Monday, November 14, 2005

Bungee Jumping

I know, I know, the extreme sports are beginning to get old... well, maybe for you to read about, but not for me as participator! I was pretty scared. It was harder to jump off the platform than throw myself out of the airplane. Apparently I had the nicest jump in terms of form. Form was the last thing on my mind, but glad to hear it.

Pixagogo direct photo link

Pixagogo direct photo link

Pixagogo direct photo link

Rainforest meets mountains. This was the view the morning of our second attempt at climbing the glacier. I forgot my camera so I have no new pics of the glacier. The day started out nice but halfway into the trip it started raining and sleeting. So we're clambering around on this glacier in the pouring down rain, but no one's spirits were daunted. Before the rain came the view of the glacier spreading up into the mountains was spectacular. The guides use pick axes to make steps into the ice. Many of the steps were vertical, as in straight up. Pretty crazy. Many places there were handrails in place and a few places we walked across chasms in the ice over bridges made of ladders and plywood.

Pixagogo direct photo link

Pixagogo direct photo link

Queenstown. Adventure Capital of the world, or at least New Zealand. This is where I will be doing the Nevis bungee jump tomorrow. Over three times as high as the one I did today. The jump happens over a giant canyon from a small cable car suspended 134 meters up (435ft) the second highest bungee jump in the world. You free fall for 8 and 1/2 seconds before the bungee slows you down and stops you from colliding with the foot deep stream below. Scared? You could say that. More excited than scared at this point tho. We'll see how that ratio is tomorrow when I'm in that little cable car and then step out onto the small platform. Advice I've gotten from other people is ... don't look down.

Queenstown
Pixagogo direct photo link

Pixagogo direct photo link

Maori for a moment.
Pixagogo direct photo link

On Wednesday I leave to the Milford Sound to embark on the Milford Track. Private Person (Andreas) got a fluke booking four days ago by some uncanny bit of luck for the same day I booked two months ago so we will be doing the hike together.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like bungee jumping takes the cake. How long was the free fall from the plane?
Class 4 rapids are pretty dangerous and class 5 is so unusual there are only a few in the world. The Niagara river is one. So how could Class 5 rapids be ho hum? Will you run out of extreme sports and have to spend some time in the wilderness? Tell us more about the bus trip -- how long how much who'd ya meet, etc.
Love
Dad

Anonymous said...

Yeah, you are back with more wild adventures. And the bungee jump picture, yes, nice form! And no I am not tired of your extreme adventuring. And when you finally go on your hike, enjoy that. I can't wait to see more photos and hear how it was to climb through the beautiful mountains. It is so much fun to watch you do all the things I might only dream of doing. Well the belly is bigger than a basketball and it sometimes feels like the baby is bungee jumping or kicking in my belly! So there are all kinds of adventures to be had!
Love Illona

Anonymous said...

hi, stef wef and trish are here for dinner. yiayias' spagetti but not as good, you'd still like it. i guess we'll not hear from you for awhile.we are off tp florida sunday and won't be back till nov.30 have a ha[[y thanks giving. i'll miss you. we'll be at sarasota with ann and joe. you can always call us on our cells!cpr

Anonymous said...

hi jason!!! It's so great to hear about all of your adventures. We wish we were there with you!! We miss you and love you and we are soooo jealous of you! Have fun! Love Trish and Steffen

The Intrepid Dr. Root said...

The freefall from the plane was 45 seconds. I think a solo sky dive (non-tandem like I did) would be the ultimate but you have to do several jumps before you can jump solo.) The Nevis bungee jump which I just did and will have photos of soon was over three times the height of the bungee I have up on here and it definately took the cake. That was insane- insanely fun. I just got back from the Milford Track which was a nice stint into nature. Class 6 rapids are the ones that are ultra rare - class 5 rapids I don't think are so rare. The bus trip is good. you get on and off wherever you like - I have been staying on the bus with the same bus drive sticking to it's itinerary because if I stayed any one place longer than its schedule I would not have made my Milford Track booking. I've met lots of people - but haven't really made any friends, mostly because there is a party/drinking culture on the bus I'm not entirely into, although karaoke to the tune of "and I would walk 500 miles" was pretty fun. Anyway, there was a german lad who got a fluke booking for the Milford Track the same day I went and so we did it together which was fun. So I've been doing the bus thing for 3 weeks and it costs NZ$1600 or so and hits all the spots all over NZ. I will be doing more nature things from here no out, although I'm not done with the adrenaline stuff completely - not just yet. There's still sledging to be done - where you are on a boogie board like apparatus holding on for dear life through class 4/5 rapids and go over a 7 meter waterfall. And there's another whitewater rafting trip that goes over a waterfall. Lots of waterfalls in NZ. But yeah, the 134m (435ft) Nevis bungee jump was just absolutely amazing. I was buzzing from that for like 2 days after and whenever I think of it it gives me a chill.

Love ya guys,

thanks for following along.

Anonymous said...

Hmm... long time no post, doctor. I'm guessing you're either out on the trail or having the kind of extreme adventures that don't bear publication. ;-)
I am doing my best to stay warm and avoid the common cold. Looking forward to gorging myself in two days at thanksgiving, and diligently procrastinating on any school applications. We in the cold grind count on you to enliven our dreary lunch hours by peaking at your posts. Send more pictures, for god sakes! This town is too grey!
Ben, congratulations on your job. Give me a call sometime, we'll get a drink.
hasta la proxima

Anonymous said...

Good to hear from you Jason, please send us a shout out for turkey day if you can. We miss you but mom and Allie are coming for my baby shower in one week. So I will get a good fix of family. I am so happy I got to see you before you left, cause it has not been that long between family visits! Love you and we hope to see more of your adventures!!! I always look forward to see what you are up to next!!
love Illona