NZ Day 11 – Bungy and Antarctic experience leaves me cold

Another stupid early alarm call for 6:30am (call this a holiday?!) for the whale watching and rang the tour operator to see if it was still on. It was canceled as the seas were too choppy. Obviously whales are bit fussy when it comes to showing off. So we went back to a warm bed for another 90 minutes of snoozing.

The weather was beginning to be a major factor affecting our holiday and retrospectively should have stuck to the original plan doing the skydive over Marlborough Sounds or even over Lake Taupo. After a few phonecalls we’re now doing the Edoras tour on Thursday and the Heli-hike on Friday. Thank god for 0800 freefone numbers.

We packed in a second breakfast (my favourite, French Toast) in Kaikoura and set off to Hanmer Springs so I could do a bungy jump at the same place as Kerry 12 years ago. Thrill Seekers Canyon had jet-boating, river-rafting, quad-biking but I was here for the leap off the road bridge. I was pretty much pre-occupied by the cold weather than the normal nerves of leaping off 35 metres. Whilst a boat was waiting for me below I was being trussed up and waved at by passing traffic. It wasn’t until the countdown and looking down did I really understand my fate. The video Kerry took will be uploaded at some point on YouTube but you’ll hear how I really need to improve my manly scream of fear. The photos supplied had an amazing zoom showing off my upside down midrife as I dangled. Can’t say I would do it again but I’ll leave with the memory of coldness and disorientation.

Back in the campervan, we headed for Christchurch looking for the Antarctic Centre as a diversion before Methven. The roads were refreshingly straight this time to the South Island’s biggest city. $30 each was a bit of money to see some penguins and to see only one species is quite a rip off. The ‘cold wind’ room replicated the Antarctic wind chill quite well having fun with the clown like overshoes and big coats to keep us warm. Another good laugh was trying the kiddy sized ice slide to regain some ticket value. Otherwise it felt like a boring school trip learning a thing or two about the South Pole or taking a ride on the caterpillar tracked vehicle around the car park. We couldn’t really be bothered with either of those so drove to Methven in preparation for our Edoras tour the next day. More refreshing straight roads and flat countryside lasted until we got to the snow sports retreat. The evening’s meal was a fantastic take-out of Blue Cod and Chips. These Kiwis really know how to batter and cook fish!