January 19, 2015 (Queenstown, NZ)

Holy Cow!!! I have only said about 200 times today “ I can’t believe we did it!” This morning our Sky Diving was cancelled so we decided we would drive into town  in our gangster (it being a bit low rider and just kind of junky on the inside) “Sunny” Nissan and see if we could go bungy jumping. We had to go with AJ Hacket’s group and wanted to go to the Biggest Bungy Swing in the world since we opted out in Zambia/Zimbabwe. This was taking all my guts to do. If we were ever going to do it, NZ on the Biggest  Bung Swing in the world was the place. We got out there and as we were walking out we saw people dropping from the biggest bungy in NZ and were freaking out! It scared me so much I couldn’t imagine why anyone in the world would want to do that. We walked out on a Sky Bridge to the Swing launch. The Swing has a 70 meter drop and 300 meter arc. We watched a pair of girls do it before us and it was so crazy, couldn’t imagine that we were going to free fall like them shortly. We were strapped in and then they take us out off the platform, distract you with a photo real quick and then drop you!!! It was like the tFree Fall Tower at theme parks that just drops you, but times 100!! I took my breath away how we felt like we were just not attached to anything and just like we were jumping off some cliff!! Then it catches you and swings you way out. WOW!! It was so awesome. 

As we were walking back we watched people bungy off the suspended gondola going twice the drop that we just did.... and then by their feet! I said to Sam, we need to do this! He was like, "No way Mom. Well, let’s have a look when we get inside." When we got in, I just said we have to do it. We can do this!!! He was like, I don’t think I can. I was like we can do this! We are doing this! I gave her my credit card and said charge it! We walked out, I was so scared it was crazy but I was thinking, this is just fear. This fear really isn’t based on anything but fear. This ia good exercise. I can do this! Then I started thinking of it like a video game, something that isn’t really happening to us, but something we are watching. I was trying to talk Sam into that, but he wasn’t buying it :) Then they loaded us onto the gondola and when we got out there, it was just crazy.

The guys before us were shaking so hard they were still shaking when they came up. That didn’t help our nerves, also a couple of the guys weren’t able to release the side cord that lets you sit upwards and ride back to the floating launch pad sitting upright. That scared me as much as jumping off, hanging upside down being brought up like a trophy fish. So they called my name and said I needed to go first, so I sat in the chair, went over how to pull the foot cord and then before I knew it the guy had me shimming over to the end of the board that I was to jump off. All of a sudden I was like this is totally crazy, what the HECK am I doing out here!!!!! I am also afraid of heights as I have gotten older and then I looked out and thought, holy crap I am going to fall this thousand feet into that river!! Then I thought I am supposed to jump?! Then he asked me to look into the camera and then said in about 2 seconds 3,2,1 and then I knew if I hesitated one second I would break down and cry and freak out, so I just jumped!!!!! Talk about a leap of faith!! I couldn’t believe that I was plummeting towards the river below and I kept saying, for almost 8 seconds!- "Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh,...and then the bungy kicked in and it just softly bounced me up- so startled that it wasn’t a jolt and then it was like time was just suspended. It was so crazy. I was able to pull the cord on the next bounce and as I road sitting upright back to the gondola I just couldn’t believe that I did it. I just started laughing, how crazy was that!!! Just laughing and smiling that I had did it, survived, and could enjoy the view. Totally surreal! Wow. 

Sam was the last to go. He was so nervous but super psyched that I had done it and survived. He then got walked out and for a minute I wasn’t sure if he was going to go or not, but the guy had him look at me and smile and then did a fast countdown and Sam just lept off the board. It was so crazy to see him fall- so exhilarating and terrifying to watch my boy and so darn proud that he had overcome his fears. He looked happy and psyched and stunned when he came up- like he was so happy that had accomplished this. We had a good laugh. 

For the rest of the day we were just on a high and again I couldn’t help but say that I can’t believe we did that!!!!!! It was the greatest sense of accomplishment, overcoming a absolute fear, I am so glad I didn’t freak out and panic and so glad I didn’t hesitate. Mind over body. That was the goal. Get over fear! It was great. 

As we got back to town, all of a sudden we were exhausted and starving. I think we came off our rush and needed to rest and eat. WE found a Mexican restaurant where it was warm and enjoyed a relaxing lunch. The day had stayed cold and rainy although when we jumped it wasn’t really raining so we got lucky. We wen to our group meeting for the Melford Track after lunch and bought some good hiking socks and some wool that they put between their toes or hot spots on their feet here in NZ and grabbed a cap for me. The prep meeting went well and got us really excited about tomorrow. There are people of all ages in our group. The accommodations in the “huts” seem more like lodges and even have shampoo and conditioner. That means less to pack, since we carry it all. I was surprised that we take water from the streams. No where in the USA do I know of that we can drink right from the streams. So we bring a water bottle and just fill as we go. I am hoping my hiking shoes hold up and that Sam’s ankles hold up, which have  been hurting recently- which I think might be from growing so much lately. He has grown like 6 inches this year. They gave us their backpacks to take and also their raincoat which are more like ponchos. I will need to repack tonight. 

We finally mad up to the Sky City gondola today that looks over the lake and region. At the top they have a luge run, which is a lot like Park City’s alpine slide, although the track is more like a road race track. Sam and I raced three times down the track, getting up one rail and almost flipping a coupe times. I kept yelling, we can’t get hurt before our hike! But we were racing all out. It was such a fun evening and day with Sam. We grabbed a cookie from the “Cookie Bar” which I had been dieing to go to for the past few days. I was hoping they would be as good as the “Cookie Bear” in Park City 20 years ago, but sadly not. But a nice treat to celebrate a fun day. Jus going to get our backpacks ready and everything packed. We will be out of cell and internet service for the next few days until next Saturday, so don’t be alarmed Mom and Dad, when I don’t post.  Love NZ! Love Queenstown! This place is truly the adventure Captiol of the world. Looking forward to when we get back to Sky Dive hopefully on Monday and also fit in the Shotover Jet Boat when we get back to Queenstown. 

Today I was sorry to miss Ashton’s farewell and David’s homecoming. Wishing them well and was thinking of them, it being Sunday in Utah, and would have loved to hear them both speak. xxoo

Be taking the plunge!

Our girl, Sunny