Stephanie and Alistair urged us to drive through Arrowtown, NZ on our way to Wanaka...a tiny bit out of the way, but well worth it, they assured us. Arrowtown is hosting the NZ PGA golf tournament this same weekend....we were worried about potential traffic...
Beautiful tree-lined streets
The entrance to an historic, beautiful church...
of course, it is Presbyterian.
Just like the Queenstown public cemetery, the burial plots are numbered and well identified
The cemetery was enclosed by this stacked stone wall.
Small town USA? No....small town NZ....Arrowtown....note the underground wiring which many of our small towns do not have.
This is for you, Lynne!
Boring again, but for only minutes this time!
Within 30 minutes from Arrowtown, we found THE bridge!!!!!!
The Bungy facility is really nice. They obviously make a lot of money from fools who will pay phenomenal sums to jump off a bridge. First a lovely, young blond lady assures you that you will have no worries making the jump. She tells you that the oldest person to jump from that bridge was 94. She then tells you that they make no refunds after you pay your $180 NZ. She then weighs you, gives you a check-list of medical problems, marks your hands for weight and jump order, gives you a ticket, and sends you to the bridge to wait in line.
Right hand is his "jump number" and left hand is his weight....in kilograms!
Tom did not visit the "Liquid Courage" bar, but he DID do the jump!!!! He had been debating even before we left home....no, that's not true....he was always GONNA do it.....till we saw it....I left him to walk around, shop, watch the videos....whatever...."whaddya think i should do?".....no answer....told him I was "staying out of this'....HIS decision (I knew he was dying to do it!) So here is Tom, stripped of all personal belongings (including his glasses and fairly brand new hearing aids), numbered like a prisoner....
After waiting and nervously watching others jump, number 27 finally comes up. Healthy looking young men carefully wrap your ankles in what looks like towels, strap them, all the while talking to you cheerfully. They finally hook you to the bungy cord. The young man asks as he hooks you up "Do you want to get wet?" No thanks, I'll stay dry!! Step up, mate!!!!
At this point, I am terrified beyond belief. "READY, SET...
GOOOOOOOO!!!! The next few nanoseconds are fairly vague in my memory as I hurled toward the rushing water.
Then you bounce a few times and it's all over.
Happy, relieved and.....proud?? The hardest part of the whole thing (not the most terrifying) is the walk back up the hill. if you are interested, there is a video online. Go to www.ididit.co.nz, Kawarau Bridge 2013, Tom Sanders, and put in the code KB1E56AA6739Z256. Just play the video -- the download takes a while.
Grateful that Tom is alive and well....seriously.....we return to a previously noticed spot on the wine trail
OF COURSE, this was a Presbyterian church!
Lamb, mushroom, red onion
Salmon, feta, capers
Our new Home in Wanaka...for one night
The first view from our room
Sun is beginning to set....second view from our room...
Beautiful.....we are loving the changing view....and struggling with a painfully slow wifi....decide to stay in and have the luxury of room service....while we blog!
Delicious salmon.....good night!
