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In the morning when we were ready to leave the cascades creek camp site we realised we had a slight dilema.... no water tank cap was on our vehicle!?!? lost, stolen we don't know. Peter seems to think he locked it the last time he used it... Anyways it wasn't there. So we retraced our footsteps for a little bit, checking around the lane at the camp site and car parks at the divide and marian lake. Unfortunately our luck wasn't in, no sign of our water tank cap.
Once we got back to the town of Te Anau we got some phone reception... we found out it would cost us $50 for a new cap, even though we had VIP insurance, but water and fuel caps aren't included apparently! Unfortunately the garage at Queenstown, where we were heading next didn't have any in stock. So we got told to get a temporary cap until we returned to Christchurch in just over a weeks time. We had a lovely couple of hours drive to the town of Queenstown, which is the hub of the South Island. It was a nice drive with clear blue skies, snowy peaked mountains and autumn gold coloured trees. We stopped for lunch at the bottom of Lake Watatipu, Queenstown being based at the northern end of the lake another 20 minute drive away. Once in Queenstown we did a shop, where Peter had to go back to campervan for his passport so we could buy some beers.... they don't accept international driving licences in supermarkets, even though we can drive in their country with them.. so frustrating! Next mission... water tank cap! We ended up buying a rubber plug from a D.I.Y store, thankfully they let us try a couple of different ones so we knew we had one that fitted correctly. Then we checked into the top10 caravan site, 3 nights for the price of 2 was a nice suprise. That evening we just stayed at the caravan site and Lucy rang her mother to wish her a happy 60th birthday, as it was now daytime back home, us being 11hours infront. The following morning we went on skype for a while and updated the blog, before heading to the skyline gondola. This gondola took us high up above the town, with stunning views of the lake, mountains and the town itself. Up here we did 2 luge rides, firstly doing the standard course before the advanced. Both runs were hilariously funny, we had so much fun doing this activity. We even purchased 2 photos they had taken of us, one being of us on the chair lift with the beautiful landscape in the background, and the other of us racing down the hill (Lucy giggling away, whilst Peter pulls a funny face as he goes down a steeper drop).
Once back down to earth and into town we went looking around the shops. Peter bought the New Zealand rugby top and got a bonus poster with his purchase. Also treated ourselves to some coltsfoot rock and fudge from a sweet store, before lunch. What a lunch it was too.... we went to the famous Fergburger. These burgers were huge and tasted Amazing. Everytime we walked past this place it was jam packed and we knew exactly why. And then it was booking time.... what activities were we going to do the next day?? With so much to do... several bungy jumps, massive swings, skydiving, white water rafting, paragliding and speed jets on the rivers. We finally went big... we booked a day combo involving white water rafting in the morning, followed by the biggest bungy jump in australasia in the afternoon.... eeeekkk! Butterfly time!
Before heading back to the caravan site, Peter had a well overdue haircut to get rid of the mop on his head. After a few lovely chilled beers we went back into town... mainly to try to take Lucys mind of the bungy jump. We had abit of fun and won some cash at the casinos. Oooo and we went fergburger again, haha. Lucy didn't sleep much that night unfortunately, to much going around her head about the following day.
After breakfast we walked into town and checked ourselves in for the first of the days activities. To get to the start of the rafting we had to travel on one of the worlds most dangerous roads, skippers rd. Its a one laned gravel rocks track that bends its way through the mountains and down a valley, with very steep drops at the side. We made it in one piece! We got changed into our rafting gear... alot of gear it was too.
After a briefing we got split up into different rafts and set off down river. There were 6 of us on our raft along with our guide. Think we got the thick persons raft!! A big guy called John nearly fell in twice... and that was when we weren't even going through any rapids. Tom being the other... just plain and simple.. dumb in fact, doing the exact opposite all the time! These two idiots were at the front of our raft too which made it even harder work. We rafted down river for 2hours, doing a range of rapids from grade 2-5. Due to the river level being low, it was very stop starty and slow at times which was a slight disappointment. Our feet were freezing come the end of the 2hours on the river. At one point a ginger lad fell out of one of the other rafts... his words after were 'thought i was goner then'. He was perfectly fine just so you know.
After changing back into our dry clothes we went back into town where we grabbed a quick bite to eat, not to much though before our bungy jump. Then we grabbed the camera from the caravan site before checking and weighing in at the bungy desk. The bus journey to the nevis bungy was 35minutes... Peter didn't look too good, alot of thoughts going around his head, whilst Lucy had thought everything through too much previously and felt abit better. When we arrived at nevis, we got buckled up and then weighed in for a final time. Nerves definitely kicking in when we saw the bungy itself. A platform hanging from wires in the middle of a massive deep valley, scary! The cart over on the cable to the platform could only take 6 people at once, Peter went on the first whilst Lucy waited for it to return before she made her way over. Before Lucy arrived Peter had watched 2 or 3 people successfully do the bungy. Lucy was nervous and just as she finished getting her leg straps on... her name was called out! She was up next as one girl had backed out at the last minute. No time to think, she made her way forward and through the gate... getting checked over by the instructor Robby, she kept saying 'i can't do it'... but still edging towards the edge of the platform. After a pep talk from Robby she went, jumping off the platform, falling 134m for around 8.5 seconds... Loving every second of the fresh air hitting her body as she fell. Peter watched from above, soooo proud of her. After a couple of bounces Lucy pulled a strap which turned her around so she was sat up and not dangling head down. When she finally got pulled back onto the platform, her face was a picture of joy and happiness :-D. Peter was now even more nervous... He couldn't back out now after Lucy had actually gone and done it! He was up next... Robby talking to him and telling him about the strap to pull to turn him upright after the jump had finished. Peter walked to the edge of the platform like a penguin, taking big deep breaths, not looking down and just looking out towards the mountains. 3... 2... 1... Dive off the platform he went. Amazing feeling freefalling, and the relief when you bounce at the bottom near the river. Instead of pulling the strap to turn himself upright, Peter didn't. He just held onto it and came all the way back upside down.. the plonker. Robby shouting down 'what are you doing you idiot?' haha.
Nevis Bungy.... what an experience and one neither of us will ever forget. Back on land we purchased the video and photos, whilst receiving a free nevis bungy t-shirt. Our wristbands we bought say 'Nevis - go big or go home'... we definitely went big.
The bus back into town was certainly much more enjoyable than the journey there. After a well deserved mcd's we went to bed, although we didn't sleep much as we couldn't stop talking about what we had just done :-D.
The next day we left Queenstown after uploading our photos and sending a package back home, and also enjoying a freshly baked cookie from cookie time.
Queenstown is pretty amazing... could spend sooo much money there and do sooo much, adrenaline capital of the world! We loved it :-D
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