Bucket List / Experience Goals
Bungee Jump
Ticked off in March 2010
Shuffle to the edge, hear the countdown and fall head first towards the ground until the cord takes hold. For a couple of seconds there is pure freefall, the wind rushing past and your stomach somewhere above you. The cord stretches, slows you smoothly and flings you back up into the air, weightless again for a moment before the next drop. When the bouncing finally stops and you hang upside down, the blood in your head and the world quiet, the fear turns into a huge rush of adrenaline that lasts the rest of the day.'
The adventure
Commercial bungee jumping began with New Zealander A J Hackett, who jumped from Auckland's Greenhithe Bridge in 1986. Soon after, the Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown became the world's first permanent commercial bungee site, and people still queue to jump it today.
Why it’s epic
- AJ Hackett opened the world's first permanent commercial bungee site at Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown in 1988.
- Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa offers a 216-metre jump, among the highest bridge bungees in the world.
- The Nevis Bungy near Queenstown drops 134 metres from a cable car pod above a gorge.
- Jumps in the UK, from cranes and bridges, let you try it close to home.
What it is
Bungee jumping involves leaping from a height while attached to an elastic cord.
How to do it
Queenstown in New Zealand is home of commercial bungee; Bloukrans Bridge in South Africa is one of the highest bridge jumps.
Top tip
Weight limits apply.
Need to know
- Most sites set minimum and maximum weights and a minimum age, and you are weighed on the day.
- People with heart problems, high blood pressure, recent injuries, back or neck problems, or who are pregnant should not jump.
- Book reputable operators that follow recognised safety codes.
Do it yourself
- Tours and ticketsGetYourGuide
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My experience
Ticked off, but the full story is still to be written up.
Over to you
Is “Bungee Jump” on your bucket list, or have you already done it? Tell me in the comments, and if you've got a question about it, ask away and I'll answer.