Zorbing

Guest blogger Mark

One of my most vivid memories of our last trip to New Zealand was of zorbing—rolling down a hill in a human-sized hamster ball. Two kiwis invented this, um, “activity” in the late 1990’s and it was just gaining popularity in 2002 when I stumbled on it. Since then they have added an alternative zig-zag course down the hillside, and opened several other franchises around the world (the only one in the U.S is in Tennessee). For several months I had been looking forward to returning to Rotorua to try zorbing again, and Ben was eager to join me.

If “hamster ball” isn’t very helpful to you, imagine standing inside a clear beach ball about 7 feet in diameter. Now suspend that ball inside a larger clear plastic beach ball, about 10 feet in diameter, with the two balls connected by a few hundred elastic cords.

Start at the top of a good-sized hill, and lean forward to start the ball rolling downhill. With a lot of luck you can remain standing—for about 5 seconds. For the remaining 35 seconds of the trip, the analogy to the hamster ball falls apart, because unlike the hamster who has some control over his speed and direction, you’re more like a cat inside a clothes dryer—absolutely helpless and just trying to survive until it comes to a stop.
In fact, the analogy to a laundry appliance is appropriate for another reason, since you have the option of “dry zorbing” or “wet zorbing”. The wet zorb is akin to a clothes washing machine; they put a few gallons of warm water into the zorb before you enter it, and you then find yourself getting tossed about the inside, slipping and sloshing and splashing wildly as you careen down the hill. I was one of the few zorbists who managed to (unintentionally) “jump the track” and finish my run on the alternate track; I’m not sure, but I think it had something to do with my attempt to keep my body rigid so I could see when the water was coming for my eyes and close them before losing my contacts. Regardless, it was an absolute blast and I hope to do it again in another 7 years, if not sooner.