SomewhereSouth.net

Murf: The Nevis, 134 meters down in 8 seconds flat.

Some people knew I was thinking of it. Some people actually knew that I booked the bloody bitch. But most of you barely know what I planned for today and what was one of the most thrilling experiences in my life! I've done a lot the last 6 months, travelled through Australia, been rock-climbing in the Grampians and almost pissed my pants because I was so friggin' scared on the second climb, done a 4x4-only track with our minivan which did made me (and Nicky) miss more than just a couple of heartbeats, finally became a certified SCUBA diver and did 25 dives in the Great Barrier Reef, walked a glacier in Franz Joseph and jumped out of a perfectly good airplane at 12.000 feet in Fox Glacier. But a couple of days ago I realized today was my very last chance to do one of the most frightening things man can imagine, jumping of a 134 meter high pod with nothing more than a piece of rubber between you and the pod to safe you from sudden death. So with shaking fingers I slashed the knot and booked "The Nevis" via the AJ Hackett website. And today was the day. Today was Judgement Day, to separate the boys from the men. And I became a man today!

Yesterday night you could find me in the Altitude Bar 'till late to dance my feet of and scare away my fears. This morning I woke up at 7am, took a hot shower, brushed my teeth and walked slowly to the AJ Hackett center at the corner of the street. After a short brief, the usual weighing and signing a waiver where you basically sign for the fact that AJ Hackett is never responsible for any injuries including death while jumping. Better make sure your travel insurance is ok. (Not that it really matters, serious accidents don't really happen, it seems to be safer than crossing the street. But still...) And off we went, into the bus and up to the site. Mixed group, a couple of big lads with a massive pluche Lion, (Yes the Lion jumped as well, safely in the arms of all 5 lads, and off course had to sign a waiver as well.) 2 girls and some other fellows. Turned out I was not the only fool to make The Nevis his first bungy jump ever. Finally at the bungy site it turned out that I was the very lightest and THUS the last one to jump. *SHIT!* That definetely makes it harder as you can joyfully see how all other 13 people jumped and screamed before finally it's your turn. Surprisingly I slept quite well last night (though I woke up zillion times but mainly because I was afraid not to wake up on time and miss my opportunity.) and after my hot shower I really was ready to go. I was less nervous than I expected, maybe because I'm planning this since Nicky had done her jump and already had done some frightening things in OZ like my rock-climb and that 4x4 track. (Skydiving surprisingly was NOT one of them, a big rush, an awesome thing to do but not particularly scary.) So we got our harnass on, took the mini-pod to the big jumping platform and had lots of time to look down straight into the depth of the valley. And I did, the bottom of the mini-pod is a wire-frame, in the jumping-pod there is a big glass strip so you can look down all the way to the jumpers ahead and after you. If you sit on the sides of the jumping-pod you're actually sitting on glass and have the same stunning view. And I did. I watched all jumpers before me and sat and stood comfortably on the glass strips, not too scared of what would come within an hour. The lads where brave, they all jumped the first time though one got a bit scared when the pin tying your legs together got loose before he was all the way down so he jumped attached to hist waist instead of head-down attached to your feet. But he was already in mid-air when it happened so there is nothing you can do about it then. And then it was the turn of one of the girls. 54321 JUMP! *hesitation* *nothing* 54321 JUMP! *hesitation* *nothing* 54321 JUMP! And off she went, finally, 134 meters down. Brave girl. I'm impressed with people who hesitate a couple of times and then DON'T chicken out but just jump. And then, after some more waiting it was finally my time... Meanwhile one of the crew asked me if I wasn't terribly afraid as I was shaking all over my body but THAT was because of the cold. I wanted to do this jump in my lucky Dollypop shirt, and therefore left my comfortable fleece behind in the base station. But it was friggin' freezin out there and after an hour waiting I really almost died of hypothermia up there. Luckily the sun came out and sitting on the side of the pod I warmed up a bit.

All the time in the jumping-pod I drummed on my legs on the rithm of the music, because I felt quite comfortable and it was a way to ease my mind a bit as off course I WAS scared, a bit. So off my glasses (no way you can jump with 'm, you'll loose 'm), into the chair, getting strapped up and still smiling and drumming on my legs. Looking sweet to the camera, giving 2 big OK signs (divers style, no thumbs up but 2 O-signs) and with my legs firmly together I had to wobble to the jumping platform. Wobbling is the only way to do it, you only can move your feet 10cm or so. And there I stood, at the very edge of the platform knowing that if I would totally chicken out and not jump I'd loose the full $199,- which I paid for this jump and make a total fool of myself. Not only for all of you guys but mainly for myself.

This was what I was waiting for 9 months, this was my moment, this was the last part of conquering my last fears. I used to be afraid of heights and therefore decided to challenge them my whole life by climbing onto towers, climbing 100 meters up the rocks, climbing indoors, jumping out of airplanes and doing walks while it goes straight down just 30cm from where you stand. I used to face my fears and not letting them take over. Because I'm afraid of railway crossings I slowed down and walked over them. Because I'm afraid of the dentist some odd combination of circumstances made me going there way too many times, back home AND in Australia. Because I'm afraid of needles I planned to go to Indonesia so I had to get my shots. And here I was, afraid of heights and challenging them by bungy jumping of the highest site in New Zealand and one of the highest in the whole world. There I was, after looking to all jumpers before me, standing at the very very edge and the point of no-return.

So there came the countdown. FAST! 5,4,3,2 *SWOOOOOOSH!* And Murfie was gone, plunging down with a rough 125Km/h into the grey. Screeming so loud that my throat still hurts right now, so loud that even the crew made a remark on it when I was back in the pod, screaming so loud that all who where already back on Terra Firma could hear me screeming from the viewing platform and agreed that I did the loudest scream of all, screaming the full 8 seconds, 134 meters down. *WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!*
FUCK! That was truly scary. So unnatural to plunge yourself off a ledge into the depth. It goes straight into all your natural senses. People are not built to fall and while skydiving you barely have a notion about the hight, here you definetely DO! But I did it, not the best style in the world (the first part I was almost vertical, heads UP instead of down but with my arms widely spread and not mowing around as some people tend to do, aparently to get grip on erhm, what, air?) but I did it! After the second bounce (or was it the third?) I yanked out the pin who tied my legs together and had a leisury bounce and great view off what I just did. I screemed again, or more, yelled. A big and massive WHOOOOOHOOOOOOO!. Whacked my arms into the air, totally hyper of the fact that I suddenly realized I just DID it. I jumped the friggin' Nevis! It was over way too soon, the wench came down to pull me up again and after less than a minute I was back on the platform. Exhillarated. Back into the pod. Back to Terra Firma. Back to the bus after watching my video and photo's. And while before my jump I decided to do it with just the photo's I was glad that they tape all jumps and that you have the chance to buy your DVD (or video) afterwards anyway. And I did, it was a great sight seeing myself plunging down in the depth. As I don't have a VCR I decided to go for the DVD. WITH my scream on it! (Though I didn't hear that yet as the video-footage in the base station is soundless.)

40 minutes later we where all back in Queenstown and now I'm the proud owner of my own set of Bungy photo's, 3 bungee shirts (one of The Nevis, one which is a bit controversial as it insinuates more or less that I DIDN'T jump and a longsleeve with just AJ Hackett Queenstown on it), some fridge magnets and 2 pieces of bungy cord. (Nicky, as promised, one is for you, even though it doesn't have a nice AJ Hackett Queenstown label on it it IS a genuine Queenstown bungy cord!) And I'm just happy. Awfully glad that I did this at the very last end of my 6-month journey. Awfully proud of myself that I didn't chicken out and actually awfully proud that I wasn't as freightened as expected.

Don't get me wrong, it's awfully SCARY! Bungy jumping is definetely not for the faint-of-heart. It's a massive, adrenaline pumping thrill ride. But aparently I did have enough guts to stay reasonably calm under it. :-) And tonight? I'll celebrate it with a couple of coldies down at the bar. I still have a 2-for-1 voucher left and that will go tonight, together with a lot more of the yellow gold. I'll dance my legs off, party 'till I drop. I deserved it. ;-P

Murf | 27 Jun 2005 (Mon), 05:35 @ story