Bungy jumped in Queenstown

So I ticked off another item on my bucket list...

I was in Queenstown with my friends last September and they all wanted to ski and/or paraglide. But I already went skiing and skydiving before, so I wanted to do something different naman. And since commercial bungy jumping started out in Queenstown thirty years ago, I told myself I might as well do that there, right?

Anyway, I chose to jump with AJ Hackett Bungy. Their office is at the heart of Queenstown--Shotover corner Camp Street. When you get to town, you can't miss it. After registering and paying, they weigh you. And then you ride a bus that brings you to the jump sites.

My weight in red marker.

There are three options to choose from. First is the Kawarau Bridge Bungy. This is the first and original commercial bungy jump in the world. The drop is 43 meters (roughly 140 feet)--the shortest among the three. If you're heavy enough, you can request to take a dip on the Kawarau river. Tandem jumps are also available. The next is the Ledge bungy. This site is located on top of Bob's Peak near downtown. The drop is 47 meters (154 feet), with a spectacular view of Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. The third and highest bungy is Nevis. It is New Zealand's highest bungy at 134 meters (440 feet)! It's crazy! The jumping platform is on a cable car suspended from wires connected to two mountains. It is not for the faint of heart.

I chose to do the Kawarau Bridge bungy jump because of its historical significance (and because it was the shortest. Haha). But you can, if you want (and if you have money to burn) do all three jumps! They have combos for that sort of thing.

Once you get to Kawarau Bridge, you line up for your turn. Of course, while you're waiting, you see the other jumpers, and it all starts to sink in and it gets on your nerves--you're jumping off a bridge. You're jumping off a bridge! Yung nauna nga sa akin, parang mag-ba-backout na, so pati ako parang ayaw ko na rin. But the people working the bungy know what to do. They've seen countless jumpers get nervous and they're trained to calm people down. They chitchat with you so that you don't think too much about the jump. 

After the lady in front of me jumped, it was my turn. So what happens is you put on a harness around your waist and pelvic area--like the ones you wear when you wall climb. Then you sit down and they wrap a thick folded towel around your leg. When that's snug, they tie a nylon cord over the towel and around your leg until it's tight and secure. Afterwards, they clip you to the bungy cord. That's it. Ganun lang pala.

So that's Kawarau River. Look at that. What a beautiful view. I made the right choice when I decided where to bungy jump. I asked the guy who strapped me if I could touch the water of the river, because it's an option. Unfortunately, I wasn't heavy enough. Apparently you have to be 73 kilos or heavier to get the water splash. Sayang.

So after strapping you, the guy helped me get to the edge of the platform and say my goodbyes to the video camera. By this time I am nervous as hell. I wanted to back out, but where was I to go? My feet were already tied. Besides, it's non-refundable. So no choice but to jump.

And so I jumped.

I thought I could get my bearing during the dive--you know, like Superman swooping down a building, but the jump goes by so fast. All I could see was a blur of bright sky, then blue water. 

Next thing I knew, I was swinging like a pendulum and worried I was going to hit the rock wall. Anyway, it was still exhilarating. Kahit na sandali lang yun, yung rush na tumalon ka from a bridge gives you a natural high. 

So what happens next? Well, you stop swinging. Then instead of pulling you right back up, there's a boat on the river that pulls you down. You grab on a pole and they lead you to the boat and unstrap you.

And that's that! 

Bungy jump, checked!

If you ever find yourself in Queenstown and have time (and money) to spare, I recommend to do it. I know it's also on your bucket list. Don't lie. You might as well bungy jump where it all started, right? And the views are not that bad. :)