I fell exactly 43 meters from Kawarau Bridge, outside of Queenstown, New Zealand, attached to a glorified rubber band. I know because it is written on my certificate next to my nationality and a persuasive, chest-swelling blurb about my courage. Even after you have already jumped off the bridge, the team at AJ Hackett Bungy is still trying to convince you that it was a good idea.

I must have watched the sky shoot upward like a spent frame on a film projector and seen a swift, bubbling maw of water open before me. All I remember, however, is how cold it was on the edge of the anti-instinctual precipice and hearing a young guy with what looked like a dishtowel and a hook say:

“Don’t worry mate. We hardly ever lose anyone!”

With activities ranging from paragliding to canyon swinging, Queenstown is often touted as the adventure capital of the world. It rests in a state of Venetian surrealism, nestled between a remarkable mountain range and Lake Wakatipu in the Southern Lakes Region. Though some hitchhike, bike or get a local flight, it is most sensibly accessed by bus or rental car from either of the South Island’s larger airport hubs, Christchurch or Dunedin.

Its remoteness, coupled with the extreme nature of its offerings means that Queenstown is somewhat more expensive than other attractions in New Zealand. The good news is you get what you pay for. A perfect example is the Fergburger, a food stand on 42 Shotover Street. Though Fergburger will probably coax a ten-spot out of your pocket, you are sure to find yourself in the nearby park later, lying in distended bliss and praying for their continued well being. “Viva la Fergburger!”

Likewise, the Backpackers and other accommodations are approximately one third more expensive than usual, but a place like the Black Sheep Backpacker’s Lodge has 24-hour reception, two hot tubs and a bar to match their rates. The proprietor gave me a free beer when I checked in, and I walked the seven seconds to the street where I could see the Skyline Gondola on Bob’s Peak. It is a great short-hike to the top in the daytime and the backlit bits can be seen floating ethereally overhead after sunset. Bring your own blanket to the Backpackers if you can. I would have frozen were it not for the kindness of a snowboarding Korean gentleman.

Food and accommodation aside, the supreme reason for any Queenstown trip is, of course, the bungy jump. The launch pad is the AJ Hackett building at the corner of Shotover and Camp streets in town. I arrived with a loosely connected group of fellow students from the University of Otago, in Dunedin. Groups of people mulled around, cracking anxious lies about how they could not wait. I made no such pretense, but forked over my hundred and forty New Zealand bones just the same.  Read More...