Day 13 D-Day Time to Bungy!

We get up early since we were leaving Queenstown to head to Dunedin everyone had to have everything packed.  We get on the bus.  There will be 2 stops before My Bungy Jump.  The first is a shotover jet ride up the river.  For those not familiar a shotover jet boat is a boat powered by two powerful jets that can fly over water as shallow as 6 inches.  Not only that the boat can do crazy tricks like 360s, 180s, stop on dime, etc.  We get suited up, board the boat and off we go.
The boat shoots up the river at 30 mph it does 360s, we scream, we get wet.  It flies through the river canyon playing chicken with the canyon walls on the sides.  I have to admit it was a lot of fun but after the 10th 360, I was ready for it to be over with it.  I had a jump looming in the back of my mind.  



We then make a short second stop in Arrow town a former gold mining town with lot's of shops and an old town feel to it.  Not really my cup of tea but the stop was short so I took a few photos and we moved onto the Karawau Bungy.  
OMG here we go!  We pull up to the bridge I can see it in the distance but I refuse to look below the bridge.  I do not want to know how far down I will be jumping.  We get inside the Bungy place and line up to sign our life away and also allow them to weigh us so they can calibrate our Bungy.  Also, I forgot to mention that sometime between when we finished the shotover jetboat and arrived at the Bungy place, Brad was able to convince Little Jake that perhaps he should also Bungy jump.  Little Jake had been making excuses all week that he was coming back next November and therefore he wouldn't need to jump now.  We all thought it was an excuse and that the poor guy was just really scared. The only way Brad could convince Little Jake to jump was if he was going to jump with him.  Jake agreed and Brad and Jake signed up to do a tandem jump together. Back to them in a little bit.
Here's my pre-jump Interview:



I finish getting weighed in and head out to the bridge.  I see as I am walking towards it there is a viewing platform where people can watch others jump.  I refuse to go over there, I just need to get this over with.  My goal all along was to try and jump first that way I could get it out of the way and not be so in my head that I could not enjoy watching my other tour mates jumping.  I get on the bridge and walk halfway across it.  Is this what it feels like when you are walking to the gas chamber in San Quentin to be executed?  I can barely breath, swallow, etc.  Immediately this woman in her 20s comes out and says, "Hey you you're up next"  
They bring me to this platform underneath the bridge and wrap a towel around my legs.  They then apply straps to both my legs and chest.  She is a great coach.  I don't say much to her but her thoughts were as comforting as a mothers.  "Don't worry I'm going to walk you through every step of the way."  "You're going to love it and I'm going to hold onto you."  I stand up, the time has come.  I tip toe out to the ledge and can hear all my tourmates cheering me on.  They all know how scared shitless I am.  I briefly glance at them then the camera for a picture.  My coach says "alright I'm going to count down to 3-2-1 and then you are going to jump".  I say okay, and now I'm at the edge.  I never looked down because I knew that would psych me out.  I yell 3-2-1 FUUUCCKKK!  I jump my eyes are closed for half a second but I open them and see the rest of my jump.  I bounce back up and back down!  IT IS AMAZING!  I'M SO FREAKING HAPPY!  I loved it and at the same time it is over.  The guys in a boat below hand me a pole.  I grab onto it and am lowered into a raft.  When I lay down in the raft I look up for a second and I pump my arms in victory.  Yes I bungy jumped.  And yes I did it in New Zealand at the same place Bungy was founded and yes I did it for my tour mates.  But more importantly and selfishly I did it for me.  I've had a rough couple of years and this was something I was extremely proud of myself for doing.  I can do anything!
Don't Believe The Hype See For Yourself!

Sweet Photo Prior To My Jump

The Peanut Gallery Is Watching

I give my form about a 7, knees were a little bent!

That's better knees are straightening

Ridiculous Photo!

Whoa!

I DID IT, I FREAKING DID IT!

I run up the canyon stairs to the top I can hardly contain myself.  I must have hugged about 5 different people but to this day I couldn't tell you who they were.  Jumping is a surreal experience almost out of body in some ways.  Time seems to stop for a short minute then hit fast forward all at the same time.  I was the second person of our group to jump which meant I got to enjoy everyone else's jumps and most importantly Little Jake and Brad's Tandem jump.  
I'm now at the observation deck and I am watching Little Jake and Brad get their last minute instructions. Little Jake is extremely nervous for Brad it is old hat, the man jumps off everything.  Little Jake and Brad are strapped together.  3-2-1 they jump and the split second after they jump and Little Jake is holding onto Brad for dear life.  It was the funniest and cutest jump I have ever seen.  Brad was such the big brother.  And Little Jake felt amazing.  He must have taken a 1000 photos after his jump and insisted on more.  

Little Jake Celebrates!

Thumbs up from the bridge we jumped!

VICTORY!

The Roommates Conquered Karawau!

We all came saw and conquered Karawau Bridge and now it was time to say goodbye.  A few of our tourmates were leaving us.  This included my partner in crime Brad, the country girls from Adelaide (Sidney, Keziah) and a few others.  Their tour ended in Queenstown.  We all say our goodbyes and yeah I was definitely sad I was going to miss these people I shared 2 weeks with.  Our group was starting a slow breakup process.
Little Jake was upset he was losing a big brother and first crush at the same time.  He kept walking around saying "so sad, so sad"  But the man did step up to the plate with his first crush Sidney.  On the bus ride over to the Bungy jump he got the courage and sat next to Sidney.  I did eavesdrop on their conversation and I think I heard the same questions that were asked of me "You must come to my city, We must Facebook, Will you Bungy?"  But he did ask a few more questions about her family and where she came from.  Brad and I taught Jake an important lesson in that if you like a girl you must remember her name.  Earlier in the week Jake could not name a single girl on our tour.  We told him that's a no no, women like to hear their names, and the fact that you remember them shows to them they are important to you.  By the end of the trip Jake was reciting just about every girls name.  I hope he will take that one with him.
Brad and I say goodbye give each other the usual manly handshake, and chest bump hug.  Mate will see you in Melbourne!  Our bus leaves we head for Dunedin but I will miss Brad, Keziah, and Sidney and the rest!