kaltezar

How do I even start.  It's been... almost 5 years since I've even attempted to write anything online for anyone other then chatting between myself and another.

I suppose the main driving force behind my wanting to start over, is to tell you all about one amazing person.  Her name is Irina (pronounced 'Eer-Ah') as she was a russian national.  She moved to New zealand about 5 years ago, with her husband and settled in Auckland.  They had a daughter, named Lianne, who is 3 years old now.  Unfortunately the marrige broke up but they were still on good terms.  I met Irina through a mutual friend and we hung out now and again, late nights sitting next to a fire eating cheese and crackers, while talking about all mannors of subjects.  She was the type of person who you just enjoyed being around as they were never intrested in being entertained, instead they always made their own entertainment.  'Alive' and all that. 

Irina was also an amazing artist and photographer.  She had a good eye for what makes a excellent photo, and what she did with felt was quite intersting.  All in all an spectacular friend to have and a good person overall.

On New years eve, Janurary 1st, 2009, she attempted to cross the Dart river, in the Cascade saddle close to Queenstown New Zealand.  What happened next is not known, because her body has never been recovered, but it's assumed that she was caught by the waters and drown.  About 6 days later her pack was found further down river, damaged and obviously torn from her body. 

She was a consumate oudoors tramper, very experianced in Kazakhstan.  And while she had crossed the Dart River once before, in much better conditions, this time conditions were much worse, rains, cold, flooding.  The river in question usually flowed around 80 cumecs (cubic meters per second) and when she tried to cross it was flowing at around 700 cumecs. 

The sad fact is I knew her well enough to know... she would have taken one look at that river and with out a second thought tried to cross it, knowing her strength of will would be enough, and truely if that's all it did take, I'de be talking to her again now instead of writing this entry. 

It's been 20 days now and the chances of her survival, despite being one incredibly tough and resolute woman, are astronomical.  In the end, I'm not sorry that she's gone.  She lived a very full life and inspired those she was with.  What I am sorry for is that she won't be around to inspire others, to enrich everyone she was close to.  That the world is denied what she might have accomplished and that her daugher will be raised with only a memory of what she was like, and not continually benifit from her strength. 

I suppose that's all I really have to say on the matter, a tribute to an amazing woman, and a good friend.

Here's to you Irina, you were awesome. 
http://palma.livejournal.com/
http://www.irinayun.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/palma/