The Highest Bungee Jump In The Southern Hemisphere
Queenstown, 4th December 2001.
The main events today were my remaining two bungee jumps. Just
before midday my fellow jumpees, Steve (a large, loud Canadian guy),
Dan (a skinny, squeaky English guy) and I signed in again. 30
minutes later we were on our way to the Nevis jump site. The highest
bungee jump in the southern hemisphere!
We sped along in a small white coach with 'A J Hackett' and 'Nevis'
plastered on the side. After a while we turned off a side road and
onto a private road. The driver hopped out (after stopping of
course), clicked something on the wheel, 4-wheel drive I think, then
we zoomed off along a dusty, dirt trail. Minutes later and we were
climbing a precariously narrow road. With huge drops either side, we
were all scared, and we hadn't even seen the jump site!
 When we stopped, we all jumped out to have our first look at the
Nevis Bungee in real life. This was something amazing!!!! Over a
massively tall valley, a tiny gondola type structure hung
precariously. It was supported solely by impossibly long cables
stretching over the valley between two mountaintops. The bungee
cords hung from the building, swinging in the wind. After tearing
our eyes away from this unbelievable site, we entered a building on
the side.
Once inside, we pulled on climbing harnesses. These harnesses were
to be worn at all times in case we fell (when we weren't supposed
to). We were re-weighed (some fools, unbelievably, change the weight
written on their hands by the bungee crew at the main HQ, for vanity
reasons! The wrong weight means the wrong bungee rope which means
you might hit the bottom). Afterwards, we all walked out wearing our
butt squeezing, nut grabbing harnesses.
 We were given a quick briefing while standing on the viewing
platform, then the heaviest 6 left us. They boarded a tiny, rickety,
open gondola car. The car then slowly slid away along the cables
towards the main jump building hanging in the centre of the wires.
They waved, fearfully, and disappeared into the distance.
Minutes later, there was a bellowing scream as a large body fell
from the building. It seemed to fall, and fall, and fall some more,
before the bungee cord was stretched to the full & began to pull him
back up. He bounced up & down again, then he flipped up in his
harness so he was no longer suspended upside-down. A few moments
later and he was pulled up by the pulley system & re-entered the
jump building.
This was repeated a few more times, then the next 6 people left us
on the little gondola car. Scarily, the other 6 had yet to return.
As I was one of the light ones, I climbed into the gondola car as
one of the last 6.
The gondola took us slowly over to the cabin hanging over the middle
of the valley. Inside there seemed to be a small party going on! A
stereo was pumping and people were milling around, chatting. I
looked down through the transparent floor and could see the valley a
long, long, long way below. After a few minutes wait and a few
jumpers, I was strapped to a bungee cord again while sitting on a
big comfy armchair. As I was seated, another person hobbled to the
edge and disappeared with a scream.
 With all the preparations done, I was attached and checked then I
got up and waddled to the edge of the platform. I edged nervously
forward, unsuccessfully looking for a hand-hold. I smiled at the
camera and made a gesture known as 'A Large Benjamin' by my school
friends. I looked down. Why on earth am I doing this? My knees went
shakey. The count down began. Awh c**p. 3...maybe I shouldn't do
this...2...I can't do this...1...what the hell...and I fell slowly
forwards into the vast emptiness before me. I fell, and fell and
fell. My heart almost stopped, then I felt the reassuring tug of the
bungee cord and my descent slowed until I was yanked back up again.
After a few dramatic bounces, I pulled the cord and I flipped
upright in my harness and I was pulled back up into the cabin. It
was AMAZING, EXHILARATING, UNBELIEVABLE!, SUPERB! and every other
type of superlative. It was the scariest thing I have ever done, an
instant 'pants-filler'. My heart was still thumping from that first
look down the canyon, I have never been so scared, almost 10 seconds
of free fall before you feel the pull of the bungee.
 After all of us had jumped, we returned to Queenstown. The
previously scary bus journey along the narrow path was just as
nerve-wracking, but we arrived safe & intact back at Queenstown.
I met up with the others, who had had a quiet day exploring
Queenstown and we got our dinner in Pizza Hut. We decided to have
one of the special offers (2 large pizza, garlic bread & 4 desserts
for less than 3 pounds each). Choosing pizza we all liked was
difficult. Emily suggested the 'Spicy Chicken Special', without
onions (she doesn't like them), and no peppers (she doesn't like
them either), and no chicken (she doesn't like that too). Making it
an expensive...Cheese & Tomato pizza. After some compromising, we
all ate our fill. As were only allowed 1 visit to the desert bar
each, we built huge dessert structures in our bowls, made of ice
cream, cream, marshmallows, nuts, chocolate cake, mousse & more. We
then carefully took these precarious structures to our tables &
tucked in.
Now for the next bungee jump...
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