We sat packed in the brightly painted shuttle, the wheels of the vehicle giggling along the uneven, mountainous path. I sat between my mom and sister; my dad was in the row in front of us with one of the guides. The ride was a cacophony of stentorian Kiwi accents exchanging jokes and stories, rock music blaring from the radio, and the steady crackling of gravel and dirt underneath the shuttle.

We parked at an unmarked lookout point and filed out as the guides busied themselves with the equipment. I looked out over the cliff and was greeted by the most majestic, unspoiled view I’d ever seen. The richly green rolling hills gave way to towering rocky peaks haloed with wisps of misty clouds. Before me was an idyllic Eden, and I caught my breath as I surveyed its splendor.

Within minutes, the guides had us strapped into sturdy harnesses and helmets, and we waited patiently as they readied the neon kites that would hoist us into the sky. My mom was the first to go. She and her guide ran together towards the edge of the cliff, and a gust of wind lifted them off the ground. She let out a squeal of joy and sailed down into the valley. It was my turn. My guide strapped himself in behind me and told me to run until there was nothing left under my feet. I took a deep breath and headed towards the edge of the cliff. The surge of adrenaline hit me once I had nothing but air beneath me. Sooner than I expected, the kite caught up and we were soaring high above the others. I looked behind me and waved animatedly at my dad and sister. They cheered. My dad gave me a thumbs-up.

I turned forwards and my jaw dropped. The view was even more unbelievable from the air. There was no sign of civilization in the lush valley below me. I felt the wind fly through the kite and all around me until I felt as if it was actually dancing inside of me. My heart leapt and I began to laugh. I felt so light, so happy, so free. I let go of the ropes and spread my arms out, feeling the wind’s chill through my gloves. The cold unfurled its tendrils into my cheeks, but it stayed just bearable enough so that they felt simply rosy.

I breathed in the damp air. I could smell the grass, the trees, the sky. I soared high above the earth, thinking that if I were ever reincarnated, I’d want to be a bird. As if I had already been transformed, a red-tailed hawk glided out from a gathering of trees and began to trail my kite. Its beautiful auburn plumage stood out against the muted sky, and I felt like the Goddess of the Birds. It followed me for a while before veering off to the left in search of food.

We were nearing the landing site. I brought my knees up to my chest as my guide had instructed and slid lightly along the tall grass until I finally came to rest on the wet earth, among mortals once more.