IIIINNNNJJJJJUUUURRRRYYYY AAAAHHHH!!!!

On my last day in NZ I was having an awesome time shredding with other lifties and friends who were up on a bluebird sunny day what more could you ask for. Warm up runs down Captains, fun fun fun until dun dun duuuuunnnnnn I span off something as I most always do buuuut a damn rock get's in the way of my board and busts out a lil bit of the metal edge, arrrrgggg. Although to be honest my board had done well to survive to the end of the season with countless cracks in the metal edges. Having to much fun to stop though I figure I can still ride on this even though there's this bit of metal edge sticking out I'll just punch it back in every so often, haha.... Yeah right.... we then head to the park, yuss, hmm on the boxes/ rails it seems ok, I straight air a jump with it and think hmm I shouldn't really hit jumps with it like this but fuck it that felt fine and it's my last day of shred, I was just flying around stoked in the zone where I'll go for anything so spinning should be all good too huh, nuh uh that would be a baaaad idea Natalie yes indeedy. So I guess you know where this is going.... I go for a back three off the jump the snow is super soft and slushy I go for the rotation I feel the edge of my board catch on the lip of the jump it sends me backwards, kinda upside down in the air with a fair bit to fall but can't do anything whoa shiiiiiiiiet so I tuck my head in to protect that and brace for impact :(


What happened next.... well I landed fully on my right shoulder it taking all the impact, I sit there for a second to do the body check and think I'm fine, get up ride a lil bit then think hmm maybe I should sit/ lie down. I'm not hurting anywhere but just have that feeling like somethings wrong, starting to feel a bit light headed probably in a bit of shock I guess. The others I was riding with come down to check on me, the park crew is heading up on the chair above us asking if we need ski patrol so they radio it in. Ski patrol thinks we're playing a prank on them cause he recognized we all work there and when he's proding at my shoulder I feel no pain weird, he moves my arm around and I can feel the clicking of my bones together fuuuuck I've broken my collar bone. I lie on a sled while the ski patroller ski's me down to the skidoe but rather than take me up the quickest route to base they fricken take me on a tour of the mountain going past all the bottom and tops of the lift stations, seriously don't know if they were taking the piss or what but wasn't the most enjoyable ride!!

Collar bone still not feeling sore but me feeling gutted as due to fly home the next day feeling sad already at leaving then this happening, everyone was gutted for me too and were sending their well wishes. I'd got a ride up with a fellow lifty Erin but wanted her to stay up and enjoy her last shred day so she took my board and helmet, etc and I managed to get a ride down to the medical centre in one of the work vans although we had to wait for it to fill up first. So I was dropped off and got seen to straight away and taken through for an x-ray where it was confirmed it was broken. I'd sent a text to my parents and to Ben thinking it ironic how his mate broke his collar bone on ben's last day riding and I broke mine on my last day!! I had to then wait a while for the doc to see me. It's a clean break, the bones are pretty far apart but he says they will heal together, I get a special sling for it and then walk home.


My house mates couldn't believe I'd done that on my last day, they were awesome about it though with James offering to help me pack if I needed but luckily I'd done it all already just had my board to pack away and riding gear. Although I was not looking forward to the 3 days traveling that awaited me, luckily it did not hurt was just pretty uncomfortable and no one was sitting next to me on most of the flights so all good.

We had a bbq that night and most of the lifties and some other people turned up so it was a packed house, I couldn't believe how many of them turned up but Anita had sent out a text as she arranged it. This really made my day and was stoked to see them all before I left. Although I did have to get my food cut up for me, haha!! It just made me realize how many friends I made this summer while in Wanaka and how I will miss them all very much it may have been a short season but an epic one it was, good good times :)


So the next day Dylan drove me to Queenstown airport and I left from there. What made the trip easier and put a smile on my face were the texts I got from people, it really is the best medicine having people around making you smile :) I'm a great believer in things happening for a reason and think it was just something that had to happen as a way of telling me to slow down and chill out for a bit, take a break from snowboarding and just rest after having ridden almost everyday for the last 5 months but really it's been the whole year!! We live and learn.