The Danish

After a lovely sleep in on Friday morning I rose and after breakfast I decided to take a walk down the road to the backpackers to review some flyers for queenstown and other things. Whilst there I ran into the two Danish lads I'd met in Fiji on Manta-Ray and Beachcomber, so we caught up. Christian was casually hard at work on his computer attempting to earn some money, he's been playintg on-line poker for the past year and a half on the European circuit. He show'd me he was playing 9 tables at once and noted that some people play up to 30 tables at any given stage.

They were in the hunt for a cheap coupe as they will be in NZ for the following month they'd decided to buy a car and drive. I thought this to be a brill idea and only wish I could do the same (maybe I'll start playing online poker).
Leaving as I had to pick maks up from Kindy, we later caught up on Sunday where I found out they'd purchased a 1993 Honda Prelude for $2.5k - they take possesion today (Monday) and will be heading north to start their journey (keep left boys)

I caught up with them back at the hostle and Christian wanted to do the Sky Jump off the Auckland sky tower. I said if he does it then I'll do it also (during my travels in Fiji I mentioned it several times as a must do so figured that I better experience it first hand) so we trudged up the road and watched someone jump and for someone like me who is completely freaked of heights the nerves started to kick in.
We walked up to the booth and booked ourselves in and so many times I wanted back out but just kept my mind positive reassuring myself, trust the equipment.
Once we got up there the true fear factor started to kick in, I was the second to go and told the guys that if I don't go now I'll never go.
What happens is that after they recheck your harness you step up onto the cat walk (you must understand that as I'm typing this my heart beat has quickened) where they clip you into a safety line and walk you out to where they clip you to the cable.

There's a moment while they are doing this that you have a good chance to look down and around and my nerves are now reaching maximum levels and my hands begin to tremble. Before you jump you have your photo taken just moments before you leap to an uncertain doom where your leaning out over the edge as they count down 3,2,1 (at this point your supposed to let go) but for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to let go and believe me I tried but my survival instincts had kicked in. Your leaning out over the edge griping to poles on your left and right, your brains sends a message to your hands but it takes forever for the message to get there. Then the brain receives a message from the hands which roughly translate F#*% NO !!!!

The countdown commences for a second time... 3,2,1... then I let go and fell 5 meter's as your heart is beating as fast as physically capable and nearvs now beyond any previous recorded level. As you dangle around 187 meters above the ground you look up as you have your photo taken before being released and you rocket to the ground screaming as the bulls eye target once small becomes ever larger. The speed you fall at is increadiable and a complete rush as the wind rushes against your face where the fall only decelerates at the very last metre as you softly touchdown.
I was suffering complete shock, dismay and lost all my senses as it took me time to realise just what had happend. I was told to look at the camera for my dvd but with wobbly legs I only managed a somewhat casual effort to wave as I was shaken up like a Martini ready for James Bond. As I approaced the bench to sit down my hands were shaking from the surge of adrenalin and nerves and was wobbly for about 5 minutes. Once we were all down they asked "So who would like to do a second jump for free?"
DARN IT, ok why not figuring it would be easier a second time round, well it is and it isn't. The ride down the second time was nice, but letting go is still an issue that will only come the more times you do it. I had a mental thought run through my mind that when they start counting I'll send a brain wave immediately from my brain telling my hand to let go so once it gets there it will be on the count of 1. But still it was hard to let go but not nearly as bad or as embarrasing as my first jump. I landed the second with relative ease and felt comfortable and just fine, the only difficult thing looking back is just the point of letting go, sounds easy but wow, did I have some issues up there.

Later that evening I picked the lads up from their hostle and we went for a bbq at my mate's house so they could not only a decent meal but learn how the kiwi's do it.
They seemed to not only enjoy the meal but learn't how to test if a steak is done, we tought them several things including "SWEETAZ".
The night went on with a few laughs, exchange of stories and beer, good beer (speights) along with a fine meal and a few round of cards.

The evening went by fast and soon we were headed back home.
At this point the boys have most likely picked their car up and adjusting to driving on the left as they head north, all with the knowledge of how to prepare and cook a good steak.