So waking up fairly early again in Taupo, Tom and I set off for the days activities. It had already been pre-planned since I got to NZ that I would do a bungy jump at some point. I did a skydive last year for the Lincolnshire Air Ambulance and it was an incredible experience. I thought bungy jumping would be just the same! But before we could do that we went Jet Boating. Our driver was called Jeremy and he was quite a character! He teased all of his passengers with jokes based on which part of the world they were from. He asked Tom and I if we had suncream under out waterproofs and bullied the only Australian rider from start to finish!
William and Kate enjoyed a jet boat ride the week previous on their visit to NZ. Exact same thing, except we went with a different company. We got to see the Huka Falls close up, and we believed this was the way to see it.
(Please note these photos are not my own, I didn't dare take my camera on board the jet boat incase I lost it over the edge during the on-the-spot 360 spins we did!
The boat was such a thrill. We raced passed (and towards!) cliff walls, trees and river debris with inches to spare before Jeremy would spin away - water splashing above us in all directions. We didn't get wet from the ride, besides the odd bit of spray.
Next up was the bungy jump. Tom had already done one when he first arrived in NZ and refused to do it again. Not being afraid of heights and believing it would be like free falling during a sky dive (my favourite part!) I was hyped up and ready... at least, until I was strapped up and found myself waddling over to the edge of the platform. The guy who straps your legs together and attaches you to the bungy cord is from just across the river from me. He was from Hull. And he pushed me. He actually pushed me off the platform. *naughty word.*
My stomach stayed on the platform while the rest of me hurtled towards the water beneath. It's only a small bungy jump, at just 74 meters above the river, and lasts for literally 4 Missisipie seconds - but it felt like an age until my head and torso were submerged into the water on my first fall. Then there was the bouncing back up - and feeling that bungy snap back was probably the worst part of it! I bounced, dangling in the air with a thin rope preventing me from plummeting back into the water until a couple of guys on a dingy came to my rescue with a long pole, which I had to grab hold of before they could release me from the bungy contraptions.
Off the boat and back on dry land, my adrenaline levels were so high I ran up the hill back to Tom who was recording the whole thing! Now folks, I have got to be the unfittist 21 year old ever - I can barely walk a meter uphill let alone run up one - and it was a proper hill, a hill-hill - almost a mountain actually.
The video makes me cringe every time, so I'll not upload it here for the world to point and laugh at (but I will if theres a high demand, have to give my fans what they want! ;) )
Back in the car I logged onto my Facebook page to find my friends and family were celebrating my birthday back home. Mom and Dad had hosted a 21st Birthday party on my behalf at the pub. They sent me a video singing "Happy Birthday", and I cried. Like a baby. For hours.
Finally, we took the two hour long car journey to Tauranga, where we were to go on a tour of....
More on this tomorrow! ;)
Shellby
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