Queenstown = Adrenaline

After getting up at the crack of dawn, ok, BEFORE the crack of dawn, and heading to the airport, we finally arrived in Queenstown. Everyone that came on this side trip (free weekend, baby!) was psyched to be in such a gorgeous area, so the mood of the group was excited and peppy. 

We grabbed a taxi, and made our way into town. A discussion started up with our taxi-driver, about all the activities to do in Queenstown. Someone mentioned the Nevis bungy (as we were planning to do it the next day), and the driver said, "Oh, the Nevis? I haven't been on that one yet 'cause they're fixing it from where it snapped." The van got quiet, as the driver quickly retracted his statement and said he was just kidding. Now who isn't nervous?

We made it to the hostel, and immediately found a local place to eat lunch. We stumbled upon Fergburger, an apparently famous restaurant that has been visited by people from all over the world. The burgers were enormous! The burgers and fries were delicious, and I couldn't even finish half of mine before I was stuffed. 

After eating such an amazing meal, three of the group (including myself) decided to go jet boating. A jetboat is a boat propelled by a jet of water ejected from the back of the craft. This eliminates the need for a propeller, allowing the boat to travel quickly through water only 4 inches deep. The experience was amazing, and the completely different view point of the scenery was great. It took 45 minutes to get to the jet boat starting point, and all that time was spent winding around one lane dirt roads through the mountain. There were times where I couldn't look over the edge, because our van seemed to be hanging over the edge of a sheer cliff. At one point, our driver pointed out the remnants of a stone wall that was along the edge of the road. He said, "There used to be a wall along this road, but all the vehicles that have fallen over the edge have taken it out over the years." Well, that's reassuring. The scenery was worth it the terrifying drive, and I got some great shots. On the way back to town, we stopped at an old 102 meter bungy jump that is now out of business. The view was amazing!

A site from "The Fellowship of the Ring"

102 Meter bungy 

We finished up with our adventure of the day just in time, because as we pulled into the center of the city, it began to rain. It progressed through the evening, and got foggy, wet, and cold. This was all the excuse I needed to just hang out at the hostel, and meet other travelers from all over the world.

The next day began early, as we were all anxious for what the day held. NEVIS. That word strikes something within me... The Nevis bungy is 134 meters. It is the tallest bungy in New Zealand, and THAT, my friends, is what we were on our way to do. There is no explanation necessary, really. I mean, I jumped out of a perfectly good cable car, to certain death. Ok, I didn't die, but I could have! On the way to the jump site, "Highway to Hell" began playing on the radio... That wasn't very reassuring, but then "Don't Worry, Be Happy" came on, so they evened each other out!

Ready to go!

After watching that video, nothing I say now will pique your interest but I'll try. After the bungy jumping, and a much deserved nap, we went to a bar called Minus 5° in Queenstown. Yea, yea, I went to a bar, Mom. This bar was completely made out of ice. The glasses, ice. The benches, ice. The tables, ice. The walls, ice. Hence the name, minus 5 degrees. Don't worry, that's 5 degrees Celsius! It was a blast, and although it was pretty cold, we all had fun!