It's the journey that matters: Makarora and Queenstown with a jump in the sky

Left Franz Joseph, we moved south towards Makarora, passing by Mt Cook and other absolutely stunning sightseeings...

Photo by Maria Teresa Salvati

Mt Cook was named this way after Captain James Cook arrived and it's one of the highest mountains in New Zealand with its 3,764 metres. It's surrounded by an amazing National Park and if the day it's clear, you can see the reflection of the mount in the lake...it's pretty spectacular, though we weren't that lucky! It was slightly breezy and the reflection wasn't as the ones you see in the postcards, but hey...look at the pictures! :)

And the surprises never end in New Zealand...when you feel you've seen a stunning place, ready to digest it and maybe write some emotions on a paper, there you are invaded by another storm of sensations!

Photo by Maria Teresa Salvati

In fact, Beggins told us that if we wanted, just with a 30 minutes walk, we could see happy water falls! Well, is not the Iguazu Falls, but it was really cool...around the Thunder Creek Falls there was an absolute tourqoise water where the bravest of us jumped and had a quick swim, before heading back to the next stop!

Steve and I were finally brought to the place where to jump with a 45 seconds free fall, before the parachutes opens! Skydive, yeah!!!
Eugene, my master kept saying that he had learned just the day before how to jump, so he hoped all went well! He was a fun guy, with half Italian blood!
What can I say?? If I had more money left I'd definitely do it again!! It was definitely the highlight of my trip in terms of emotions...pure adrenaline!! Nothing to be scared about...except that (apparently) a few months before a guy that was jumping with his master got in a bit of troubles...the master had a heart attack and the guy, when realised what was going on, managed to unlock the emergency parashute...and, while he was safe, the master died! I have to say that they didn't explain us what to do in case of emergency!!! Ouch...
Apart this isolated episode, if you can, jump!! It's worth it!

And then we arrived in Queenstown where we had a big night in the Base bar and most of us was ready for some activity!!
Queenstown is the "adventure capital of the world" where you can do every type of activities you can imagine! I'd say, 80% of our bus signed in for the bungy jumping!! Here there is one of the highest point to jump in the world...if I remember well, it was around 240 metres high...I only saw pictures and videos and I had headache only at seeing them!! Not for me, for sure!! For some reason I feel bungy is the too scary for me!!

Christchurch was the last destination...a quick city wondering around with Carston, some great pictures at the botanic garden and in the streets...