We have been kicking back in Queenstown for the last few days waiting for the weather to change on the west coast, and enjoying the change in pace. The focus has taken an interesting turn from photography… to well… adrenaline junky. It is impossible to keep your feet on the ground in this city. Every time you turn a corner there is a business trying to get you sign your life away on a release and then jump off this or that. I think they should have a general waiver to sign when you arrive in Queenstown that basically says “I am young and stupid” because we must have signed a dozen of those things! Then you can choose your doom when you feel the impulse. Anyway, it gets a bit addictive and once you get over the cost of these ventures you feel much more free and empowered to do so. Blaine and I are typically NOT into the “touristy” stuff, but when you spend more then a day here your defenses go down and it all starts looking like a good idea. I figured if we did it all then it would be out of our system. It might be for Blaine (he threw up after hang gliding, lol) but I seem enjoy the stomach in throat feeling. The series of plunges are as follows; jet boating through a narrow canyon doing 360’s at 80km/h, bungee jumping off a 142 ft. bridge and stopping only about a foot from touching the water below (for the cameras safety, otherwise you go for a dip!), hang gliding off Coronet Peak at 6,000 ft over cliffs, and jumping out of a plane (skydiving) at 12,000 ft., the same height as the tallest mountain in NZ. The only activity that we couldn’t bring our cameras on was the skydiving… so we paid extra to have another skydiver jump with and take pics and video (he had a helmet cam with a video and still cameras, and fired the camera by biting on a release in his mouth!)… well worth the extra money for the memories! It took a little persuading to take our cameras on the bungee and hang glide, glad we did though! Enjoy the photos! Skydive photos are courtesy of NZONE skydiving.
Warming up!
a few hours later...
Blaine starting to get sick...
Can you see Blaine?
Here's Blaine trying not to puke again or pass out, and wondering why he let me talk him into all of this :)
The next morning...
Call us crazy, but I say bring it on!
On this weeks "clipboard of fun", sea kayaking in Milford Sound, a boat cruise, and hiking a glacier. Merry Christmas everyone!
4 comments:
y'all are so much fun!
we're sitting in texas, jealous. ;)
I love seeing you 2 having so much fun...it makes me smile :)
Beth and Blaine:
What an adventure! I can't wait to see what your children say when they see these photos, eh. But, the boat ride looked almost as exciting as jumping out of a perfectly good airplane or testing the length of a rubber band. You might get me on a hand glider though. Merry Christmas, Michigan Dad
hahaha, blaine puked! that's awesome!
Bethany's expressions are WAY better in all the actions pics.
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