Oxbow Adventures in Wanaka – Day 130

Today we are going to have the manliest day ever it’s a dude’s stag day out stuff that we’re doing today so I put the buff on my head I look like Rambo and I look like i’m a hunter that loves car and big machines.

This morning we are heading toward the Oxbow Adventure Company we were supposed to be doing some skydive but despite the weather being stunning the wind is too high for us to be able to fly today so it is postponed to a few days from now but we will still get our adrenaline rush as we arrive in what is the manliest guy shed I’ve ever seen in my life. There is a lot of big engine stuff massive jet boat a massive truck a helicopter and heaps of beer. This is the man shed of your dream.

There are a few different adventure activities to be had at Oxbow and Robin and I decided to split the activities so Robin’s going to be doing the jet sprint boat I am gonna be doing this 4×4 off roading adventure in a machine called the beast.

This machine has been custom built by an off roading champion so you really know it can go over absolutely anything and I pretty much soon discover that as soon as we head off onto this track as we are making our way over boulders leaning on one side going up angles that I didn’t even know was possible to do in vehicle. We’re making our way to the top of the hill and then once at the top our drive Tim says what goes up must go down and we go at full speed down this really steep hill it’s absolutely insane.

This machine can really get some speed we’re doing do-nutting we’re flinging up all this dust it becomes really apparent why i need to wear these sunglasses and overalls right now. And then this machine’s even going over some boulders I’m just sat there so confused like what is going on how is this 4×4 doing this? and the last obstacle is going over a pile of rock which is as high as a shipping container and back down again. It’s pretty incredible what this 4×4 can do. And from there it is speeding full pelt all the way back to the man shed.

And next up I am jumping into a jet spring boat this is actually one of a kind. This boat has been built by and 8-time world champion in jet sprinting and this is an absolute machine of hell it goes from 1 to 100km hour in only 2 and half seconds and oh man as soon as we’re getting some speed I am absolutely pushed backward on my seat by the g force while the boating is sprinting forward tim is taking some sharp turns one of the the other and this is an epic experience I’ve never felt such a speed and as soon as we actually stop I can just breathe again I’m really feeling lucky that this didn’t last too long and I didn’t have to hold my breath for an hour.

Next to the boat shed we notice there is a knife throwing target so Robin and I decide to give it a go and as you can see I’m pretty appalling but Robin is about to show us that he is the true Robin Hood as he gets a bit of a practice to start with but then he shows that he has some skills. If there is ever a time where knife throwing are very much needed you guys know where to find me I’m all the way at the bottom of the world in New Zealand.

But enough of this archaic form of targeting we are now moving onto an epic one which his clay pigeon shooting. What about this one? Do I look badass enough? It looks better than what you usually wear. Wow.

Tim is giving us heaps of tips on how to clay pigeon shooting and first up are the two other people in our tour today. Tim is giving a lot of pointers on where to target and also when to shoot there is a lot of timing involved in clay pigeon shooting and he got his training to a T. The really cool thing about the clay bird shooting range here at Oxbow that the machines that release the clay birds are located in loads of different places on the range so we have a real good challenge here. It’s only about after a 10 minute practice that I get a hang of it I understand the trajectory and when to shoot but after that there’s no stopping me I’m blasting right in the air everything that is shot at me and it feels absolutely awesome it feels super manly and also super fun. But it’s enough fun for me it’s Laura’s turn now.

Just like the knife throwing I realise that I am very terrible at clay bird shooting the recoil is pretty strong on the gun and I am a complete weakling so I’m doing really bad at this I do eventually get a couple toward the end which feels pretty awesome and really awesome achievement but my favourite part of this is the clean up at the end. That was a really awesome way to get our dose of adrenaline in Wanaka.

If today wasn’t manly enough I’m gonna be drinking some beer tomorrow. Yeah. See us then. Or see you then. Join us then.