Queenstown (2) – Bungy Jumping (Florence, Ludivine & Cedric)

Saturday 10/03

Montage by Ludivine: see below.

Note: It includes Isabelle’s jump that took place 2 days later.

 =====

By Florence:

Today we are going to do Bungy! We get on to the bus for a twenty-minute ride and I feel my stomach starting to hurt. We arrive at the Bungy place and I really feel my stomach hurting. I am super nervous. We watch some people doing it and it is scary. My stomach hurts even watching them. So we go to do it and while waiting for our turn, I am really scared. Then it’s my turn and I go onto the platform and they make you have your tiptoes of the platform. Then they hold you and tell you to look at the photograph so he can take pictures. Then when he’s done, the person holding you counts down 3, 2, 1, and you jump. It was AMAZING. For me it was literally in slow motion. So you’re just jumping and then you see the water coming closer and closer. I loved that feeling. Then you barely feel a shock and you have a mini Bungy again. I was so happy. So then there is a little boat that comes and puts you down and removes all your harness. You have to climb up some stairs to get back up and I was running to tell dad and Ludivine how fun it was. I was second so Ludivine had already did it but dad hadn’t. So dad does it and then we go in the gift shop and we get our photos because they are super nice. Then we get onto the bus and go back home. This was one of the best days of the world tour. I loved it. Bye.

=====

By me:

In the morning, the kids do 2 homeschooling sessions.

After lunch (salad), I go with the 2 girls to do bungy jumping. Isabelle was not very keen to do it (but she’s slowly changing her opinion) and Jules simply cannot do it (the minimum required weight is 35 kg and he’s not even 30 kg…).

The girls and I are very much excited but also very much scared.

At the shop (AJ Hackett Bungy), they take it very seriously and weigh us 2 times.

The bus drive to the Kawarau Bridge, 23 km from Queenstown, lasts 20’.

In 1988 the Kawarau Bridge became the world’s first commercial bungy site, offering a 43 m leap over the river.

The organization is very well oiled and efficient. We basically have 2 hours on the site during which we are free to organize our time as we want and to jump whenever we want as long as we are in the 4:40pm bus to go back to Queenstown.

Ludivine wants to be the first one to jump and Florence doesn’t want to be the last one, so I’ll go last. There’s a 30’ queue for the girls. They asked me to take a video of their jump so I’m watching all the jumps. It only increases my stress. The girls do it very well; they jump well (i.e. like a swimming dive, not just in a vertical position). It only increases the pressure on my shoulders…

I finally go. Ludivine nicely stays beside me during my preparation. I don’t look down. I even think that I jumped before the end of the ‘3-2-1, go’. It’s such a great feeling to jump in the void. It’s rather short (3-4’’) but it’s super cool. I now understand why people want to experience higher jumps, such as the 134m Nevis Bungy jump (also near Queenstown).

Back in the bus, we are still very much excited (Florence probably the most). Both the girls are so happy (and grateful). They are also super happy that we took the “official” photos. It was difficult to resist since they are really nice; we resist for the video though…

It’s an expensive activity (205 $ for adult and 155$ for child) but I think it was well worth it. It was A-MA-ZING; definitely one of the best activities of the world tour.

We arrive back at the apartment around 5pm. Ludivine immediately shares the pictures of the bungy with the rest of the family (on the WhatsApp family groups). It’s difficult not to brag about our “feat” but we keep it to a reasonable level since Isabelle and Jules didn’t do it.

I go back to town with Isabelle. We investigate a bit for what we need for the (3-day) Routeburn Track. We need to buy (dried) food and rent sleeping bags. We also already buy walking poles (since we plan to do the Ben Lormond walk tomorrow).

For dinner, we eat pork steaks (first time I’ve seen them) with apples and potatoes / quinoa.

 

3 Replies to “Queenstown (2) – Bungy Jumping (Florence, Ludivine & Cedric)

  1. profité bien ! est continé a nous faire decouvrir ces beau paysages et vos experience
    incroyabe et merveilleuses !!!!

    a plus !
    david breysse .

  2. bonne fin de voyage, bon retour sous peu a la dure realite ….attention a “”l atterissage”” sur le vieux continent
    De mon cote au 1er juillet je serai…. comme on dit….. “pensionne”

    Didier

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *