally takes 4 and half hours. That meant I would have 6 and half hours to wander around Blenheim until I had to catch another bus for Nelson.

Following along so far? Worn out from 3 weeks of intense travel and adventures, I was looking forward to catching up on some much needed rest. But apparently, the Lord had other plans…

7:15 a.m. – My friend Mike drops me off at the bus stop in Christchurch. Because of the earthquake a month earlier, the bus stop had been moved to a different location. I locate my bus and give the driver my confirmation number. He searches through his list long enough to make me uncomfortable. “This is the bus to Blenheim, isn’t it?” I ask. “No, no, no. That bus departs from the mall across town.” Are you kidding me? There’s no way I’m going to make it there before the bus leaves.

7:27 a.m. – Frantically, I call Mike and explain the situation. He graciously turns around and rushes me to the mall, but by the time we arrive, it’s too late and the bus is long gone.

7:45 a.m. – After assessing the situation, we decide that my best option is to try to hitchhike all the way to Blenheim from Christchurch!(Hitchhiking is still considered to be safe in New Zealand.) Mike takes me to the edge of town near the highway and drops me off. He offers his encouragement before heading off. The adventure I never wanted has officially begun.

8:00 a.m. – I have 10 hours to make a 4.5 trip. At this point, my tank of optimism is pretty full. I’m fairly confident that someone going to Blenheim will stop and offer me a ride. Half an hour later, I’m still standing there, thumb out, heavy backpack on. Finally, a man pulls over in a minivan with his daughter in the backseat. He offers to take me to Kaipoi. That’s only 10 minutes up the road, but it’s in the right direction, so I oblige.

9:30 a.m. – I’ve walked all the way to the edge of Kaipoi to set up shop again. In the rising sun, I wait another 30 minutes and watch dozens of cars pass by. I make eye contact with a woman in a sedan as she drives by. A few minutes later, she shows up and offers me a ride. She says she’s just going to the next suburb a few minutes away. We end up driving for an hour! She starts telling me about her son and apparently loses track of time. I’m not going to complain, and she gets me all the way to Cheviot. The optimism tank is full again!

10:30 a.m. – Time is slipping by, but I’m hopeful I can make it the rest of the way. I wait for almost an hour in Cheviot. Some people wave, some give me a thumbs up, but no one pulls over. My arm is getting tired from being held out and ignored. Just when I’m ready to give up, a delivery man pulls over and opens his door. At this stage, I realize I’m going to have to make this journey in increments. When I ask if he can take me to Kaikoura, he says he can get me almost all the way. He turns out to be a nice man with a crazy theory on how the trees will take over the world some day. On the way, we drive past a huge hillside which he happens to own. “See that hill, that’s my hill.”

11:30 a.m. – Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, he pulls over and informs me that this is the end of the line for him. “I bet you’ll have a ride in 10 minutes,” he assures me, and then he’s gone. Looking around, I laugh to myself at where I’ve just been abandoned. I’m standing on the side of the road 15 miles from the nearest town!  Surveying the scene, I realize that there are much worse places to be stuck. It’s a gorgeous day, and across the street is a fabulous beach with huge waves crashing ashore. Tired and hungry, I ignore the passing cars and enjoy a picnic lunch by myself on the beach.

12:30 a.m. - I’m back on the road, thumb out and practically begging for a ride at this point. Who could possibly drive by me out in the middle of nowhere and not offer me a ride?!

1:00 p.m. – Finally I’m in luck as an old SUV pulls over. It’s 3 young Europeans who have been staying at a farm down the road. They’re heading into Kaikoura for the day. I’ve been picked up by 4 different people already! Kaikoura is the last major town before Blenheim. At the information center, I learn that a bus is leaving Kaikoura for Blenheim later that afternoon. A huge wave of relief sweeps over me. I excitedly phone the bus company to book a ride, only to learn that the whole bus has been chartered and there aren’t any seats available! What do I have to do to catch a break today?!

2:00 p.m. – For the 5th time, I trudge back to the road and throw my thumb out. In one day, I’ve become a hitchhiking expert. The afternoon sun is waning as I formulate my plan B. If I can’t get to Blenheim tonight, I’ll stay in a hostel in Kaikoura and try to catch a bus the next day. It’s more like plan Z, because I really need to get to Blenheim and stay on my tight travel schedule. Another 30 minutes slip away as car after car fly by. It’s been a wild ride so far, but it appears to be falling just short.

2:30 p.m. – As the last few drops in my optimism tank burn up, a man in a sports car swerves over and nearly runs me over. He stops a few inches before me and asks where I’m headed. “I’m trying to get to Blenheim.” He fires back the most delightful words I’ve heard in a long time: “Hop in.”

YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!

As long as this guy isn’t some psycho killer, I’m going to make it to Blenheim on time…or am I? When he starts talking about spending 10 years in jail, I start to get a little nervous. His next story is about the time he tried to smuggle steroids back from Tijuana. Now I’m very nervous. What have I gotten myself into?  I’ve been praying all day, but now I’m begging God to keep me safe. Finally, this man tells me that he’s driving to go visit his 8-year-old daughter. My relief returns as he explains his plans to buy her a bike and spend the weekend teaching her how to ride it.

4:00 p.m. - We roll in to Blenheim and I have to jump out in a hurry. My ride is already late to meet his daughter and can’t wait around. I toss my bags onto the curb and take a deep breath…..I made it.

I kid you not, each step of the way I prayed, out loud, asking God to provide just one person to pick me up. It was a stressful and challenging but rewarding day. It was a huge test of my faith as well. Looking back, I’m still in awe of how I believe God provided:

195 miles

8 hours

5 different rides and awesome stories

1 incredible hitchhiking adventure

Question: Has this story inspired you to try hitchhiking, or do you think I’m crazy for doing it?

Dart River Jet Safari. Doesn’t that just sound exciting?! I had planned all along to go hang gliding in Queenstown. But after climbing the Remarkables mountain range, I decided that I’d beheld an adequate view of the city from above. So instead of soaring over the city, I decided to put my money to a different kind of conquest. I fell hook, line and sinker for the marketing of the Dart River Jet Safari company. I must say, the trip was everything they promised and then some.

This trip required my arrival at the check in office at a ridiculously early hour. Luckily the hostel was quiet the night before, so I’d actually gotten some decent sleep. Plus, there was a gorgeous display of color in the morning sunset, and that always makes me happy.

The first leg of the trip was a bus ride from Queenstown to Glenorchy. A little more research on this part of my trip would have proved useful. Apparently, Glenorchy is a beautiful and slightly remote town outside of Queenstown that would have been well worth a few days exploration. I had to settle for a bus ride into town on the way to the Jet Safari. Along the way, the scenery was quite dramatic and our tour guide was very informative.

Lord of the Rings fans(like me) will appreciate that Glenorchy is where a great deal of the movies’ filming took place. There were movie crews on sight for 18 months during filming.

The forest to the right is where the army of trees came marching out towards Isengard in LOTR

Once we arrived in Glenorchy, they transferred our group to a huge 4 wheel drive off-road vehicle. The next leg of the tour was a back country drive through a world heritage area. That means that acres and acres of land are completely protected from being developed by humans. There was a sign to mark the beginning of the area, but it wasn’t necessary. There was an obvious difference. Known as The Mount Aspiring National Park, this world heritage area is one of the most pristine and untouched plots of land on the planet. The range of colors was magnificent. The trees grew strong and thick without the fear of being felled. In the distance, the mountains stood tall and proud as if to say, “This is our land.”

We splashed our way across a few streams and stopped near the entrance to the Dart River. Our next leg was a wilderness walk through the undisturbed forest of the national park. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. The weather wasn’t particularly great and it did rain a little. But I can’t describe how amazing it was to walk amongst this special place. It’s incredible to see what land looks like when people are kept from tempering with it. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

When we emerged from the forest at the river’s entrance, I knew it was party time! The jet boat ride was what I’d really come for. I hadn’t ever ridden in a jet boat before, so I was very eager for this experience. Of course, it didn’t hurt that our trip was taking us through one of the most beautiful places in the world. They loaded us into the sweet jet boat and gave us the safety briefing. We even had hand warming handlebars to grab onto for dear life! Of all the jobs in the world, driving a jet boat has to be one of the coolest. Our driver held nothing back as we raced up the river and drifted around the corners. A glance off to the side revealed how fast we were traveling…we were hauling! Every time we’d approach a corner, it seemed like we’d go flying right into the river bank. Then at the last second, he’d swerve into the corner and we would swing right through. It was so much fun!

Our guide took us as far up the river as the boat could go. The light rain persisted and the clouds definitely put a damper on the scenery. They did contribute to a somewhat mysterious look, but I would have preferred sunlight and blue sky. Nevertheless, the further up river we traveled, the more dramatic the scenery became. Giant glaciers have carved out the valley as they’ve retreated, leaving huge mountains on either side of the river. It all adds up to a very impressive view(and not a bad view from Mr. Boat Driver’s office window!)

I’m stoked that I chose the Jet Safari over the hang gliding. Combining a huge adrenaline rush with dramatic scenery in unspoiled back country proved to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

There are endless options for having fun in Queenstown. I could have spent weeks and still never done them all! That’s why I had to choose wisely which activities I wanted to do. But every now and then, an opportunity pops up for an adventure I wouldn’t have otherwise had. That is precisely what happened in Queenstown. While I was eating ice cream with my friend Emma, I met an American guy named Brendan who told me about his plan for climbing to the top of the Remarkables the next day. The Remarkables are a range of mountains that loom large as the perfect backdrop for this spectacular city. It hadn’t even crossed my mind to attempt climbing them, but I knew right away that it was a worthwhile endeavor.

The view of the Remarkables from Lake Wakatipu

Brendan and I agreed to meet up at the ice cream shop the next afternoon. We were keeping our eye on the weather because we really needed clear skies to attempt our feat. Unfortunately, clouds had rolled in and things weren’t looking promising. In an attempt to stall for better weather, we strolled over to the Queenstown Gardens. A few photographs later, the skies started to clear and the top of the Remarkables came into view. Without hesitation, we jumped in Brendan’s station wagon and began our drive up the mountain.

Neither of us realized how far of a drive it would be. We were thinking we’d actually have to climb most of the way up. Instead, we found ourselves driving for over an hour, just to get to the start of the track. Another thing we didn’t realize was that Brendan’s car overheats when driving up large mountains! About half way up, we had to stop the car and let it cool down for several minutes. The thought crossed my mind that we could get stuck on the top of this mountain. Fortunately, his car held up and we made our way slowly to the parking lot at the top.

As it turns out, there’s not actually a hiking track to the top of the Remarkables. So we improvised. We parked in the parking lot that’s actually used for the ski field in wintertime. Brendan had heard from a local that we could follow one of the ski lifts to the top of a ridge line and find our way to the top from there. I must admit, this was a challenging climb. I’ve done tons of tramping, hiking and climbing since arriving in New Zealand. But most of it has been done on well formed tracks which are regularly used by other people. For this climb, we pretty much made up our own path. Brendan is a more avid climber than I am, so he went first and practically flew up the mountain side. I had to be more careful since I only had tennis shoes for climbing. I kept finding out which rocks weren’t actually lodged in place, even though they appeared to be!

After about an hour’s climb, we reached the aforementioned  ridge line and were greeted by cold gusts of wind. The clouds were still hanging around but appeared to be dissipating. So we pressed on, walking at an extreme angle along the ridge line. I felt like I had to lean in towards the mountain otherwise I’d fall right off the steep slope.  We were hoping that a magnificent panoramic view of Queenstown would unveil itself after we’d climbed the last ridge. The dangling carrot that kept us going, if you will. Along the way, the scenery was surprisingly unspectacular. But as we neared the top, I could see that we’d found our pot of gold.

“Bro, I think we got what we came for!” I yelled as my eyes strained to take in the sight. Without a doubt, it was the most awe-inspiring vista my eyes have ever beheld. It was absolutely stunning in every way. It was beyond what words can describe.

Do you see me standing there? What an incredible feeling. I felt like I was on top of the world!

I’m now convinced that no trip to Queenstown is complete without a climb to the top of the Remarkables. I can’t be sure, but I’ll bet that 99% of people who’ve been to Queenstown haven’t taken in the view that we did that day. Therefore, we felt pretty special as we sat there in awe of this Remarkable view.

I love it when crazy adventure like this just seem to find me on their own. I also loved Brendan’s advice to me after conquering the Remarkables climb:

“Hey man, next time you see a big mountain like that, just go climb to the top!”

It’s fair to say that New Zealand has a reputation for being a land of adventure. I’m often asked by the locals, “Why did you choose to come to New Zealand?” The answer is simple, I came for the adventure! This is the country that invented bungy jumping, need I say more? Of all the places in this country of adventure, one place is known as the adventure capital: Queenstown. It’s the place where locals go to vacation and visitors go to spend all their money having fun and pushing their limits. Quite frankly, it’s one of the most spectacularly scenic places in the world as well. I’d been hearing stories, seeing pictures and receiving recommendations on Queenstown for months. Finally, it was time for my shot at the adventure.

I made sure to give myself 5 full days in Queenstown, plenty of time to enjoy it. Thankfully, my friend Emma offered to let me stay at her place while I was there. We’d met 5 months earlier on a tandem bike ride with the NZ Foundation for the Blind. It was great to catch up with her again, and though she was busy working, we had some great times together. I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but we ended up eating ice cream all 5 nights while I was there! (If you tried the gelato at Patagonia, you wouldn’t be able to resist either).  Emma actually works for AJ Hackett, the original bungy company in Queenstown. But hard as she tried, she couldn’t convince me to go for a bungy jump; just not my thing.

I did take Emma’s advice on the first day and went for an early morning hike up the Ben Lomond hill. The air was cold and crisp but the sun was rising, and as I climbed I would get occasional peaks at the city below.

At the end of the track, without intending to, I happened upon the gondola base. The gondola is probably the most popular attraction in Queenstown. It lifts visitors to the top of a huge hill to take in the amazing view of the city. Then once they’re at the top, they can hop on a luge and race around the luge track. Since the weather was perfect, I decided rather spontaneously to indulge in the gondola’s offering. Soon I was lifting high above the city and flying around the luge track. Indeed, the view was absolutely incredible. The trees were starting to show off their beautiful autumn colors, and that only added to the beauty.

Paragliding is also run from the top of the gondola. They just walk right off the edge of the hill and float down!

After descending once again into the city, I wandered around the city for awhile. The city itself is beautiful as well, fully alive with tourism. In fact, without tourism, Queenstown would cease to exist!

I ended up at the little marina on the edge of Lake Wakatipu. The activity booking agent talked me into going on a 90 minute cruise around the lake. The price was right and so was the afternoon sunlight, so I jumped aboard the “Million Dollar Cruise.” As we were departing, the Shotover Jet raced by and splashed our boat with water! I thoroughly enjoyed this very laid back cruise. It rewarded me with more incredible views of Queenstown, this time from the lake below instead of the hill above.

“Captain Kevin.” Yeah, that has a nice ring to it

This was just the first day in Queenstown! I could tell that I was going to have an absolute blast in this city. The city just had an air of fun and excitement to it. That night, Emma and I enjoyed our first round of ice cream at Patagonia. While we polished off our dessert, we met the guy sitting next to us, who happened to be from California. He mentioned that he had big plans for the next day. When I asked if he wanted some company, he readily accepted. Needless to say, I went to sleep extremely excited for my next big adventure…