Taking a Big Leap

For those of you who haven't been connected with R or me on Facebook will not know this yet, and we haven't really discussed any of the details, so I thought I would share the story here.  R and I both took a big leap--we bungee jumped off of the Auckland Bridge, the whole 40m (around 131 ft) down.  Instead of just sharing the photos, we want to document the jumps.  It should be noted that R jumped on March 28 with his friend E.  At that time, I thought, "Good for them" at points and also "they must be out of their minds to do that" at other points.   I never thought that a mere 4 days later I would gather up enough gumption to actually jump myself.  However, with so many good points coming together (such as it being April Fool's Day and not wanting the two males to show me up) I just had to do it.  However, this story is mostly a conflation of both our experiences because the routine was just about the same for the jumps.

The story starts about 2.5 months ago when we visited Kawaru Bridge near Queenstown.  This bridge is the home of the original public bungy jump established in 1988 by A.J. Hackett,  the New Zealand entrepreneur who invented a super-stretchy bungee cord.  When we visited, I asked R if he wanted to jump (because he mentioned it in previous conversations) but he just wasn't into it.  We had a great time watching others...although there was one somewhat ugly jump where a guy didn't want to go but he ended up jumping instead of diving (which makes a much smoother go).    Here are some pictures from Kawaru Bridge.

At Kawaru there are about 50 or 100 people always watching.  And when you get done with the bouncing after the jump, the workers come out on a little dingy to lower you down.

 

 

We got a kick out of the bungy themed bathroom signs:

 So that was January.  I am not sure exactly how R and E got to the point of deciding to bungy jump while E was here, but it was pretty much a done deal by the time E arrived in Auckland.   And I already let you know how I got to the point of jumping.  So here is how a bungy jump might go, if you wanted to do it.

First, you sign your life away.

Then you get weighed in, and your weight in kgs is written on your hand (which is a much better number than in pounds).

Wouldn't it be great if the kids were intently watching what either R or I are doing to prepare for the jump?  Well, they aren't.  They are enthralled with a video of the Nevis jump, which really puts the little Auckland Harbor Bridge jump to shame--at 134m vs a mere 40m.  

The next step in my case was to wait and wait and wait (for  at least 15 minutes past the scheduled time).  It started to become quite unsettling just looking at this:

 

In the case of E and R, they didn't have a moment to think as they had to rush, rush, rush to get geared up.

This is quite the pic of R:

  

Then, a last moment for photos and goodbyes in front of the bridge:

 



Unlike, Kawaru, there aren't hundreds of people watching.  Instead, only five jumpers are allowed at a time (instead of an unending line of jumpers), and friends for each who can come along and watch.  The kids are too small to walk the 10 minute walk on the bridge span, so when E and R jumped, the kids and I drove across the bridge to the other side, and watched from the only viewpoint available on land.  R walked up with me when I jumped, and E graciously watched the kids.

E and R didn't take a lot of pictures on their way up. So most of the pictures of the next set of events are of my trip to the platform.  It is about a 10 minute walk up, but we had a "guest" who was watching two of my fellow jumpers and she was afraid of the whole experience--even the walk up, so it took us an extra 10 minutes to get there.



  In this picture, Rangitoto is in the background.

Finally, the jumpers (and R) arrive at the pod.  I learned--only after I jumped--that it was much windier than when R and E jumped.  I had the extra special experience of seeing the pod closed, because it was so windy.

Then, the two guys working start to call out the names of the first people who are jumping.  E and R were first and second in the order of their set of jumpers.  I, of course, had to wait, 

and wait and wait some more.  I was last in my group.  Ugh.  Talk about excruciating....

Here's the cord:

The pod opens for the first jumper:

Here's a boat going under the bridge.  They have multiple cameras that make sure no one bungy jumps when a watercraft is nearby.  On the left in the background, you can see the live photographer who we waved at prior to the jump.

As the workers bind your legs, they chit chat you up.  Not sure who is really listening at this point. 

Now with your legs bound (together) with the bungee cord attached, you have to hop over to the platform.  It isn't a graceful sight.

Then they have you look up at the camera above:

They have you wave at the photographer across the way:

And I was given great advice (by my husband just not to look down), so I didn't.  But then they do the quick, 1-2-3 count, and....

then you have to look down.  It's too late, you are out of there:

R wins the prize for most graceful both here and...

in his other jumps.  As I mentioned, when R and E jumped, the kids and I were able to get some great pictures from a different perspective of R's jump:

 

 And here's me:

You get three bounces, and then you pull a cord at the side of your knee.  You flip up, and then are raised back up to the platform.

After all is said and done, you walk back down from the pod,

get some great views of the city,

and get an enthusiastic greeting from your kids.

All of us, kids included, were able to celebrate overcoming fear. stepping outside our comfort zone, and growing in our own way.  Isn't that what life is about?