Day Seven - final day in Queenstown and the Bungy Jump

Today we had a nice sleep in.   We were thankful for a decent night of undisturbed sleep.

The bathroom in this room is much better albeit rather small; I could at least have a shower properly.    The room is tired and some of the design aspects were not thought out – like the toilet and hand basin with shelving in a strange place!  All a bit tight.

Breakfast was in a different restaurant this morning, so access was not such a mission this morning.     The restaurant was crazy busy, with at least two tour bus loads as well as all the Car Club members.   

After breakfast while Pete packed the car I checked out at Reception.

At 10.30am we had the actual AGM – the only official part of the weekend.    Here we go again – the mission to get to the room.    I made my way down the lift to the staff area to try and work out how to get to the room, which was downstairs, then down a further four steps.   I found a corridor but access appeared to be blocked by two large couches!     So back upstairs.   The Reception was busy with all the guests checking out, so I resorted to asking a Barman in the Lounge Bar to help me.   He was somewhat new but was happy to try and help, along with Brett McWilliams who discovered I seemed to be having trouble.    Back down the lift, the barman and Brett move the couches, and then we found the door was locked from the other side!    So said barman went back up in the lift, down the stairs to the room and opened the door.  We were in – oh but wait there is a problem, there is another four steps down to the room where were meeting in!   Boy this hotel is NOT ACCESSIBLE at all!

Eventually Pete turned up and helped me down!  I was exhausted by this time and pretty stressed.     The AGM was held – took about an hour, with no dramas or controversy.

Pete announced to all present we were off to do the Bungy Jump, and as it was on the way to the lunch venue (Gibbston Winery) he would be keen to have an audience!   Pete had booked for 12 noon.   

The Bungy Jump is about 20 minutes from where were staying so we all jumped into our cars and headed off as we did not have much time to hang around.

At the Bungy Jump we reported to the Jump counter to redeem the voucher.   At this point I was told I could do the jump if I wanted as they catered for disabled jumpers!  Ah NO!   Pete was the jumper.    He duly got kitted out and weighed – yes weighed and the number was written on his hand 114!    Pete was full of bravado and along with about 20 odd club members we headed to the platform to watch.   The venue was undergoing renovations so the disabled viewing platform was closed, so I had to get out of the chair and walked down a few shallow steps – there was plenty of club members ready to help.  Someone commented on the number on Pete’s hand “gosh they pump them through if Pete is number 114” When I told her it was his weight she was gobsmaked!   Granted Pete was wearing jeans with his heavy boots on, so it wasn’t quite as bad as it sounded!

So to the jump – Pete was the only jumper at this time so we all took over the platform to watch.    For the first time in 20 years I saw Pete nervous – we could all see him taking a few deep breathes before jumping.   Jump done!   The obligatory shouts where heard as he went down – all over in a few seconds!      When Pete eventually arrives back up for the long walk up the steps, he reckoned the steps were the killer!    

Pete purchased the photos of the jump which were $45!   The jump would have cost $180, which included a white tee-shirt, but everything else is extra; and boy do they know how to charge!  

Ready!

Here we go!

Wohoo! 

As our flight home was 2.30pm we didn’t have time to go to the club lunch so said our goodbyes and headed off to the airport via the petrol station to fuel up the car.

The airport was frantically busy, but we managed to park the car and get into the terminal in good time.   At check in the first thing the Air NZ lady said “Ah I see you have jumped” - the tell tale number on the hand!    Once checked in and my chair put through the Oversize check in, we proceeded to find something to eat.   

Almost without expectation Airport dining facilities are just ‘factories’ pushing out awful food, even the coffee was pretty bad.   Something that really annoys me, as it is the last thing people remember sometimes – not good.

The flight home was uneventful.