Queenstown

Quueenstown was a massive culture shock, after so long surrounded by only kayakers living in tents in small villages it felt like me, Nick and Tes had arrived in New York. Travelling as a kayaker is a different experience to travelling as a tourist, and you meet a set of people who may be from all over the world, who whether from Enlgand, New Zealand or anywhere.
In Queenstown I paddled with a group of guys from the Czech Republic who had come to New Zealand for kayaking . We managed to find our own little piece of heaven in Queenstown and the take out of the Chinese Dog Leg section of the Kawarau river, a tiny free campsite with only a long drop toilet and no running water, unless you count the river running by of course, but for us it was better than 5 star accomodation.

Ross drops in on the Kawarau

Whiltst in Queenstown we kayaked on the Kawarau and Shotover rivers, both of which are home to white water rafting, as well as trying water ski-kayaking thanks to Paula an Austrian girl on exchange, who we had met in murchison, who's host parents had a motor boat.

Camping at dog leg take out

Kayak water-skiing on the lake

Of course one thing Queenstown is famous for all over the world is as the home of bungy jumping, I couldn't resist and bought a ticket to jump off the third highest bungy in the world, a 126m high cablecar suspended above a deep valley. The anticipation grew as me and Paula, met kayaking, were driven up to the base, kitted up and taken to the jump site. We spend 10 minutes watching others jump, and psyching ourselves up. Paula was called up first, and after a tense few second shuffling to the edge threw herself off the edge on the count of 3, when she came up she had a massive grin on her face and I was up next.
The fear factor of a bungy jump is very different to what I have experienced kayaking, and no more or less intense. With kayaking your fate is entirely in your own hands, there is a risk of injury or death but with experience and self confidence you learn how to manage that fear. Bungy jumping is, in theory, incredibly safe, I'd just watched 10 other people jump and come up safely, but the fear is still there, and as you come to the edge, you start to think you won't be able to jump, that you'll freeze. However once the guy at the edge counts you down there's nothing to do but jump, and thats what you do almost automatically. The falling sensation was quite amazing, seeing the ground rush up towards you is something you don't forget in a hurry. When the bungy goes tight and you stop falling, the feeling of relief is amazing because you know you've done it. If you get the chance to do a bungy jump, do it, its worth it.

Nevis bungy jump