Bungy!

After a much deserved lie in we head back up to Queenstown, find a campsite on the edge of town and head in to book the bungy, the triple the next day, eek! The town is buzzing with backpackers and tour buses. So we settle down for a couple of beers and some people watching.

The first bungy we’ll do in the morning is the bridge one and I’m left thinking about it all night trying to decide if I should get dipped or not. By morning I’ve decided to go for it, (you only do this once right? Unless you’re Rob of course, its his second time for the triple), so armed with my bikini top under my t-shirt for just in case, we arrive at the office in town.

Once weighed and with our weight kindly displayed in big marker pen letters on our hands, we set off in the bus to the bridge. There are only three of us doing the triple so Rob volunteers to go first and I’m second as the other guy wants Rob to video his jump for him. I ask advice from the guys on the bridge on how best to jump off so I can get dipped and I’m getting a bit nervous as unlike the proper leg cuffs they used in Auckland, here we are just tied on with a towel wrapped around our legs and a bit of webbing tied around that. Rob seems confident enough though and is leaps off, getting neatly dunked in the river and then lowered into the raft that is waiting below. My turn and I waddle nervously to the edge, take a deep breath and dive off as instructed. I close my eyes and brace my chin to my chest as directed, preparing for the impact of the water, but before I know it I’m springing back in the air, dry as a bone. I’m lowered into the boat, relieved but a little disappointed not to get wet and as the video shows later you can hear the guys in charge calling out that I’ve been robbed at not getting wet. Oh well, jump 2 next and it’s the big one.

The bus is back to collect us to take us to the Nevis, the cable car bungy over a ravine and the highest static bungy in the world. The bus is now full of young people, some of them obviously suffering from the excesses of the night before (Rob hears one of them being sick in the toilet when we arrive and isn’t sure if it a hangover or nerves). Again we are weighed and then they start sending everyone out in weight order, heaviest first. This makes things easier for them as with such a long bungy they have to alter the cord used according to the weight of the individual. I’m allowed over early together with another girl as we are with blokes who obviously weigh a bit more, but all this means is we have to wait in the cable car longer. We travel across in the tiny car to the jump-pod with a lad pale faced and shaking he is so petrified of heights. He is white knuckled as he grips the pod to get out of the cable car and we’re questioning if he is going to jump at all as he waits his turn behind perhaps half a dozen other lads. Everyone jumps and reacts differently and as it comes to him everyone hushes apart from voicing odd words of encouragement, but without a pause he jumps cleanly off, whoops with delight on the rebound and comes up wearing the biggest grin. He even insists on getting his photo taken by the glass panel in the floor.

Rob’s turn and he with a slightly nervous laugh he is shuffling to the edge then leaps off and tracks away as far as he can. He is grinning away when he returns, but I’m getting more and more nervous, there are about 20 in our group and I’m going to be second to last and the waiting is getting to me. The rebound looks quite harsh and I’m worried its going to hurt, plus you have to release your legs on the second rebound or you come back up hung like a pig upside down, which doesn’t look comfortable. My turn finally comes round, I’m listening intently to all the instructions and all moisture has gone from my mouth. I leap off and it feels fantastic, the rebound is gentle and I release my legs easily, only the device that tows you back up comes down with a bit of a bang and I’m wishing I could do it all again without the nerves.

Jump 3 is the ledge, the shortest one but a cable car ride to the top of the hill overlooking Queenstown so offering some fantastic views. Plus with this one you’re attached at the waist so you can jump off any number of ways. Rob opts for a treble front somersault and leaps off happily, but he is snatched up sharply and I worry that it has hurt his arm plus he comes right up underneath and looks like he might hit. He comes back in with a grin though and its my turn. I’m not sure I’m co-ordinated enough trust myself to do somersaults so the guy offers to lower me off backwards then just let go. It will be the first one I haven’t consciously jumped for and he toys with me dangling me backwards up and down a few times before finally letting go. There is a delayed reaction as the full sensation of falling hits me and I scream out a yelp of surprise and probably horror. The elastic is much stronger and in my graceful (not!) upside down position I’m snatched back round with the rope catching my thigh. No harm done though and I’m grinning like an idiot, a great end to the experience.

We nip into town for a bite to eat then back to the campsite for a shower and to dress up for a night on the town, something we haven’t really done since being away. The place is buzzing and we take in a few different bars, being adopted briefly in one by a group of U.S. students on a work experience break over there, most of whom are really nice, friendly and chatty but one who pointedly tells me “not to read anything into it, one of the guys is friendly to everyone” before stalking off to another bar. The guy in question has been happily swapping music tastes with Rob for a while and the girl next to him exclaims in relief when the snotty one leaves, thought it was just me she didn’t like but apparently that is just what she is like. Apologies all round and they head off then we head out in search of another pub.

We find a nice little old place down a back street and ask permission to join a table with a middle aged couple sat at it. Larger than life the pair keep us entertained with tales of nude sunbathing on the beach and the saga of her struggle to maintain the balance between her best friend and her sister who hate each other. Its her birthday so on this night they were grabbing a quiet moment before the two had to come face to face and at just that moment the two arrive from different directions, almost like a stand off in a cowboy movie and the air almost sparks with the atmosphere. With apologetic shrugs and a knowing wink they all leave for a night club and Rob and I move down the road to a cellar club, with a resident DJ playing some mellow dance music. We get chatting to the girl behind the bar about where is the best place to go to and she soon has a map out and a list of all the clubs in town, crossing them off and highlighting them to let us know where to go and when. We stay on for a couple of drinks and by then the place we’re in is filling and the music is more upbeat house with the dancefloor heaving. We’re soon in the thick of it with big grins on our faces until I decide I need to cool off outside for a bit and Rob joins me and we agree we’re ready for bed. Not quite the all nighter we’d had planned but we’ve had a great time and are happy to call it there.

The next day we’re feeling the effects and I leave Rob to sleep it off, booking us in for one more night at the campsite and popping out for a sushi breakfast and some supplies for tea. The lady in the next van is flying back next day so pushes their supply of bacon and sausages onto to us and we’re sorted for a full cooked brekkie next morning.