There and back

Outward Bound alumni talk about their experiences on the course.

CARLY FLYNN

Journalist

Resilience. It’s what OB is designed to build, and it’s something that is lacking in today’s society. That is why I would encourage every Kiwi of every age and every stage, every teen, to just do it. It should be a rite of passage. It was hard at the time, brutal even, but I feel proud of what my body and my mind achieved. The experience gave me a new strength, new clarity and a new conviction to seek what I really want and to prioritise what’s really important.

MAGGIE BARRY

National MP and former Cabinet minister

OB is rightly famous for changing lives, and although it’s not renowned for romance, it was at Anakiwa that I met the man who is now my husband. The true character of people emerges when they are under pressure and well outside their comfort zone, and his resilience, tenacity and unfailing humour won my admiration – and heart.

SARAH WALKER

Olympic BMX silver medallist It gave me the confidence to take the leap into the unknown. To take everything into consideration and to look at the big picture. It gave me the tools to make big life decisions a little clearer.

PETER TAYLOR

Olympic rowing bronze medallist

I was a know-all back then, and this 10-day personal adventure definitely shook me up. Mountain climbing, traversing high ropes and sailing came easy – it was the mental stuff that was hard. I’ve used the experience from then on to challenge myself in all areas of my life, with great rewards.