HIT
Our road trip filming Misadventures took us from Nelson right down the wild West Coast to the very bottom of the South Island. As we approached the end of our journey, we started to wonder how we could send it out with a bang. We wanted to do something crazy — really push ourselves outside of our comfort zones. It wasn't until a chance encounter with a retired Bluff fisherman with some crazy ocean tales that we decided what to do: a cage dive with Great White sharks. Before we knew it we were chucking on our wetsuits and getting ready to hop into a cage and drop into the sea. Underwater, it was eerily quiet.
At first, there was nothing to be seen, however not for long. Slowly, a black, shadowy creature appeared in the distance. My heart was beating rapidly and I can honestly say there has never been a time I have been more frightened than when it turned and began making its way directly toward us, its teeth glistening in the water. The fact that it turned out it was just a playful seal pup didn't change a thing. It was good, because I was able to get rid of my initial nerves, so when the actual sharks arrived I could sit back and appreciate how truly amazing they are. It's an experience I will never forget.
MISS
For us, one of the low points was our van. Don't get me wrong, we loved her dearly — she was our home away from home for the entire journey — but she was also a big hunk of junk. We bought her for $1800 in Nelson a few days before the trip. She was a sexy, black 1981 Toyota Hi-Ace, and the three of us fell in love almost immediately. After chucking a couple of new tyres on, a fresh battery and updating the stereo system, we hit the road in search of adventure.
