This was the first time that I had ever done bungy jumping. It was one of the best experiences that I had during my trip to New Zealand. The first jump was a kind of spur of the moment kind of thing. Initially, I wasn’t going to be doing it, but the jump’s intrigue changed my mind.
The jumps took place at two different locations; both were owned and run by AJ Hackett. One of them was at the Kawarau Bridge. The second one was at the Nevis Bungy.
Kawarau Bridge Bungy
The Kawarau Bridge is the home of bungy jumping; here is where it all started. The Bungy platform was 43 metres high above the water. It was the first one owned by AJ Hackett, and from there, the company has spread out to many different places in New Zealand and also in other countries.
When I visited there with my tour group, I was one of the few people who jumped off the bridge. It was my first time ever doing bungy jumping, and I got dunked in the river all the way up to my feet. I can honestly say that it was exhilarating jumping off of that bridge.
At the beginning of that day, I didn’t think that I was going to jump off the bridge, let alone get dunked in the river. Silly me forgot to bring a spare pair of clothes, so I was drenched until we got back to where we were staying.
Nevis Bungy
The Nevis Bungy was three times higher than the Kawarau Bridge at 134 metres. The Bungy platform is situated between two different mountainsides, suspended by large cables. To get to the platform, you must travel in a small cable car. Both the cable car and the platform can only have a few people on it at the same time.
Now this one was a whole lot scarier. The worst decision was to look down when I was at the edge of the platform. The platform was this large box that was suspended between two mountains.
When jumping, you had to make sure to undo your feet after a few of the bounces upward; otherwise, you would be hanging upside down when they pulled you up. This would make for a scary lift upward if you didn’t manage to unhook it. Luckily undoing the feet is an easy task; all it took was a firm tug, and the feet were unlatched, and then you could sit upright.
