I woke up the morning after my mountain climb feeling pretty sore. I would also like to take this opportunity to admit that climbing a 1,500m high mountain with insufficient planning and preparation was stupid. I did not mean to worry anyone and while I was lucky that I decided last minute to bring my coat and managed not to catch hypothermia or break my leg, it still doesn't justify my poor decision making. This hike was not intended to be a display of arrogance or dominance over Mother Nature. I misjudged the weather conditions and magnitude of the climb. However, I remained calm at all times and I think something should be said for that strength of character. I trusted my body and mind and they served me well. While this hike will provide a thrilling story to tell in the future, if I could repeat this experience, I would do a number of things differently.
That day we made our way to Queenstown, the adventure capital of the world. Just outside the city, we stopped off at the Kawarau Bridge, the first commercially operated bungee site in the world. We were treated to a free bungee jumping orientation as delivered by the team at AJ Hackett, the world's leading bungee company. Following this, a number of the guys on the bus decided to complete the 47m bridge jump. I decided to sit this one out, as I was saving myself for the Nevis bungee jump the following day. It was great to watch these guys experiencing such an incredible rush.
Once we arrived at the hostel, we settled into our room and stocked up on food for the next few days. I then went into town and treated myself to a special gift which I will show you all in good time. That night, we went out with our bus driver, Kane. Although our bus journey has not yet ended with Kane, for many, this will be the last time they see him. Queenstown tends to be the city that many people stop at for lengthier periods of time than projected. On our bus, people were planning on staying for anything between three nights and a few weeks. We had even heard stories of people remaining in Queenstown for up to 10 years when first visiting. Seeing this place, it was easy to understand why. It's a backpacker's utopia! The atmosphere is buzzing, the activities are incredible and the night life is booming every day of the week.
The next day was of course bungee day! We woke up late and boarded a bus to take us out of the city and along the steep, narrow and unsealed Nevis road. After driving for 40-minutes, we found ourselves in the middle of nowhere. All that was visible was a huge gorge and a sky pod, hovering some 150m above a river. This is where I would be completing the 134m Nevis Bungee jump: The highest in New Zealand, 4th highest in the world and arguably the most thrilling bungee jump in existence.
There were a number of us hoping to complete this jump so I had to wait around a while. However, this only helped build my excitement. Eventually, my time came, I was strapped up to the bungee cord and I shuffled over to the platform. I made sure to show boat a bit for the camera before hearing '3...2...1...GO!' I can't remember what went through my head at that moment but I leaped off the platform and into this elegant eagle pose. The next 8.5 seconds were simply remarkable. It was a completely different rush to skydiving but equally incredible. I would write more, but I'm struggling to find the words to describe the sensation I experienced. I stuck around to watch the last of the guys jump. It was great to be able to share this experience with many of the people I'd been travelling with since Auckland. There was a really warm vibe in the sky pod as we all spurred each other on and shared those feelings of euphoria.
The remainder of that day, I was on an equivalent high as to that felt in Taupo after completing the skydive. I spent the rest of the evening chilling with the boys and I even managed to visit an old camp friend, Simon (Donkey) who's studying and working in Queenstown. Hopefully, we'll find the time to go out for a drink before I leave.
Much love!
Sam
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