Day 24- November 26

I woke up this morning and I have to admit, it was the first time that I was actually feeling nervous about my bungee jump. I distinctly remember questioning why I had decided on the Nevis jump instead of just settling for the Kawarau bridge like most people. I guess my logic was that if I was going to do a bungee, I was going to go all and really do a bungee, as it might be the only time I would.
I decided to go to a yoga class in the morning as I didn't have to go to the bungee pick up centre until quarter to 11. The instructor overslept and was 15 minutes late for class, but that seems to be the general attitude of Queenstown to be honest!

The studio was fantastic! There were big glass windows, revealing views of the snow capped Southern alps in the distance, and the decor was very Swiss chalet-esque, which a nice spiritual touches like the delicate stain-glass chakra mobile dangling in the window. There was only 4 or 5 in the class and it was a vinyasa flow which was perfect for me, so I had a great class.

I headed back to the hostel to shower and change before heading out to the bungee centre to check in.
Check in was a bit of an unnecessarily lengthy process to be honest. Maybe it's just to seem more professional so people feel like they're in safe hands. You had to check in at the desk, then check in using some iPads in the corner, then go back over to the desk and get weighed and given your jump ID number. When this process was completed, we were told to go and sit on the beanbags in the corner and watch verge videos of people bungee jumping, which seems a bit cruel to be honest! I was waiting to be called up for the shuttle to take me to the bungee location, when a woman came along and said that due to high speed winds, the Nevis jump had been cancelled due to high speed winds, and we would be offered a full refund. The Nevis jump is actually from a cable car, instead of a bridge like the smaller one, which makes is much more unstable and susceptible to cancellation due to bad weather.

Blimey

I went up to the desk, about to get my refund, but then I suddenly changed my mind and asked whether then had any spots left on the Kawarau bungee. I got lucky and managed to take the final spot on for the shuttle bus that was leaving in just under an hour.
We drove up to the Kawarau bridge bungee centre and after being given our tickets we were told we could jump right away. It was blowing an absolute gale, which was really slowing down the number of jumps that they could do, as they were trying jump people between gusts. I was up on the bridge for ages waiting to jump and it was absolutely freezing! I was shivering, but it was definitely down to the wind chill rather than nerves!:P
When it was my turn, I crawled out into the platform, and one of the crew attached the bungee cord to my feet really tightly. I then shuffled with difficulty to the edge of the platform, as obviously my feet were tied together, smiled for the cameras that were filming for the tape I would have the opportunity to buy later on in the gift shop, waited for the countdown and then jumped.

I think that split second when you leave the platform and you realise you are free falling is the scariest. I was speechless. I only started screaming when I hit the bottom and bounced back up- I knew I was safe. It was all over too quickly. I wish I could do it again but higher! I didn't look down when I was standing on the platform so I honestly didn't find it that scary! It's probably because I was so hyped up to do the Nevis jump that this one seemed so tame in comparison!

What I should have been doing!!

I got back to Queenstown late afternoon, with my GoPro video and survivors' t-shirt as proof of my jump, to tell Lily and Emma all about it. They had been luging whilst I was away which sounded like a lot of fun; they took the gondola up Mt. Ben Lomond, and then helter-skeltered down in vehicles a bit like toboggans but with wheels.

We were looking for something to do that afternoon, but our purses were feeling a bit light after the morning's activities (just under 200$ for the bungee) so we decided to borrow frisbees from the hostel and go to play frisbee golf in Queenstown park. The aim was to throw the frisbee into the little metal baskets in as few throws as possible. Either we were rubbish, or the frisbees were rubbish, and the strong winds certainly didn't help, but we were scoring 7, 8, 9 plus on par 3 courses! Nevertheless, it was good fun and a cheap way to spend the afternoon.

We went out for dinner that night to a Thai restaurant which was delicious but not really that authentic. It was nice having such flavourful food though, after cooking with no spices for so long!