On our third day we drove to penguin beach on the peninsula (not a penguin in sight) so drove back to Dunedin via the Highcliff Road to take in the stunning views across the water. Then we made our way to Queenstown ready for some adrenalin filled activities. We stopped at a cidery in Cromwell on the way, a dam at Clyde and the Kawaura bridge home of the commercial bungy jump to watch a couple of people tumble off the ledge. Then it was on to Queenstown itself. We got a proper shower and then headed out on the town for the night to Buffalo and World Bar 'til 4am.
We slept all day until 6pm following our heavy night. Then made dinner, and got chatting to a few people in the kitchen. Everyone was really friendly and we even got donated some free food. We obviously looked undernourished or helpless, or both!
In the morning our plan was to hit the slopes at Coronet Peak. But after a flat battery (one of the doors wasn't shut properly so the light drained us of power), we only managed an afternoon skiing. But given that we both hadn't skied in a while, it was probably a blessing in disguise. We got back, pretty exhausted so showered and then watched a DVD in the van.
On day six we had a pretty uneventful day doing laundry (where we spied on a couple going through a painful break-up in the shop opposite the laundry), ate pizza, shopped and booked Mina's bungy jump. Then we found ourself a spot to sleep and got some shut eye ready for the big day ahead.
The day of the Bunjy jump was upon us. And I was still unsure whether I wanted to jump or not. I was going to the jump site as a spectator to decide for myself once I saw the actual jump pod. We were due to check in at 12.30 and when we arrived were advised the cable car had broken an that no jumps were going ahead that day. We were moved to the following day and then went on the computers in the store to plan what else we could do with our day. After half an hour we were told we could jump at 1.30 after all. I was probably the most nervous person aboard the shuttle bus out to the jump site and I wasn't even sure whether I was jumping or not. When I got there I took a look at the pod and decided to take the plunge literally. We were weighed, harnessed and transported to the site. I was to be the last one to jump, which meant I had to endure everyone else jumping first. I was incredibly scared, but the adrenalin is pumping. You can see in my video (http://www.ididit.co.nz/ididit/profile/4504?action=viewvideo&id=62857) that I take one huge lungful of air as if it is to be my last, before I shuffled to the pod. After "three, two, one bungy" I dived head first from the ledge down 134m. First there was screaming, then a sensation of wanting to stop yourself or hold on to something, then a split second of enjoyment, then it was all over. I couldn't pull my release cord so I was hoisted 134m up to the top, upside down - definitely the least enjoyable part of the experience. I was so pleased I did it and my legs were shaking when I was back at the top. We went out that night to celebrate and ended up staying out until 6am hanging out with locals, and workers from the bars doing our own bar crawl of Queenstown.