Paradigm Shift

Paradigm shifts are rare. I think. I’m a very stupid person, you know, I’m not qualified to appreciate art and don’t have a degree in postmodernism either. What a fucking loser! I mean, no tattoos, no muscles, no art degree. Fuck me. Well, back to paradigm shifts … I mean you can read Mr Kuhn’s book of course … or you can believe me when I tell you that I experienced it for real on Feb 3rd.

On our way to Staveley we did a little detour through Christchurch to check out Aarn packs. I’d been eyeing them for years, but I was loathe to mailorder such an expensive pack just based on videos – and I could not find any retailer that stocked them anywhere. So when the weather spirits forced us to reroute, I grabbed the opportunity to visit FurtherFaster, the source of the Aarn packs. Definitely one of the best outdoor stores I’ve ever been to … and they had a wide range of packs plus knowledgeable folks to help you find the right one. Done deal! I couldn’t believe it, it is really „as advertised“, a completely different feeling, weight distribution, and mobility. Amazing! I’m a believer now. I bought the Featherlite Freedom right away, along with some balance pockets and tried it out a few days later. What a feeling. Not like dancing on the ceiling, because I’ve never done that (I’m not just a loser without art degree or tattoos, I’m also can’t dance and my French is not perfect). But probably pretty close. A-Ma-Zing! Believe me, this is revolutionary and if it had been invented by an American company, it would be all over the world. But it’s just a Kiwi guy, which is probably for the better, because the innovation is really focussed on the product, less on marketing. 🙂 Love it! I’ll never be able to go back to a „normal“ pack now, that’s for sure.

Well, anyway. After completing my little shopping spree, we took off for Staveley, close to Methven. I’m pretty sure the good folks of Methven have heard plenty of these jokes over the years, but it’s soooo funny. I was a bit disappointed, I didn’t meet Crystal from Methven. Harharhar. Anyway, it’s in the middle of nowhere, at least in summer – looks like it’s probably a lot busier in winter time. I had booked us the „Red Cottage (Somers) Staveley“ and have to say it’s one of the nicest places we’ve ever stayed at. Top notch, with beautiful outdoor tubs with views of Te Kiekie / Mt Somers. And that was of course one of the main reasons for coming here – more in my next post.