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Adventurers return from trip of a lifetime

 

12 MF-Outwardbound2-869Modern life with all its ease and quick gratification became a distant world recently for two teenagers, as they immersed themselves in a life of early wakeups, physical exhaustion and paper-thin loo paper!

Recipients of the Mangawhai Club and Mangawhai Focus 2016 Outward Bound scholarships, Alice Malyon and Morgan Gubb, have returned from their mind, body and soul adventure in the challenging environment of the Marlborough Sounds.

From the plane flight to Blenheim – Morgan’s first – to the reluctant departure, the Rodney College students say they have been forever affected by the experience.

“Outward Bound is really life changing… it will push you and make you want to go home, but when you turn around and see what you've accomplished, it feels better than a warm dry bed and McDonalds,” Morgan says.

“Phones and Facebook don't exist in that world and you forget they exist at all… apples and oranges become more important than Snapchat and Instagram and accidental swearing becomes a quick exercise!”

On their arrival at the Anakiwa campsite, Alice, Morgan and the other 100 students from around the country were greeted by Outward Bound staff members with a powhiri, haka and the traditional camp song, before being split into different ‘Watches’, groups of participants and instructors.

12 MF-Outwardbound1-223“Everyone was friendly and easy to get along with,” Alice says. “Our watch house was very cosy… it had seven bunks, so we got very comfortable with each other very fast. I learnt to appreciate some stuff that wasn’t there that I would have at home, like a washing machine and 3-ply toilet paper! The paper was so thin you could see your hand through the other side!”

Although Morgan admits to conflicting emotions at first about the basic facilities he soon learned to appreciate the accommodation.

“After a few nights in the bush and sleeping on tree roots, it seemed like a five-star hotel!”

Every day the 16-18-year-olds were pressed to their limits, challenged both physically and emotionally throughout the course which included tramping, sailing, white-water kayaking and pre-sunrise wake-up calls.

Morgan says that Outward Bound could be considered quite harsh in terms of how they push the participants.

“In the moment, it makes you question why you signed up for it,” he says. “But then you're at the top of a 1300m mountain where everything is frozen and you’re able to see Wellington from such a height… I've never experienced a feeling quite like it.”

Alice admits that she thought the 6am starts would be a struggle but discovered her eagerness to find out what was happening got her out of bed.

“Probably the biggest challenge for me was the high ropes as heights aren’t my forte,” she says. “But I got through by feeding the ‘good wolf’, a saying that was commonly used by our instructors from a proverb that they read us at the start of the course.”

Morgan, who admits to being a seeker of daunting challenges, says his hardest task was also his favourite, a 17-hour hike following an often absent trail, up and down mountains from sea-level to altitudes of 1200m, with many hours finding their way in the dark.

“We had meant to arrive at a destination at midday but due to an earlier delay we had a massive distance to cover in the one day,” he says. “We began walking at 8am and reached the destination at 1am. Sleep deprived and hungry, we put our tents up and crashed asleep at 1.30am.”

Alice says her favourite part was a sunset row with her Watch mates across one of the Sounds while on route to a five day camp.

“We were lucky enough to get some wind and sail to our destination whilst the sun was going down and the stars were coming out. Pretty amazing to watch!”

She also discovered hidden strength and talent while on the two day solo trek.

“I thought that I wouldn’t be able to cope with going solo and setting up my shelter but we got to learn all the skills beforehand and my shelter turned out pretty awesome!”

Both students say they found it hard to leave after the 21 day experience, Alice admitting to more than just a few tears when it came to saying goodbye to her new friends. However they both agree that the memories, valuable lessons, different perceptions and new friendships will last them a lifetime.

“Respecting the environment and taking a better perspective on situations were two things that really stuck, to a point where I was subconsciously picking up rubbish the day after the course ended,” Morgan says. “Seeing the beauty that the natural world contains makes me really respect what we have been given and I feel slightly disappointed with how society treats it.”

Morgan says Anakiwa and the Outward Bound lifestyle became a new home and a new life, admitting he ‘fell in love’ with the people, the place and the adventure’.

“To anyone who ever gets the chance to go, my advice is to never squander a moment, because three weeks flew past faster than the plane flight that had me so intrigued on the first day. How perspectives change!”

Alice also discovered something she was hoping to find – a possible career direction – and has already applied to the NZ Army and is considering working for Camp America.

“My journey at Outward Bound is indescribable and I wish to go back some time. I have definitely made lifelong friends and we plan to catch up after exams,” she says. “I will forever remember this experience and the people I shared it with. I cannot thank the Mangawhai Club enough for this life changing experience and I hope others in our community get the chance to partake in Outward Bound.”


KUPE: Morgan (back left) with his group ‘Kupe Watch.’

COOK: Alice (second from left) with new-found friends from ‘Cook Watch’ on the last day.



“Seeing the beauty that the natural world contains makes me really respect what we have been given and I feel slightly disappointed with how society treats it.”

- Morgan Gubb

 
Tale of two wolves

A Cherokee elder sitting with his grandchildren told them “In every life there is a terrible fight, a fight between two wolves. One is evil: he is fear, anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment and deceit. The other is good: joy, serenity, humility, confidence, generosity, truth, gentleness and compassion.”

A child asked, “Grandfather, which one will win?”

The elder looked at him in the eye and said, “The one you feed.”

- Author unknown


 
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