Queenstown took the life out of me, and it was not from the partying. The highs I had throughout the four days I was there had me feeling like I was on top of the world – so invincible, in fact, I went ahead and did one more bungy jump before I headed out; however, this time, I played a game of “are you nervous” with the one of the guys on the bungy crew, who suggested that I go backwards and that he “try to scare me” a little bit before letting go of me.
The Kawarau Bridge bungy is the world’s first commercial bungy, and from what I learned has been perfected to be the best, most fun and most comfortable jump since it was first established by AJ Hackett 25 years ago.
It is a beautiful spot as it stretches across glacial waters of the river below that jumpers can dunk into if they wish, and it was a totally and entirely different experience to that of the Nevis bungy I had done just days before. The build-up to the bridge jump is much more casual, relaxed and low key. There is no crazy and loud music pumping, no gondola ride out to your death, no little house hanging on cable wires in the middle of no where.
Image: Wikipedia
Yet just below the beginning of the bridge is an observation deck where spectators can spend hours watching people jump from the bridge, which makes it all the more exciting and thrilling as the crowd of people cheers you on in the background.
I felt that because I was in Queenstown – and who knew when I would be back – I should do the Kawarau Bridge jump just to say that I did it.
So I rolled out of bed and signed up for the bridge bungy, and as I got off the bus when we arrived at the Kawarau bridge that morning, I met my newest hero: Daryl.
Daryl is a 70-year-old former school teacher from Utah who eventually made his way to the district office before retiring. Sadly he lost his wife just a few years before, and he was off on his own traveling. He had just come from Australia, his seventh continent.
“I told the agent – well, send me to Australia first in case the bungy chord breaks in New Zealand!”
What amazed me about Daryl was that he also had done the Nevis bungy jump – twice. Yes, he did it twice. Little Daryl, whom when I met him was wearing nicely pressed khaki pants, a button up shirt and his camera clipped securely to his belt, was a solidified adrenaline junkie.
“I am going to do the sole man – do you know what that means?” he asked me.
I shook my head.
“That means I am going to ask them to make it so that I totally submerge into the water up to my feet!”
I loved Daryl from that moment on. I told him that we should make our way to the bridge together, and so we did.
I did not have to wait long to jump – there was only one obnoxious American chick from Michigan who cut us because she was petrified and wanted to get the jump over with and screamed like someone was killing her – before the bungy crew started loading the necessary gear on. Towels were wrapped around my ankles so as to keep the ankle harnesses from digging into my skin.
They had better equipment on the Nevis, I joked.
One of the crew overheard me, and so he immediately said – “You did the Nevis? Well, mate, you are going to do this one here backwards then. It will be fun. I will mess with your head a little bit, try to scare you. I will be the one who lets you go.”
I agreed, and right before I jumped I introduced myself. I thought, well, it is better they know my name in case something goes wrong.
Then before I knew it I was backwards hanging off the jumping plank, the man from the bungy crew hanging me out over the edge and pulling me back in a few times.
He tricked me just before he let me go by telling me, “There are three very important things you need to know – are you listening?” I was certain he was going to let go of me then and there, but he proceeded to speak.
“First thing: Hold on to this rope,” he said (something along those lines), and as he said it I thought, Okay, he is not going to let go until after he tells me all three of these things.
I was wrong.
At the end of the jump, after you stop bouncing, instead of having to pull some chord at your ankle so you can be pulled back up to the top like with the Nevis, a small raft picks you up and brings you back to safety.
It was a wild experience, and one that has me laughing every time I think back to it.
If bungy jumping did not cost so much, I would be doing it every day.
