17DEC2019 – DAY 4: THE INTRODUCTION

All together at last, we took quick ride out to the Kawarau Bridge Bungy Center to watch some of our group members go bungy jumping at the first bungy area of the trip. After having been in a motor vehicle accident just before this trip, I didn’t feel up to doing any high-thrill adrenaline-pumping activities. Instead I focused on sightseeing, trying to make connections with other members of the group, and enjoying myself during this time in a world away from home. I stood on the viewing platform and watched as one-by-one, the jumpers jumped. Once the last jumper had been hoisted back up, we made our way to a local craft brewery for a tasting. Here, I tried the hard cider sample that was provided and found it to be “not horrible”. After hanging around the brewery for a bit, we were then dropped back off near the hotel in Queenstown and I went to go find some lunch. Not more than 5 blocks from the hotel was Fergburger, home of the world-famous Fergburger! To get my lunch, consisting of a Fergburger and a side of chips (or fries as they are more appropriately known), I waited for much longer than anyone ever would for a simple burger back in the United States. It took 45 minutes waiting in line crossing several storefronts before I got to the counter to place my order and then stood in the overcrowded shoulder-to-shoulder waiting area for another 15 minutes before my burger was handed to me. I briskly returned to the hotel, sat down on my bed, and took a large bite out of the burger which ended up surpassing my expectations of what a burger could be. The time spent waiting was absolutely worth the end result and I would highly recommend anyone who visits Queenstown, NZ to stop by Fergburger and enjoy their world-famous burger. I spent the rest of the afternoon talking with as many of our group members as I could before we ended up heading out into the town to find dinner. Searching for a restaurant that would accommodate 16 people without a reservation proved quite difficult. However, as some people grew too hungry to continue searching and broke off to find their own food, our party shrunk down to 11 people and we found an Italian restaurant that was able to fit us in. After dinner our party headed over to meet the rest of our group at the Ice Bar. The Ice Bar was a bit chilly at -12 degrees Celsius (10 degrees Fahrenheit), but for me that was a typical Winter day in the northeastern United States and I wasn’t bothered by the temperature as most of the other people were. Everything in the Ice Bar was made out of ice, including the bar counter, the seats, the sculptures, the glasses, and even the trash can. We were each provided a Grizzly Bear cocktail for free, additional drinks would be extra with an increased price if you needed a new glass (ice shatters when dropped). Needless to say there were more than a few broken glasses by the end, though I was able to maintain mine throughout the 2 additional Grizzly Bears I had which was likely due to the grip on the gloves I brought with me. Later that night, we made our way to a karaoke bar and were each given a complimentary shot upon entry. I still have no clue what kind of shot it was, except that it was a bit frothy on top and felt interesting sliding down my throat. No sooner had karaoke begun than one of the guys started with belting out the first song of the night: Breaking Free from High School Musical. It truly was a sight to behold and great fun! Other top songs that were enjoyed included Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel, Toxic by Britney Spears, Wannabe by the Spice Girls, and what seemed to be an odd choice, Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus. When Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen came on, I was handed the microphone and urged to go for it. Luckily for everyone else, that is one song that doesn’t crack my voice when singing. That, coupled with the fact that I actually know all the lyrics, the tune, the timing of the instrumentals, and I love the song made it the perfect choice for me to sing. As our time in the karaoke bar came to an end, most of us headed back to the hotel to get ready for bed in preparation for the next day’s activities.