Day 7: Paragliding, Fergburgers & Return to Christchurch (view photo set here)
Before embarking on the drive back to Christchurch Stevie D, Conrad, Tom and myself decided to go for one last adrenaline rush, a tandem paraglide from Coronet Peak!!! It was hoped that we would jump of Coronet Peak second highest peak about 1600 meters above sea level. We got to the summit, took for a few Tomoramics! Tom was king of the world/Queenstown being first one to the top (photo 2) and then Al arrived! Tom got suited up and moved down the mountain and got into jump position whilst I took a nervous preflight picture with my tandem partner “Whiz” however the wind was too swirly to jump from the summit and we were forced back to the mountain base 1168 meters above sea level.
Again we had to wait for wind. After 20 minutes it did not look like we would be able to jump, then just as we began to de-rig the wind changed and we actually jumped!!!
I must admit there were butterfly’s before take off and as the instructors had advised that due to the wind conditions we would have to get a good amount of foot speed to get lift off the mountain when Whiz said run I went for it dragging him along and continued to do the running man for a good 2-5 meters after take off…
The ride down the mountain was tremendous with the thrill of jumping off the mountain to the feeling of weightlessness/floating and taking in some more of those views (shots 2, 3 and 4), the unexpected exhilaration and embarrassment I felt after questioning Whiz,”if we could go faster” and Whiz replying, “Oh you want to do aerobatics..” the following events lead to me screaming like a star struck school girl and the video below to the relief of touching down on solid ground!

Fast paragliding facts:
- Jumped from a height of 1168 meters above sea levels
- Traveled in a forward (horizontal direction) at approximately 40 Km/hour
- Descended at a rate of about 1 meter/second
- Landed outside Queenstown approximately 395 meters above sea level
- Total vertical jump distance 772 meters, the Rialto is 251 meters for prospective.

After landing and kissing the ground… Ok!!! I fall on my ass… I noticed that Tom had Maria (who had decided to tag along on the day events) to give him a huge, whilst I have Whiz to help me dust my ass off… Where did I go wrong?
After all 4 jumpers safely landed back on the ground we returned to town, dropped Maria off to meet some friends and headed to Fergs for a departure Fergburger and the “Big Al” Vs. “Big Mac” burger off! Critical states:
The Big Mac
Two all beef patties (1/4lb each), special source, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bum.
The Big Al
Double Serving of prime NZ beef (1/2 lb each), lashings of bacon,a whole lotta cheese, 2 eggs, beetroot, lettuce, red onion, relish and a big wad of aioli (garlic mayonnaise).
The Big Al is a truly a heavy weight whilst Big/little Mac looked like he had his work cut out for him…
If in any doubt over what a mammoth of a burger the Big Al is I let the photos speak for themselves:
Before the fight the crowd grows the anticipation! Burgers in robes/wrapping enter the ring/table, burgers de-wrap, *ding ding* the battle begins, Big Al moves in for the kill AND the winner is Big Al!!! Devouring Big Mac…
After the main event Stevie D and I had the job of trying to take on a Big Al in one sitting… The task was tough as the following photos (pics 2, 3 and 4) will show note the look in Stevie D eyes as he takes his first bite!
Note, I thought availability of “Fergburger” female underwear at the store was a tasteful touch!
We then undertook the road trip back to Christchurch made it back at about 8pm before going for a drive into a quiet CBD, walked the club stretch stopped in at what seemed to be the only place open, a Chinese restaurant for tea and returned to the hotel for a night cap.