The Paddock, 2/2

3 days ago I arrived at The Paddock, which will be my second home while in NZ. The last days in Queenstown offered Bungy Jumping off Kawarau Bridge (the original site where A. J. Hackett invented the byngy jump), canyoning close to Wanaka, and a few nights out with the rest of our NZ Explorer team before we all headed our separate ways around the country.

Thursday 28^th, almost all of us went to the Kawarau Bridge to do our very first bungy jump. Some had been incredibly nervous since we booked our jumps the day before, and we were all expecting quite an experience, one way or another. First, the bus was more than half an hour late because of a hung over driver who did not show up, but when we finally got to the bungy site, it was all efficient and cool business. We were asked to line up in front of a counter where we were all weighed, then there was time to go to the bathroom before going out on the bridge, putting on a harness and after just a few minutes in line I got tied up to the bungy cord by a guy named Rambo! From then, it was a matter of slowly jumping out on the platform, hearing Rambo count 5-4-3-2-1-Bungy, leaning forward and letting gravity do its thing. I got a fair bit of water, as asked for, and 1½ minute after stepping on to the platform I were in a boat at the bottom, and could go see the others again, having spent $175. I must say that I expected a bit more of a kick than I got from it, maybe I am just too used to heights and putting my life into some random guide’s hands, who tells me that the bungy will hold? Nevertheless, I am glad I did it with the NZ Explorer guys, and we had a few great laughs when some of the others refused to jump at the guides count.

Friday, I went canyoning with three others from our group, and we had an incredible day of fun and games in The Niger stream, close to Wanaka. Long abseils through waterfalls that just kept smashing water in your face, fun slides – one which ended in a 10 meter drop, which the guides chose not to tell us – and incredible jumps, up to 6-7 meters, where you had to land within a square of 2x2 meters if you wanted to keep your legs from breaking. In total, we spent four hours in the water, and none of us could stop smiling. On top of this, the scenery was just like postcard pictures, all the way down, except for those eight wetsuits and helmets that had been thrown into the stream.

When we got back from Wanaka we had diner, before going out the last time with the majority of the group, who left early Saturday morning. A tired, but good evening out, and the perfect way of saying goodbye to some of our travelmates in the past 3½ weeks.

To get to Wanaka on Friday, it turned out to be cheaper for the four of us to rent a car than to go by bus, and we had to rent it for two days since we needed it before the rental companies opened in the morning. Therefore we had a car available during Saturday, and we chose (a bit randomly) to go to Arrowtown for lunch, an old town where the gold miners used to stay. When we got back, a few hours was spent relaxing and getting everything packed for an early morning Sunday, and around 7PM we went out for diner and had a fantastic evening with good food and wine, and fantastic company.

Saturday I got on the bus from Queenstown to Christchurch at 8.50 in the morning, and had a smooth ride, arriving in Christchurch at 6PM where my aunt Eva picked me up. Since then I have been at The Paddock, relaxing and slowly getting ready to move in at the Ilam Village on Friday. Luckily, I can look forward to a few visits from the NZ Explorer group during the weekend and next week, but from then on it is all down to getting ready to go back to Uni – and I am looking forward to it!