The Fashionable Frequent Flyers

Hi Everyone!! Welcome to a BRAND NEW PAGE on the Fashionable Frequent Flyers blog. Following the many many inquiries I receive about the various insane things I do while traveling, I decided to pioneer a page dedicated to fun, adventure, and high-adrenaline activities, giving y’all tips, reviews, and just my general thoughts on whether something is worth trying and advice on whether, depending on the kind of person you are, such an activity is for you! I’m thrilled to be starting this page, and just happy to be sharing more and more with all of you about my travels.

Where to start? Oh I know, let’s launch with probably THE COOLEST ACTIVITY I have ever done!! In November 2023, I had the pleasure of traveling to New Zealand (Check out blog posts from that trip here), which has to be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. It also happened to be (and this was unknown to me before my visit) an amazing outdoor adventure haven. As part of the trip, we made our way to this region called Lindis Pass — a beautiful mountainous area, which is also home to some pretty impressive glaciers. The activity list involving the glaciers was pretty substantial, but the one I ended up gravitating to was “Gliding”!

So what is gliding? Gliding is essentially flying in an engine-less plane, which elevates and stays afloat in the air through the reaction of the air and its lifting surfaces. So, like a bird, the plane finds pockets of warm air that elevate it higher and higher (in circles) until it obtains enough altitude to just “glide” through the air. WHAT AN EXHILARATING EXPERIENCE!!

The experience in New Zealand was done through the Omarama Gliding Club (but booked through our accommodation) and cost approximately $600 USD pp for a 2 hour experience. Honestly, it’s probably my favorite $600 activity to date — for that price, I have a lifetime of memories!! So I know you’re reading through this and something is bothering you in the back of your mind — you’re thinking, wait a second, Justin, “If the plane has no engine, how does it get up into the air?” So, this was the unexpected part. Basically a smaller engined aircraft TOWs the glider up into the air to a certain altitude, and then, the glider starts doing its engineless thing. It really was remarkable — check out my Instagram reel for more, which also showcases the towing of the glider.

All in all, I would absolutely recommend this (even if you’re afraid of heights) — especially in New Zealand. But if you’re not planning on going to NZ in the new year, try the activity somewhere else in the world. It’s well worth it. (Also, if you’re brave enough, they’ll let you fly the plane for a short while — that was SUPER COOL)!!