The rain was beating on the roof of the van during the night, making us believe that it was going to be a miserable day ahead. The journey to the shower block did nothing to make us believe it was going to be anything but a bad weather day. However, by the time we had finished breakfast the sun was shining and it has continued to do so all day long. Taking advantage of the sunshine, we decided to take a trip up the gondola to the top of the Ben Lomand Scenic Reserve. The views from the top are quite stunning and doubly so in the sunshine. We walked around the viewing platform and waited for the bungy jump to open, but there were no takers whilst we were there and we were definitely not tempted. There is also a luge ride that uses small sledges with wheels and handlebars to steer the contraption. This ride seems to fascinate the Japanese tourists as they seem to flock to it. It was time for morning tea and a muffin, so we indulged before watching the TSS Earnslaw slip her moorings and set off across the lake on the journey we made yesterday. It was time to take the gondola back down into Queenstown. What is quite amazing is that considering it’s still summer season, there are no queues for anything. We have managed to get into the campsites with no problems and every ride and experience we have just turned up and got on.
Next on the agenda was to return to the Shotover Jet boats as we were advised not to take cameras with us yesterday. In hindsight, it was good advice as there were occasions when we did get fairly wet and my good camera is not waterproof. From where the boats depart, you can get some pretty good photos as on the return trip, they do one of their famous 360 degree turns as well as entering and exiting the narrow canyon. We wanted to go and see the place where they do a swinging bungy jump. Basically you jump off a cliff face and free fall for about 60metres, then you swing in a 200 metre arc. We thought this would make a great Kodak moment, but access is up a private road and the only vehicles allowed up there are those operated by the bungy company. Another missed opportunity.
From here we went to the home of Bungy jumping, the Kawarau Bridge. This is where A J Hackett invented bungy jumping and it is a Mecca for jumpers. It has turned into a very slick commercial operation and a very impressive new terminal building. We arrived just before three o’ clock, when the next jump was scheduled. Three people were getting ready to jump, one of them being the statutory Japanese tourist. The other was a mature chap from New Zealand and the third, a girl from Christchurch. First up was the mature New Zealand chap. It was just a few minutes whilst they strapped him up and attached the bungy rope; he was helped to the front of the platform and carried out the required waves to the various cameras and video recorders that were dotted around. 3-2-1 and off he went. No screams or shouts, just silence as he hurtled towards the Kawarau River a very long way below where he leapt from. Next minute he was almost back where he started, then down again, then up and back down for the last time. The rescue boat was heading out towards where he was now being unceremoniously lowered too. Once in the boat, he was detached from the bungy rope and his ankles were freed from the straps holding them together.
Up top, the Japanese lady was ushered to the front of the jumping platform and in true Japanese style was frantically waving to the cameras and the crowds on the viewing platform. Just as before, 3-2-1 and off she launched, still waving, when she was on the first return trip back up, she was still waving, it continued on the second bounce and also whilst she was laying on her back in the rescue boat. The young lady from Christchurch was next and she followed a similar pattern. Straight up to the jump platform, 3-2-1 and away, with no noise. Once the three people had jumped and were recovered they had to walk up from the bottom of the canyon. You’d have thought they would at least have some form of transport to get them up from the river, even if it was a donkey.
If Keith in the village is reading this blog, I can honestly say, that I was not at all caught up in the euphoria of the moment and developed a burning desire to join these nut cases. In fact quite the opposite, it just made me think why anyone in their right mind would ever want to do this. Keith, I take my hat off to you. You are a brave person.
From the home of Bungy, we returned to Queenstown via Arrowtown, which is an old mining community, which unlike most of the other mining townships, has survived the test of time. It has been turned into a quaint little town with some trendy souvenir shops, cafes, restaurants and art galleries. It also has a very impressive ice cream parlour, which it would have been rude not to have patronised. The best bit about Arrowtown is that it was completely free, apart from the megabucks ice cream. Frome here it was off to the supermarket for a slab of steak to chuck on the barbeque this evening. Whilst most things seem to be similar prices to the UK, steak and lamb are a fraction of UK prices. Strangely enough, a huge slab of steak was cheaper than two large chicken breasts.
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