Queen for a Day

Nov 23

Quenstown. Adventure Capitol of New Zealnad. Home of the Jet boat. Land of the Bungee jumper., skydiver,parasailer, you name it.

What am I going to do? Jet boat for sure – no wake, high speeds, 360 degree turns next to cliffs. I can’t wait. You have to wear a helmet. They had an accident yesterday. Big news. Hit a rock. Five people injured. Not badly. I’m going tomorrow; they should have that rock moved by then! Seriously, 8:30 tomorrow.

But guess what I did today? Took a ride in the gondola. Yep, that gondola goes right up to the peak 2,500 feet above Queenstown. And as I was riding by myself up in that little, enclosed gondola I.m thinking what a beautiful view  this is and it’s really, really getting steep and high so I better not think about how difficult it will be for me to run off the cliff with the paragliding guy. Yep, today I decided to go paragliding, hanging from a parachute. I asked the lady at the desk if it was dangerous, and she laughed and said “Everything’s dangerous here.” So I booked it.

At the top of the peak I went to the hut and found my instructor, Clark, as in Kent,( I’m thinking that’s a good sign)and was really relieved to find out no one solos here, it’s all with an instructor. Because after the ride up I knew there was no way I could just run off a mountain alone. I wasn’t sure I could do it with someone! I also run into the man who thought I was a stalker back at the Glow worm caves. Small world. He is with his wife and baby and they are going to take turns gliding. I then relate how many of the same people I keep running into in each town. I don’t think he thinks I’m a stalker anymore. Then Clark grabs this huge pack and we take a chair lift up a couple hundred more feet and get off and he says it won’t work from there, the winds not right so we need to climb up about 10 minutes. I’m thinking, this is not what I paid for, a mountain hike. And then I almost died. This was up the mountain, through the woods and beyond the tree line. This was not a stroll on a golf course. I was gasping, gasping for breath, my face was beet red and my thighs were starting to quiver and lock. I had to keep stopping and I know Clark is thinking “I got stuck with the out of shape old lady who is going to roll down the hill on takeoff.’ He kept stressing I needed to be able to walk then run for takeoff. And I’m thinking, then give me a frigging ride to the top! I really wasn’t sure I would make it. As we got near the top Clark just finally left me to go get ready. I was relieved, it was so embarrassing.

Once at the top I slowly got my pulse back to merely racing and was able to talk without gasping. There were a few people up there ready to watch. Who takes a walk like that for fun??? As they get the gear ready, the young woman and I kind of peer out over the edge of the hill and look worriedly at each other. It’s not quite a cliff. It’s like a double black diamond ski run. You’re at the top and can’t see over the edge. Clark tells me we will be harnessed together, me in front, and we have to power walk, then run down the hill. I’m thinking, whoa, he’s tall and fit; I’m short and barely alive right now. I ask what happens if I trip. I’m sure he’s thinking I’m his worst nightmare. I mean, the other woman is wondering about falling too it; she’s just too young and proud to say it. I’m imaging tripping and both of us tangling and going head over heels in a big ball of ropes and sails down the hill until we smash into the trees. Clark says something noncommittal.  He puts me into a heavy harness/ seat contraption and tells me I’ll be sitting once we get in the air. Then he tells me exactly where to put my hands and not to touch anything else. I know what that means – don’t accidently eject yourself.

Then it’s time for us to go. The other guys are waiting for us. Again, Clark says do exactly as he says, when he says. Power walk fast, then run. I’m thinking I don’t really run, but…. He starts forward and tells me to walk fast. I walk fast with this heavy crap on my back and a tall guy matching my steps and try not to think of the cliff just a couple feet away. I really don’t see myself running down the side of a mountain. We are at the edge and I’m pumping my little legs as best I can, trying not to look down that cliff and Clark says “we’re up”. I think I was running in the air. I was so terrified of falling down that hill I wasn’t even scared I was suddenly 2,500 feet in the air. It was cool! We were sailing along looking down at the lake and back at the mountain. We started making big lazy loops and catching all sorts of wind so we rode up another 600 feet. I was laughing and talking and just enjoying being up there. The wind would go whistling past as we turned. We went around and looked at the other side of the mountain and out over the lake and could see all the different colors of water at different depths. Clark pointed out the ski hills over at the Remarkables. I think Clark liked me now – I didn’t get us killed. As we went out over the lake he took a bunch of pictures and then a movie as he went into really fast, tight turns. This particular company is called G Force Paragliding and is known for doing some really fun, fast turns to mimic G Forces and as we were coming into the landing area Clark did a bunch of these and they really were incredible. I couldn’t move my head and I thought I might throw up they got so intense.

The landing area is the playground of a school. Clark tells me to put my legs out straight and then hop and stand up when we land. I have no idea what he means. I put my legs out in front of me, see some kids leaving the area and another paraglide instructor right in front of us, and the next thing I know, I’m standing up. At least I didn’t embarrass myself there. I get a DVD and photos of the whole thing and walk away feeling pretty good. I watch a lady land sitting down and feel even better. I came, I huffed and puffed, I conquered. And the whole rest of the day I coughed with asthma from the climb up the mountain.

 I’m thinking of zip lining after the jet boat….