Last year at this time I was not even a member of the 99s yet, but Christine Sleeper invited me to a 99s dinner at the Army Navy Club in Washington DC. At this dinner Christine turned to me and said our annual meeting is in NZ next year, are you going? Well twist my arm! I joined in January and shortly after that starting making plans to attend the meeting with everyone.

We spent 5 days in Christchurch for the main conference and the rest of the trip was on either the South Island tour or the North Island tour (you had a choice). There were so many things to do, you couldn't possibly do them all. It was wonderful to meet so many of the 99s, too. I made many nice new friends on this tour and am looking forward to seeing them again at the next 99s function.

We had fabulous weather every day but one, which was in Wellington (which has a weird micro-climate like San Francisco cold and foggy but leave the city and it's sunny and warm). For the most part it was mid-high 60s and when we got to Auckland, which was the farthest north on this trip, it was definitely well into the 70s . It was spring weather, all the flowers were out. In fact Spring for them starts on September 1, which is similar to our using March 1. (I think that is a great idea).

We went to Thrillseekers Canyon near Hanmer Springs the first full day of the conference. They have bungy jumping and all sortsa ways to kill yourself there. Right near the center was a local cemetery, I joked that it was where they buried their mistakes. We all went for a jet boat ride there. It skims the water surface and the drivers are crazy! They head straight for the rocks/trees/banks and at the last minute whip it around! The driver told us when he holds his hand up and makes a circle with it to hold on tight because he is going to do a 360! Our driver was hilarious - when we all sat down he said "so is it the first time for everyone?" and we all shouted YES! he said "me too! but I've seen it done!" hahahahaha Off we went! When we got back I said to him "so, did you enjoy your first time as much as we did?" and he said "yeah, it was great, wonder if they'll give me a job!" hahahaha

That night we went to the International Antarctic Centre. NZ is the closest point to the main bits of Antarctica (Argentina is technically closer but only to the one peninsula - Ross Peninsula I think?) There is a US Antarctic exploration center right there and many flights leave from Christchurch/Queenstown. They had a lot of info on Antarctica in general and a winter storm simulator. Everyone goes into this room that is full of snow, an igloo, and whatever those big snowmobiles are called and then they turn on the "winter storm" and it gets down to sub zero cold. (it's below freezing when you walk in, before they turn on the "storm". Winds howling, etc. I stayed in for a few minutes and said "I get it, it's cold" and walked out again).

We went to Akaroa and went on a dolphin cruise but didn't see any dolphins. We did however see a bunch of seals and cormorants and a tiny blue penguin who was all by himself. Everyone was leaning over the side of the boat snapping pics like crazy. The poor thing was flapping around trying to escape the crazy tourists.

The scenery is simply stunning. I mean really amazing. Rugged mountains, beautiful clouds... and the viz is GREAT. As we drove to Akaroa the guide pointed out the southern Alps - he said "those are 130 KM away - and we could see them fine. 130 KM viz! That is about 80 miles.

Another highlight one day I was nearly the first person to see the sunrise, on the planet. We were in Napier, which is the second town in the world to get the sunrise as NZ is really close to the international dateline. I got up realllly early and given the fact that there were maybe 3 people on the beach with me I must have been in the top 40 of the planet seeing the first glimpse of the sun that day. What a neat thing to say.

Rotorua is like an adult fun park. We went luge riding the day we got there, on little carts that look like big wheels, kind of. The next morning we took a four wheel drive ride to the top of Mount Tarawera, then climbed up a volcano crater, peered over the edge, and walked/ran/slid all the way to the bottom on the scree (was that ever fun - like wearing moon boots.)

I also went zorbing and I will say that is THE most fun and unique thing I did on the trip and we did a lot! You get in a massive, 12 foot tall bubble, they throw in a few buckets of water with you, and then they push you down a long zig-zag hill. The experience defies description but I'll try. I decided just to lay flat and go with it - some folks try to stay on their feet and run down the hill with it but that doesn't seem like as much fun. You are sloshed all over like in a washing machine, GIGGLING madly the entire way. Sky, grass, sky, grass, sky, grass, water water everywhere, and it's so slippery you just let it throw you around. I think it is clear it should be New Xealand they put the X in X-treme. There are so many wacky things you can do in New Zealand.

The tour ended in Auckland. Some folks took off for home, some left for Australia, some stayed in NZ. I opted to stay two extra days in Auckland and my new 99s friend Marina stayed an extra 3 so we had a great time! We went to Waiheke Island one day, which is in Auckland's bay. Maybe a 30 minute boat ride at most. There are wineries there and a lot of vacation homes for Aucklanders. (As well as full time residents who like the slow pace of an island but work in Auckland). Her friend owned a bach there (vacation home) and gave us the keys to his car on the island and we scooted around before heading back in to have dinner with him and his mates. (Kiwi men are sooo adorable!!)

This was such a fun experience, I can't wait for our local 99s groups to put on the Washington DC one for next year. It is great to be with such an interesting and supportive group of women who are all united by a love of flying.