Sujata stayed at home, and I got to spend the day hanging out with Vivek and Suchi instead! We were saddened, but found ways to cope by beer tasting, wine tasting, food tasting, trekking through beautiful territory on foot, and, oh yeah, jumping off a goddamn bridge. Twice.

Activities:

• After hearing about the Ohio family's adventures bungy-ing off the Queenstown Bridge, I, too, wanted to try my hand at something outrageous. My adrenaline was already pumping from the blackwater rafting, so I told Sujata I wanted to do it, and she suggested the bungee off the Auckland Bay Bridge. She held me to it, and the next morning I found myself booked for the 9:30 jump courtesy of Suchi. Gulp. I felt the same pre-race jitters you feel before a really big race, and went into the same, silent, please-don't-talk-to-me mode. Eeep!
• Bungee Jumping:
• It was cold and raining all morning. Vivek dropped Suchi and me off at the bungee place. She offered to go up with me (but not jump). Our entire group was comprised of women, all of us first-timers. 
• I debated texting how much "I loved you" to Max, but I demurred on the basis I would freak him the fuck out
• We walked the long climb up to the jump area in silence, corded to the rails of the bridge via our jump harness
• I was first, again, and assisted by the two jump techs
• They insisted I jump face forward first, although I thought it was a much better idea to go backwards first. However, I followed their advice on this one.
• I was actually completely calm and cool (ask Suchi) until I walked out on the plank. Then I looked down, then looked at the tech next to me and said "I don't think I can do this." He looked me back, squarely in the eyes, and said "Yes you can."

The face of confidence

• The jump tech cried out suddenly "1-2-3-JUMP!" and I just looked at him like hold on, wtf? Let me do my own count. He said it again, and this time I said, seriously, give me a second to take some deep breaths. On the third try, I jumped.

I am not upside down yet

• Well, fell is more like it. My first thought was Oh my fucking god it did it wrong and I'm falling feet first! It was okay though. The bungee totally flips you around.

Swish... and flip

• I think I was perfectly silent that first time until the end, when I finally let out a cry of delight. I was just taking in the view and the sensation of free falling and then suddenly rising again so high back to the bridge.
• They say to pull a cord on your 3rd bounce and it will swing you upright as they pull you back up to the jump platform. I declined this, too, and opted to be hoisted up upside down like a fish. I rather enjoyed that :)
• I immediately asked if I could jump a second time, partly since I realized the jump wasn't nearly as bad as I had made it out to be, and partly because I was embarrassed I had paused at all (the guys assured me the longest they had waited was 45 minutes for one guy to make his move).
• The girls all did their jumps, all but one needing 3 counts, too ;) Then they strapped me back in for the second. I told them this time I wanted to go backwards. Apparently I was inspiring, because 3 other girls opted to go again, too, and one backwards after she saw me.
• Backwards is so much easier

Easier

• He basically holds you out over the bridge and then just releases you whenever the fuck he wants (one of those "5-4-3... ooops you're gone" counts). I really had fun that second jump.

Victory! I jumped into thin air!

• The techs released more bungee in the hopes I would be able to touch the water, but I was still just shy of reaching it that second jump. I wasn't too bothered - it was cold and rainy and I really didn't want to freeze any more anyway.
• I wanted to do a third, this time a running jump strapped in from my chest, but at 60 bucks a pop I just couldn't bite it anymore
• Pro-tip: AJ Hackett gives a shitty commemorative shirt as memorabilia, but the photos are truly fantastic. They give prints, online downloads, and even a DVD. I totally recommend it. You also retain a 20% discount for life! (Helllooo Queenstown...)
• We stopped at Swashbuckler's, a local seafood restaurant at Westhaven Marina, just down from the Bay Bridge. I had the Pirate's Platter (argh!), which consisted of fried Dory, mussels, oysters, shrimp, crawfish, sashimi salmon, and fried scallops. The scallops were terrible (why would you deep fry those?!), but the rest was heaven. And a local brew, too, of course.

Pirate Platter for one. It's arrrh-mazingly good. Unlike this pun.

• Beer/Wine Tasting:
• As in Adelaide, I can't really recall the names of all the places we visited, but we had a blast doing it. 3 stops! One of them a local brewery.
• Hallertau Brewery has some pretty good local brews, especially their #3 Copper Red Ale. I dream of that ale. I can remember the brewery name since it was good enough I brought back a 4 pack.
• The other two were wineries. NZ is known for its Sauvignon Blancs, and the one at the next stop was so good I brought back a bottle
• On the last stop, I tasted several grapes I had never even heard of before, but nothing was quiiite good enough to get me to lug one home
• Muriwai Beach:
• Along the West Coast of Auckland we stopped at Muriwai Beach, a place that sports mountain bike trails, walking tracks, camping grounds, cliffside views, a beach so rich in iron that the sands are actually black, and the famous Gannet Colony where thousands of gannets (birds) migrate back to during the summer months to mate (they partner for life, apparently). During winter, they fly across the bay to Oz to enjoy the warmer climate.

• The walking trails are full of lush scenery, and Muriwai Beach is so rich in a variety of natural beauty that you are greeted with something new to smile at literally around every corner. 

• This place is hands-down one of my favorite, favorite memories of the trip. I tried to capture some of the magic on video, but it's impossible to do. You really have to see it to believe it :)

One of my favorite views. Vivek looks a bit stretched, but you get the idea.