Throwing myself off of The Ledge…

Throwing myself off of The Ledge…

The week before Cory was to head back to The States, we decided it was time to man up and take on the most infamously Kiwi adventure sport of all those on tap in Queenstown- bungee jumping. Prior to arriving in NZ, we knew that bungee jumping was a big thing there, especially in Queenstown, home of the first commercial bungee site ever established (The Kawarau Bridge bungee site, located just outside of Queenstown, opened in 1988). With the huge success of the Kawarau Bridge Site, 2 additional sites in and around Queenstown opened up- The Ledge, located at the top of the Skyline Gondola in town, and the Nevis Highwire, located about an hour’s drive out of town. With Cory headed home soon, we decided it was now or never, and made our way to the bungee booking office to lock down our tickets for the Thrillogy- all three bungee jumps. We organized it so that we would do the jumps on three consecutive days in what we viewed as increasing degrees of intensity- The Ledge first, the Kawarau Bridge second, saving the monstrous Nevis Highwire for the Grand Finale. Tickets in hand and bungee times booked, we headed back to the flat to practice our form and bolster our courage.

The Ledge Bungee Platform is located right at the top of the Skyline Gondola, which runs from town up to the peak of a nearby mountain. The gondola transports people from town up to the activity and convention center located at the top of the peak- there is a cafe, a ballroom, a few roller-luge runs, and numerous viewing platforms that provide amazing views looking out over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu. Amidst all of this looms the Ledge Bungee Platform, a seemingly impossible feat of engineering that juts right out of the side of the mountain, a gap of 47 meters separating the platform from the rocky mountainside below.

We had booked an evening time slot in order to be up there when the lights of Queenstown were visible- maybe more so so that we wouldn’t be able to see the jagged rocks that lurk beneath the bungee platform- and thus found ourselves huddled into one of the gondola cars in the dimming twilight, the first hints of adrenaline starting to eke into our systems. As we climbed the hill, we could see the platform hovering above, as it is ideally positioned so that everyone riding the gondola gets a good look at it during their ride. Of course, just as we went whirring past, out flew a crazy customer, their scream reverberating against the glass windows of the gondola car as they disappeared into the darkness below. My stomach jumped- I felt a little dizzy. Really- we were going to do THAT??? Well, that’s what we had come to New Zealand for in the first place- adrenaline and adventure- right? There was no turning back.

We clambered out of the gondola car and slowly, almost hesitantly made our way down the gravel path to the check-in kiosk. We signed the requisite waivers and ‘listened’ to the safety briefing, all while trying to block out the screams and yells that were constantly filling the falling darkness outside from the bungee platform below. Not an easy thing to do…

After all the paperwork had been sorted, we walked a bit further down the path to the viewing station to wait our turn, and were greeted with an unobstructed view of the scream-inducing proceedings… Honestly, it may have been a bit reassuring to watch a few others go before our time came- everyone we watched seemed to have survived the jump, and those that we spoke to that had completed their jump had nothing but good things to report. Another reassuring bit was the bungee technique that is typically used at The Ledge. The Ledge bungee is unique in that it isn’t your ‘traditional’ bungee jump- instead of being secured around your ankles and ‘diving’ head-first, you are fitted into a body harness of sorts, and simply throw yourself off of the edge. You can take a running start, so you don’t have to stand on the very edge and look down at your potential demise below. For us, the thought of running off of the platform and throwing ourselves out into nothingness was better than having to curl your toes over the edge and force your body to leap head-first towards the rocks. This was one of the main reasons we decided to do The Ledge first. Still, reassuring as all of this may have been, as the minutes ticked away, the palms were sweaty and the conversation was limited…

Finally, our time had come. We had rock-paper-scissored it out to see who would have the ‘privilege’ of going first, and Cory was Lucky Number One. I wished him well, and then got in position with the video camera to capture the First Jump. He was down inside the platform, getting fitted into his harness, listening to the instructor, focused on making sure everything was fitted tight and properly clasped. A few final checks, a wave for a photo from the edge of the platform, and then he disappeared back into the structure. I held my breath, and waited. A few seconds passed, and then WHOOSH!- there he was! He came hurtling out of the platform, letting out a guttural yell as he plummeted into the darkness below. The bungee cords extended, and then contracted, bringing him back into view, and he was laughing. He had survived, and was enjoying the moment. He bounced around a few times, waiting for the retrieval line to be lowered, and then was hoisted back up to the platform. “Its AWESOME!  You’re going to LOVE it!!” he yelled. Well, if he could do it, I had to do it…

Cory came running up the path from the platform, still gasping and panting from his jump. “You’re up, mate!” he said with a grin. True enough. I made my way down to the platform, passing another girl who had just completed her jump. “That was WICKED!” she said as she stumbled past me, her legs still a bit wobbly from the experience. Deep breath, Nick- take a deep breath.

Into the platform, rock music blasting, I could hardly hear the instructor introduce himself. Not that it mattered- remembering his name was the last thing on my mind at that point. I had a seat on a chair as he checked and double checked my weight and ticket to make sure he set the cords up right. Then it was into the harness, tightening it around my thighs and waist. All the while he was giving me instructions- how to avoid the cords during the jump, how I was going to be retrieved afterwards, etc.-, but nothing registered- I was in my own little world, focused on the task at hand, trying to master my fear and convince myself that hurling my body off the platform wasn’t completely crazy.

Suited up and ready to go, it was my turn to step out onto the edge for the requisite photo. I didn’t want to get anywhere NEAR the edge of that platform, and my subconscious instinct for survival glued my left hand to a handhold inside as I leaned out and tried to smile for the picture. A quick flash, and then, it was time.

Prior to getting to New Zealand, I had never seriously thought about bungee jumping before- all I had heard were stories of people getting whiplash when doing it off cranes at state fairs- but here I was, in Queenstown, the birthplace of bungee, harnessed in and ready to go, standing inside The Ledge bungee platform- my moment had come. “Its all you, mate!” the instructor quipped, and rather than giving myself a moment’s debate, before I knew what I was dong, I was off at a sprint.

Three steps, two steps, one step, and LAUNCH! I hurled myself out into the waiting blackness, placing my life at the mercy of the bungee cords. I think I tried to do a back-flip, but never got all the way around. The sky was below me, the darkness above, the world spinning all around. The lights of Queenstown whizzed through my line of vision at some crazy inverted angle. I fell through the crisp night air, all a blur as I prayed for the bungee cords to take hold. Sure enough, I was bouncing around before I realized what was happening- hanging there, upside-down, Cory’s howls of laughter carrying across the ravine from the viewing area.

I slowly regained my bearings, and realized that I had to reach up and grab the harness to right myself. I could still hear Cory laughing his ass off, which was actually somewhat comforting at the time, and I have to admit, after watching the video, it was pretty funny. A failed back-flip turned inverted bungee. Hey, whatever works, right? I let out a shout of excitement as the adrenaline coursed through me, and laid back to enjoy the moment. There I was, hanging from a rubber band, bouncing around in the New Zealand night air, high above Queenstown, my new home. It was an amazing feeling.

As the winch hoisted me back towards the platform, I couldn’t help thinking that this was only the beginning- not only that it was the first jump of the Thrillogy- we still had 2 more insane jumps to complete- but also that this was the first REAL adventure of The Expedition. I was living in NEW ZEALAND, in an awesome little mountain town on the other side of the world, jumping off ledges and throwing myself off bridges- CRAZY stuff!  And the most exciting thing- I knew there was plenty more to come…

BRING ON THE BRIDGE!!!!!

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