Gimp Boy Goes to Hollywood

Well well everyone. I have done some awesomely crazy stupid stuff the past 2 days!! Two days ago, here in Queenstown still, we decided to go swinging. Only, this is something you won't find in the states, called the Canyon Swing, and you can see some pics on my other picture site! Basically, you stand at a platform on the edge of the canyon, 109 meters above the river and then jump. But, since they wouldn't just let us jump straight and made us to a backwards jump the first time. It was a lot of fun and pretty scary! You go backwards but instead of straight down, you kind of angle, swinging with a freefall of 60 meters like a pendulum. Then, since it was so cheap to go again, we all decided to jump again, doing what they call "Gimp boy goes to Hollywood". This is where they first strap Gimp Boy, a doll to you, and then you get strung upside down, hanging over the canyon, and you have to arc your back really far and put your arms ahead of you so you look like Superman flying straight for the ground. This was even more scarier, but a little easier since they pull a ripcord for you, counting from 5 and pulling before they get to 1!! You then rocket again into the canyon at, they say about 150 kph. Much more intense and I remember watching the rock just blurr before me as I fell.

The next day, since we were happy enough with throughing ourselves at the ground, now 3 times, including skydiving, we would go bungy jumping. I have pretty much never been so scared before in my life and was quite quiet as we were driven to the canyon to jump and waiting in the gondola. Oh yes, we didn't jump from a pretty firm bridge that doesn't move like most people, but from a gondola, held by about 4 cables across a canyon again, holding 25 of us. Also, to make it worst, you take a smaller gondola to the jump pod and this gondola has a see-thru floor and you can't even pretend that you aren't super high in the sky. But, possibly the scariest thing of all, is that this was the highest bungy jump in New Zealand! I believe it was also the 3rd highest in the world. Most bungy jumps are around 100 to 140 ft but this one was 450 ft in the air, 3 times higher than any in the States, or most other bungies in the world! Everything is very small when you are that high! So, I had about 14 people go ahead of me and they all were saying it was great, but I still wasn't reasured. It then came time for me and I walked up to the chair where they attached the 1.5 inch bungy cord to my ankle. I then had to stand up and take baby steps, since my ankles were hooked together, to the plank that was about 2 meters away but they worst was the actual plank that was about 1.5 ft long. I looked down at first at was scared enough, so I stared at the tree far ahead of me, on a hill, and kept asking if I was at the edge yet. Then, I was finally at the edge, where they threw the cord down in front of me. Then came the countdown of a lifetime! 5 (holy crap) - 4 (I shouldn't be here) - 3 ( I hate these 3 for bringing me here) - 2 (NNNOOOO!!!!!) - and 1. I was gone and willingly flying towards the ground. My hands are sweating now as I think about it! This was such a rush and then I felt the tension of the cord, 8.4 seconds later, screamed a few things and felt great! I think I had one of the biggest smiles I've had when I was pulled up and standing back in the pod, so happy for myself, not caring that I apparantly look a little funny as I jumped. I had just accomplished one of the things I thought I would never do and couldn't have been happier, the feeling afterwards was second to skydiving though. They then asked if we were going to jump again for cheaper. Oh yes, it was National Nude Bungy Day! jump again it was $79, jump in undies it was $59, and jump naked it was $39. No worries mom and dad, I said NO! and was happy when we arrived back on solid ground! We then actually got to watch as 3 guys and 1 girl did bungy naked and Chris and I kind of wished we had done it, but I have no regrets really.

Anywhase, now we have no more scary stuff to do for a while, water sports will come in the summer time, still a little cool here. Also, many of you were wondering why I am not working. This is because we have the RV for 1 more week and we aren't in a town for more than 3 days so in a week, we will look for jobs! But, I will talk more later as we are leaving Queenstown now and heading to Dunedin. Cheers.

David