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Published: November 19th 2008
Our next stop was the lake side town of Wanaka but first just outside of Queenstown was the Nevis Highwire Bungee, we had to visit.
The place was full of Japanese tourist, a coach full in fact. They were all out braving the weather taking photos of everything. The reason for the enthusiasm was that two of the young girls in the group were going to take the leap.
The Nevis Bungee is in no way the highest in New Zealand, a mere 45 metres above an ice cold glacial river. The fact that there was a howling gale and horizontal rain, made all the more reason that these girls demanded our respect. We all stood by shivering as they were harnessed up and triple safety checked. My numb hands tried to keep my video camera still as they shuffled towards the edge of the platform and waved at us bystanders. Without so much as a blink each girl swan dived into the gorge, bouncing several times and then being dragged aboard a small dingy boat that was tied to the river bank but was taught on the rope in the roaring river below. I don’t know if this
was their first bungee, if it wasn’t they should be proud of the way they handled it.
Pili and I have decided to wait until we reach Thailand or Vietnam to partake in the extreme sports side of our journey. At a $165.00 each for a few heart stopping seconds of adrenalin seems a little excessive, we have to watch our budget, we’ve a long way to go yet. Anyway we’ve been told several times that in Asia this type of thing goes for about $20, now that’s value for money!
A very rare thing happened on the road to Wanaka, just outside Cromwell. With the mountains on our left and vineyards on our right, the most amazing rainbow appeared across the valley. We could clearly see both ends touching the ground, and the most vivid colours I’ve ever seen. I stopped the van and jumped out, climbed the fence to the vineyard and made my way across the field to get closer for the pictures. The wind was still at its most violent but Pili and I persevered to get some great photos and footage.
As I was sat back in the van checking my photos
a flatbed truck came screeching to a halt right next to my driver window. A twenty something, goatee bearded redneck screamed “get off the F*%%”n’ road”, I smiled, pointed and mouthed “rainbow”, he looked dumbfounded and raced away. He had a valid point, in my haste to get across the field I’d stopped the van in the middle of the road, (anyone who has been a passenger with me when I spot a bird or any other beast will have witnessed similar exits from the vehicle I’m driving) though in my defence only about two cars an hour use this road, and it’s as straight as an arrow for 5km in front and behind. Only four million people in a country the size of the UK, the joy of it!
I guess the subtle art of photography is lost on these country folk. Have you tried to operate a camera without thumbs and with crossed eyes?
We finally reached Lake Wanaka and after a bit of messing around found an informal camp site at Albert Town reserve, right on the bank of another Glacial blue river. The guy who collected to money told us a storm was on
On the road to Cromwell
A very rare sight, a full rainbow with both ends touching groundthe way, bugger!
I steam heated the doggie bag from the Thai resturaunt, perfect, sank a couple of beers and we retired exhausted.
The next morning the sun was bright and warm, no sign of the storm yet. We had a slow start, porridge and just chilled taking in the beautiful surrounding. By midday we decided to try and get to the Glaciers before the storm arrived. We hastily packed up and hit the road towards The Fox Glacier.
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