There are nine passengers crammed into the tiny turbine aircraft as it rises above the gleaming lakes and craggy peaks around Queenstown. However, there are no seats, so my two companions and I are wedged between the legs of our respective tandem jumpmasters, while our trio of cameramen do thumbs-up signs.
I am clipped to Marcus, who shows me an altimeter first at 9,000ft and then again at 12,000ft, so I know it will only be a few more minutes until we reach our maximum height of 15,000ft. I have never known fear like it.
What kinds of people choose to put themselves in a situation like this? Derek Melnick, business development manager at Nzone Skydive (nzone.biz), says: “We have had everyone from 85-year-old Scottish sisters and entire Indian families to a six-year-old Australian kid and honeymooners. We are also becoming popular as a teambuilding activity.”
If you are nervous about skydiving, it is reassuring to hear that Nzone operates 200 jumps a day during its busiest periods, and its 80-odd instructors have each performed an average of 5,000 tandems. What’s more, no one has died in the 21 years the company has been in existence. Melnick says: “Statistically, it’s safer than skiing or horse riding.”
It takes only about 15 minutes to reach 15,000ft, which is as high as Nzone will take you, and despite my fear of heights and adamant belief – up until now – that parachuting would be the last thing I would ever do, I’m soon sitting with my legs dangling in thin air with the freezing blue sky all around me.
After tumbling through the atmosphere for a few moments, I fall for about a minute at terminal velocity – roughly 200km an hour. I feel completely in control, with the cushion of billowing air beneath me creating an illusion of security until my parachute opens with a violent jolt. The green fields and indigo water below gradually grow closer, and my impact is smooth and precise. As soon as I have been unclipped, all I can think about is when I can do it again.
This part of New Zealand’s South Island is less than a two-hour flight from Auckland on the North, so is ideal for those looking to tag a few days’ holiday on to a business trip. Not only is the airy alpine resort stunning to look at as it hugs the shores of Lake Wakatipu, but it is perfectly set up for adventure sports, with the vast landscape around boasting snow-capped peaks and dense pine forests.
Almost two million visitors flock to Queenstown annually, signing up for adrenalin-fuelled activities ranging from bungee jumping, jet boating and canyon swinging to heli-skiing, mountain biking and snowboarding. In the evening, the bars heave with ruddy revellers sharing tales of their daredevil exploits, while those who have chosen more leisurely pursuits sit back and enjoy a glass of pinot noir and a bite to eat in one of the many restaurants (Pier 19 and Botswana Butchery on the waterfront are great).
Golf, fishing and excursions to goldmining centre Arrowtown, in and around which parts of The Lord of the Rings were filmed, are some of the more sedate experiences available, but I am most tempted by a half-day limousine tour of Central Otago’s wine regions. Founded in 2010 for the “discerning traveller”, Black ZQN (blackzqn.com) provides chauffeur-driven tours to remote spots such as Milford Sound fjord, where you can spot penguins, seals and dolphins.
General manager Mike Stevens picks me up in a Bentley, which whisks me to the first “cellar door” of the day. Lunch is at Northburn Station, where a sumptuous platter of cheeses, smoked salmon and merino lamb terrine is laid out in the sun, accompanied by chilled rosé from its vineyards. Our next stop is Peregrine winery, where I sup a selection of pinot gris and riesling vintages.
The following day I head for the Shotover River’s white-water rapids. One of the most nerve-wracking parts is the drive through Skippers Canyon, which begins at the top of a shaley mountain road marked by a “danger” sign. The driver goes perilously fast down the sheer, snaking trails, while pointing out which hairpin bends we will have to take with three wheels. Once in the water, we work as a team to take on rapids such as “Aftershock” and “Pinball”, and do well to lose just two crew – if only temporarily.
We finish with a helicopter flight (helicopter.co.nz) over Lake Wakatipu and up to a mossy mountain ledge, where I enjoy a glass of champagne and the freshest air I’ve ever inhaled. From here, the skydiving planes in the distance look like Micro Machines, and I wonder what I was ever afraid of.
