queenstown v1.0

past the mirrored image of mt. cook and mt. tasman in lake matheson. past gillespies beach with the fur seals playing on the rocks below you. through the haast pass to cross the southern alps to wanaka. more mountains and rainbows than i thought possible in a lifetime.

there at the foot of the remarkables range and on lake wakatipu was our destination - queenstown - the adrenaline capital of the world. picture whistler, bc on andrenichrome. bungy jumping, jetboating, sky diving, paragliding, rafting. it is all here. more waivers than people. the rising commerical developments have yet to ruin the small, ski town feel. the offer of some of the best restaurants in new zealand have been shunned for fergburger - a culinary delight experience best described as being an orgasm combined with a sneeze.

i limped into town after a nasty spill at the fox glacier. unfortunately, the fall was enough to jar my shoulder, and cut my hand, elbow, thigh and leg quite badly. it even managed to put a hole in lyd's camera case and scratch her camera slightly. still recovering. and i still am firm that there was no moss on that rock. the fall came out of nowhere like a guerilla force.

we booked my bungy jump the first day we arrived, and booked it for early the next day so i would have the least amount of time to think about it. lyds had to decline due to her dodgy back, but she was a definate cheerleader and nurse for me. audrey and alex, the bro and sis combo from florida that we have been travelling with, also booked to jump with me. that night lyds konked me out with gravol. my dreams were of the nevis. note on the nevis: the nevis bungy jump, the highest in new zealand and 2nd highest in the world, is located 32km east of queenstown on the nevis river (a trib of the kawarau river). the jump is located in a canyon, and jumpers leap from a glass bottomed gondola strung out in the middle of the gorge. the distance between the gondola and bottom is 440 feet. 134m of bungy. 8-10 secs of freefalling. jumpers reach the speed of 120 km/hr.

none of us really slept well the night before. i was up as soon as light entered our dorm room. but that is why i chose the nevis. it is famous. it scared me. on the 4x4 ride there no one was really talking. everyone was instead listening to their mp3 players. lyds was with me of course. she leant audrey her mp3 player to calm her down. there was a lot of time to think about what was to come. i kept matt good rocking in my ears to raise my confidence. when we reached the site the wind threatened to call off our jumps as the canyon funnels the wind and a jumper could be blown off course. there are also rocks. the gondola was rocking. we stood by while the employees strapped the harnesses around us and tugged at this strap or that cord. then we were ferried across to the jump pod. once we had docked with the pod they started to call names out. in what seemed like ages they called out "neil?" i walked over and got suited up with the ankle clasps. then they had me sit in the chair beside the jump door. i was on deck. waiting for them to pull up the last jumper. it took forever in my mind, and i resisted looking out the door. they started attaching my rig up, and the attendent made a comment that i looked relaxed. my biggest fear was that i wouldn't be able to make myself jump, but i told him i would look worse at the door. he asked me if i had any famous last words. i told him that all the cool things i had come up with the night before were lost to me now. then it was time. bunny hops to the door with my feet attached. then aided baby steps out to the ledge of the plank. the wind on my face. the massive space in front of me ....

i must not fear, fear is the mind killer
i will face my fear
i will permit it to pass over and through me
where the fear has gone there will be nothing
only i will remain.
- frank herbert

fu*king a frankie. my mind had flatlined by the ledge. but it is get busy living or get busy dying. no guts, no glory. choose your own credo to insert.

.... a quick glance at lyds. a countdown in my ears. then i gracefully swan dived off the gondola. voluntarily and without hesitation. what a feeling of freedom! what a rush! straight shot of adrenaline as you fall. euphoria. for that moment you are a higher power. you have done something counter-intuative to everything you know. you have killed yourself and lived. it is a pure mental exercise, in both meanings of the word. but if you choose to jump, if you choose to have that moment, then you feel like you can do anything. mine was a beautiful swan dive. arms outstreched, i jumped hard out of the pod accepting the height. lyds filmed the 134m fall. a twisted bird of prey for an instant. so go to the edge of the world ... and then jump off.

i want it all. and i want to leave it all on the field. one man army.

charge.

3 neil - death 0