While passing through Queenstown, NZ, I decided to do a bungy jump. I know when people consider my lifestyle, read my journal, watch my videos, look at my photos, I appear to be an adrenaline junky. I am not. Seriously, I am quite risk adverse. I’m just stupid.

At this point in my New Zealand trip, I had already skywalked, ran a half marathon, hiked a mountain, went sailing, a day of canyoneering, and did a glacier tour. In my delusion, I felt I needed more. Hola, Queenstown!

Queenstown is the adventure capital of the world. If you can jump, climb, hike, ride, fly, ski or throw yourself from it, it is here to be found. You can spend thousands of dollars risking your Life daily in a secure setting. This is where I discovered the Nevis Bungy, New Zealand’s highest bungy jump. For $260NZ you can jump from a highwire cable car elevated 134m above the Nevis River. I thought to myself “if I am only going to do this once in my lifetime, why not jump from the highest platform?” If you are going to die, die spectacularly.

AJ Hackett Bungy basically runs most of the high end secure bungy operations throughout NZ. They also run the Auckland Harbor Bridge Climb and Bungy. Therefore, I knew they were safe but just to be sure I went on google to check their safety record. There were no mortalities in the recent months so I felt a little more confident. However, had there been a mortality in the most recent days I would have felt better because that means they were all business NOW.

It was a Friday. I decided this would be my Queenstown action adventure day. The morning of my bungy, I was sick to my stomach. My nerves got the best of me and I couldn’t eat. I wanted the bungy jump to be the last event of the day. I spent the earlier part of the day attempting to build my confidence.

In the morning I went on a ride on the Shotover Jet. It was awesome. That afternoon, I had soup for lunch because I was afraid I would crap my pants in a fit of nerves. (I promise you if I had jumped and crapped my pants, I would have cut the cord.) I left instructions that in the event of incontinence, don’t bring me up. I wanted that written in marker on the back of my other hand.

I have plenty more to tell about what happened and the moments leading up to my big jump but I am quickly learning that people on the internet do not like to read so I will save that for my book.

Quick Tips:
- Don’t look down
- Keep your eyes on the horizon
- Ask questions to make yourself as secure as possible

I must admit I loved it. The 8.5 seconds of free fall were probably some of the most peaceful seconds I ever had in my life. My mind was clear and I remember being calm, weightless, listening to the wind, staring down into the water in what felt like a slow motion film. It didn’t hurt that it was weather-wise a beautiful day.

A.J. Hackett is an outstanding tour operation. The young staff were helpful, friendly, service oriented, supportive and inspiring. They loved their job and as a jumper it made me feel very secure. When asked “Why I did the Bungy Jump despite having a fear of heights?” I would say, I couldn’t live with myself if I hadn’t.

I don’t like to back down when I see a worthy challenge. I don’t think of it as looking death in the eye. I view as looking fear in the face and saying “I respect you and I’m going all the same.” Okay, so, historically, it’s cost me a broken nose, surgical reattachment of my lip to my gum line, hospital visits, road rash, scrapes, cuts, stitches, surgery, but no broken bones or permanent injury. The score is even right now and my underwear still clean.

Nevis Arc Bungy Jump

Here’s the Nevis Bungy Jump protocol:
- Walk-in to the Info Center in the center of town
- Fill out your Health form and Waiver
- Pay the fee $260NZ (It ain’t cheap.)
- Weigh In
- Your Weight in Kilos in written on the back of your hand
- There are iMacs in the lobby so you can say goodbye to your next of kin while you wait.
- Board the bus for an approximately 30 minute ride to the Nevis Platform
- Disembark the bus and grab a harness
- You perform a safety check and they grab your ticket stub
- You board an open air metal cable car, clip in, and take the ride to a platform elevated above the Nevis River
- Once on the main cable car, the jumper’s order is determined by weight so they don’t have to keep switching bungy cords.
- You wait and watch until your turn arrives.
- There are NO REFUNDS. You either jump or forfeit your fee.