Queenstown, South Island – Be BrAve and Jump!
If I could make one suggestion regarding hotels in Queenstown, it would be to make sure you have a lake view. For just a fraction more, we got to enjoy this magnificence from our patio. So worth it!
After breakfast at the original Joe’s Garage (definitely make a pit stop here for some pretty excellent coffee and delicious brekky), we set about exploring what Queenstown had to offer. Typical of any resort town, there were an abundance of boutique shops, restaurants, and bars (several of which we frequented), but what really defines Queenstown is its propensity for the outdoors and adventure sports. It’s not known as the Adventure Capital of the World for nothing!
Hike along the Queenstown Trail and, not only will you be rewarded with some pretty picturesque views of Lake Wakatipu and the Frankton Arm, you will witness adrenaline junkies from all over the world trying their luck paragliding, canyon swinging, jet boating, skydiving, and bungy-jumping, to name a few.
But wait, aren’t you one of those adrenaline junkies, you may ask? And to answer your question: FOR FREAKING SURE! (David? not so much – more on that later). And what better way to get my fix, than to bungy-jump off the iconic Kawarau Bridge, AJ Hackett’s World Home of Bungy!
Although not the highest bungy jump in New Zealand (that distinction belongs to the Nevis), there is something to be said for the OG. There’s nothing like standing on the edge of a suspension bridge, 43m above a rushing river, ready to dive off with nothing but a super huge rubber band keeping you from plummeting into the water below to make you truly feel alive. And if ya ain’t living, ya dying…amirite!?
We spent a few minutes wandering around the complex, watching some other jumpers, and taking in the beauty of the surrounding area before gearing up for the grand finale. Walking out onto the platform, I couldn’t tell if I was terrified, excited, or a healthy mixture of both; David, on the other hand, was downright petrified. He had opted to go first (It turns out that if I had gone first, he would’ve chickened out) and was clinging to the bridge like his life depended on it. After a bit of coaxing from myself and the AJ Hackett crew (in reality, I think he blacked out from fear), we were gifted with this gem of a video:
After watching my husband face his fears, it was my turn. My terror evaporated; in fact, I was elated! These are the moments I live for! After cheesing for the camera a bit, I shuffled to the edge, briefly glanced down, and took a swan dive into the unknown! What a feeling! The freefall only lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity and was over in an instant, all at the same time. I plummeted towards the water, willing myself to graze it with my fingertips – so close, yet so far away. After a few more bounces, I was pulled down into a raft, and taken to shore where we grabbed a drink to celebrate our accomplishment. We did it!
Would I do it again? Abso-freaking-lutely! And David agreed that after the initial terror, he actually ended enjoying himself! Next time we will have to try the Nevis!
