“Zorbing” became the symbol for our entire trip when we saw it on “The Amazing Race.” Greg put a postcard in his office that served as inspiration on bad days. For the uninitiated, a zorb is a New Zealand invention now found in several other countries. It consists of a ball (with some water in it for our experience of “hydro zorbing”) inside another ball, which is released down a hill. The participant (“zorbonaut”) dives into the ball head first, stands in the water, and walks forward to give the zorb more momentum after it is released. It’s akin to being a moist hamster, in a plastic exercise ball, on a slope.

These zorbs are waiting to be released.