Queenstown

  Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand
Monday, May 12, 2008

Canyon swing 1 - ready?

Monday - Canyon Swing DDay! Agghhhhhhh! Well a lie in was difficult. From 6am I'm awake contemplating if I'm going to be able to jump - or wobble off the platform....

Trying to distract myself i cook some breakfast (hope it will stay down!). When the post office opens i go for a walk over there to see if my Debit card has finally arrived along the long chain down NZ. Surprise! The lady appears immediately with a letter for me, forwarded from Auckland and Taupo. Wow, nearly 6 months without it, and now i have working cash card. That concludes my 'post offices around the world' trip. Well thats a good sign for the rest of the day.

I can procrastinate no longer. Next stop the Canyon Swing shop. I sign my life away on the disclaimer. I then get weighed which seems unnecessary as they just draw a picture on my hand (They write weight for bungees). I get a hang man and a dead person underneath with blood at the bottom of the canyon. Everyone else has flowers or a smiley face! Andrew then picks us up to drive us to the valley where we jump. The videos on route AREN'T helping. Everyone else seems very relaxed. So we watch a couple jump - it looks even worse in real life! Its so high up. On the plus side its a beautiful day for it. Time to get harnessed up. There are 7 of us and only 6 harnesses, so I'm happy to drop back - prob not the best idea, but a delaying tactic none the less. I'm really not convinced i can do this. I watch the others all go one by one with minimal fuss. Finally its my turn to get harnessed up. I can barely take anything in as the 2 guys do their banter, playing off each other trying to distract me and put me at ease as they check everything.

Canyon swing 1 - please dont push me

They are doing their best to coax me to the edge of the platform. 'Don't look down'. Well i didn't mean to look down, but its impossible not too. Its so far. Its making me shake now just remembering it! They are a patient pair, and carry on convincing me to get to the edge, 'of course we wont push you', 'just get to the edge for your photo', 'look at the camera'.

Canyon swing 1 - ok too late they have

AGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh They pushed me the gits and I'm tumbling through the sky.

Canyon swing 1 - aghhh

A vague recollection of brown and blue colours blurred in from the canyon walls and the river, as well as trying to close my eyes, then suddenly i am swinging peacefully in the middle of this beautiful canyon, the sun shining, the turquoise waters sparkling, completely peaceful with not a sole nearby (except way above me).

He he we pushed her

Wow. A few minutes to recover and the winch starts to pull me back up. I was so glad to be pushed really - but I'll be having words when i reach the top!

It was so good in fact I'm off for a second jump. Well really there is a special offer and for a $10 donation to a charity you get a second jump for free. Its for charity - I've got to go again. Of course i couldn't just give the money!!

The chair

This time i go for the chair backwards off the platform. I'm ready to go, i think I'm going. The gits - they pull me back in! They should have guessed from last time i wasn't one to mess with. After that i had lost my mental preparation to go and had to be coaxed back into it again! I nearly tried to grab one of the guys off the platform to come with me. Luckily they are firmly attached. Then there was nearly the flying kick as i went. So finally hands firmly holding the chair, legs tucked under and I'm gone again.

Just sit down and kick back for a while

The rush as you drop, immediately followed by the peace at the bottom. This time trying to keep my eyes open as i tumble backwards for the 60m drop. Again its a blur of colours into a gentle swing. Its amazing, you don't notice when the drop stops and the swing kicks in. You just suddenly realise you are swinging gently through the stunning, tranquil valley.

It was brilliant, and I'm glad i did it - twice (and got the DVDs) but not sure i would do it again. The nightmares continued after. I get back exhausted from the excitement ready for a sleep, but the flashbacks of falling just continue! Eventually i give up on resting and we go out to celebrate with a tasty, huge and famous Fergburger!