5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ....... BUNGYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!

We had a bit of a lie in today 7.15am!! Yippee!! We were all soon up though and doing the usual routine of setting up the table for breakfast, kettle on, muffins in etc! We were then in the shower, then heading off.

We stopped to fill up then the supermarket, then we were off heading to Cardrona. It only took us about an hour and a half to arrive at The Cardrona Hotel. With the old car outside, it’s such a lovely place.

At 10.15am we walked into the pub and were sitting infront of the fire enjoying a pint of Speights!! The barman was impressed that we were all drinking at that time of the day. We all didn’t want to move from the fire but we did and managed a walk around the pub gardens. We even got to observe “Whiskers” the pub cat playing with a mouse that he’s just caught. It was still alive but wasn’t for long, disgusting!! We took a few photos of the gardens and then we had to drag ourselves away from the pub.

We were then back on the mountain roads and stopping at the lookouts. The roads were really windy but we did make it to the bottom.

We arrived at our first destination of the day to Kawarau Bridge (the original AJ Hackett Bungy Jump).

As soon as we got there and walked down the ramp, me and Ben visited the loo before booking ourselves in for a jump. We had to do it without thinking about it and before we knew it we were being weighed and handing over our cash ....... it was now too late to back out!! With our weights wrote on our hands and our check in voucher in hand we had to walk outside to the bridge. There was no one there, last time we were here it was packed with people.
Ben wanted to watch a jumper first so we waited for what seemed like ages. A girl was there standing on the edge, no screaming and she was gone .... just like that !! One more jumper later and we were on our way up to the jumping platform. We were harnessed up and standing waiting to be called. I was feeling like I was going to puke ... big style !! They wanted Ben to jump first, but we’d agreed I would jump first. I was asked to climb onto the jumping platform and I could see the river below .... urgh !! My feet were strapped and the crew member was trying to keep me talking about other stuff, I kept asking him if anyone had puked before .... no was his answer, well there’s always the first aye?! My feet were strapped really tight and before I knew it I had the bungy attached and I was asked to move to the edge .... WHAT ?! It was a hop to the end, toes hanging over the edge and ready to go. The crew member had hold of me behind and I did have a word asking him to give me a slight push incase I didn’t go. Then a quick photo, trying to look calm and cool and the countdown .... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ........ “COWABUNGA!!”. I jumped forwards and screamed like a girl, all the way down and back up again. So strange diving over the edge to the river below and for so long, seemed like ages before I was bouncing back up again. Can’t explain the feeling just WOO HOO !! I wasn’t sick either which was good, so pleased with myself. I caught the pole from the boat below and was pulled in really quickly .... awesome !! I was untied and on my way back up to where Mam and Dad were standing......I was alive!!

After a brief break to catch my breath I was back on the bridge and waiting with Ben for his turn to jump. It was about 10 minutes before Ben was asked to move to the platform to get ready ... talk about making him sweat !!

I (Ben) was now bricking it. Claire had done it so now I had to!! I sat and got strapped up nice and tight, while the guys chatted to me. They were trying to keep my mind off what was next! Then it was time, before I knew it my toes were over the edge and there was only one way down, the quick way! “5,4,3.......” I didn’t hear 2 or 1, I just spread my arms, leant forward and dived off towards the water. Oh my god! The free fall feeling was out of this world, but before I realised what was going on I was already bouncing back up. At the point I finally let out a loud “WAHOO!”. It was such a great feeling afterwards knowing me and Claire had both experienced the same thing. After a while of trying to get hold of the pole for the boat below, I was lying down and getting untied .... awesome! Claire was there to meet me at the bottom and we smiled all the way up.

The giftshop had our photos and DVD’s for us to see. We decided to buy the photo pack and we got a FREE t-shirt !! Proof of what we’d just done .... 43m !! Woo hoo indeed !

After getting our legs back we drove to Queenstown and got onto the campsite in the town centre. We walked it into the town and to Fergburger for our lunch. Two Mr Big Stuffs, a Bun Laden and a Ferg Burger with cheese later, we were all truly stuffed, well and truly. We carried them down to the lakeside and ate them, overlooked by the surrounding mountains .....lovely!

We had a walk around the shops to try and walk off the dinner before stopping for a pint in an Irish Pub.

Afterwards we decided to take the gondolas up to the top of the Mountain to overlook Queenstown. Mam was a bit nervous getting into the gondola but we tried to play it down a bit before arriving at the top. We got loads of photos and then enjoyed a pint in the bar with the lookout. We even got to listen to some Maori’s singing and welcoming people to the show that was on up there.

After we’d had a good look round we caught the gondola back down and walked back to the camper for an evening chilling. No doubt they’ll be some Dominos and Uno in there somewhere.