I remember one in particular, an American named Miles – a mad-keen fly fisherman and a staunch advocate of the programmes we ran. Over the years, we worked with a number of the same schools and got to know the teachers who travelled with these kids. And during our final debriefs, many of them shared (often with tears in their eyes) that it had been the best experience of their lives. To say they were out of their comfort zones would be an understatement, but they loved it. We lit fires, slept in bivvies, cooked wild venison, and hiked … everywhere! They took risks, and went home with a bunch of new skills and a new appreciation of what they’re capable of. We fly-fished in central Otago, kayaked in Golden Bay, mountain biked in Queenstown, hunted and camped in the Central Plateau, surfed in Whangamatā. They had come to New Zealand for an adventure as part of their curriculum, and for the 10 or so days they were with us, it was our job to make sure they had an unforgettable experience! They were the sons and daughters of diplomats, heads of state, leaders of industry … and were, for the most part, lovely kids. Our clients were international high school students from ex-pat schools, mostly based in Asia. IN AN EARLIER LIFE, I WAS A guide for an adventure education company. The person who risks nothing, does nothing … has nothing … is nothing. To love is to risk not being loved in return.īut risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

Risk it for the biscuit