Bungy Jumping, Are You Brave Enough?

Posted on May 28, 2014 by Turquoise Compass

Most people who come to New Zealand end up bungy jumping at some point during their vacation. Most people jump in Queenstown; it is the adventure capitol of the southern hemisphere afterall. I went to New Zealand not wanting to ever do it, but being in New Zealand left me considering it none the less. Am I crazy? I’ve done what seems like everything else, but never in my right mind did I want to do a bungy.

On our drive to Queenstown, we stopped at the AJ Hackett Bungy site (43 m high) where bungy jumping originated, as some of the extremists on board signed up to do it. I thought that if I watched a couple people bungy jump I could get over the nerves and then possibly do it myself right there and then. I am the spur of the moment kind of gal. While clutching on to one of my new friends, I nervously watched a few of my bus mates bungy (one even did it backwards) from Kawarau Bridge. After that palm sweaty experience, I am not so certain it is something I could ever do. That wasn’t even the highest bungee spot either. I think that if I was watching people bungee from the 135m high Nevis Bungy location, I would have peed my pants. Don’t count me out just yet, maybe it is the cards for the future.

Would you do it?

51 thoughts on “Bungy Jumping, Are You Brave Enough?”

worldjourneysdiscover on May 28, 2014 at 6:06 am said:

No. 🙂

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:15 pm said:
  
  I know! It makes my palms sweat just thinking about it. Would you skydive? Some people (like me) are willing to jump out of a perfectly good plane (which I did for my 30th birthday), yet I am scared to death to bungy jump. Have you seen my skydiving post?
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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Uncle Spike on May 28, 2014 at 6:11 am said:

DO IT, DO IT, DO IT.!!!!!!!

I did the original AJ jump you mentioned back İn mid ’88. It was probably the best adrenalin rush I have EVER experienced. Sure, I was crapping myself, and yes my knees buckled and I sort of lunged off in some ungainly manner, but WOW…!!!

Would I do it again, 158.7% YES

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:17 pm said:
  
  I’m starting to have a panic attack as I read your chant “DO IT, DO IT, DO IT.!!!!!!!”. Ahhhhhhhh
  I want to think that I can do it, but something inside me is saying nooooooooo. Yes, I saw a few people bungy in the way you described.
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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  - Uncle Spike on May 28, 2014 at 12:21 pm said:
    
    Are the best things in life usually as a result of spontaneity or consideration…? hmm…
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:22 pm said:
    
    Yes, yes in fact they mostly are.
    
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quarksire on May 28, 2014 at 6:46 am said:

right on 🙂

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:17 pm said:
  
  Have you done it?
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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Ramona Ivan on May 28, 2014 at 7:58 am said:

Um. Yeah…no. LOL :0)

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:18 pm said:
  
  That’s exactly, I mean exactly what my mom said (including the “LOL”). She thinks I am nuts to even be considering it.
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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cteachr on May 28, 2014 at 8:34 am said:

NO!!

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:19 pm said:
  
  haha I sense the strong urgency and affirmation in your response. I am a…. no? Uncertain to say the least. Am I crazy to be considering it?
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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  - cteachr on May 29, 2014 at 9:26 am said:
    
    My rule of thumb is that if there isn’t a toilet aboard, I don’t go. (pun intended)
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 29, 2014 at 10:07 am said:
    
    haha awesome! I love that expression!
    
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Tanya Antosik on May 28, 2014 at 10:47 am said:

I would and I did – off of that very bridge. Once you do it, you’ll immediately want to do it again. You may regret not doing it, especially since your in its birth place! If you do, once you’re hooked up and they count you down just jump, no lingering or hesitating (that just makes it harder).

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 12:20 pm said:
  
  Good for you! That’s awesome and amazing (and ironic). That’s how I felt with skydiving! I want to do it again and again.
  
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  - Uncle Spike on May 28, 2014 at 1:27 pm said:
    
    If you can skydive, what’s the issue?? At least your parachute is attached this time!
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 1:52 pm said:
    
    I don’t know! I feel they are completely different. Maybe they aren’t? Maybe it is in my head. I don’t like the idea of being tied at the feet and falling head first. Eeeks
    
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  - Uncle Spike on May 28, 2014 at 2:52 pm said:
    
    As someone else said, you’ll regret it later if you don’t -say sayin’ 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 6:00 pm said:
    
    haha nice, and smooth.
    
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coloradotravelingducks on May 28, 2014 at 12:37 pm said:

I will and have jumped off many things, but not bungy jumping. Also saw jumpers from that bridge, but I just can’t imagine jumping and falling upside down. Let us know if you decide to do it.

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 1:50 pm said:
  
  I know exactly how you feel hence my hesitation. I’ve done cliff jumping last fall which was a stretch for me. We shall see!!
  
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Sha on May 28, 2014 at 12:40 pm said:

I would be seriously scared but I’ve always wanted to give bungy jumping a try. At least I can tell people that I’ve tried it once and if I decide that it was too scary, I would still have gotten to experience it once.

I had to jump from a high spot once and my knees were shaking so much I could not do it. But someone started counting down for me and when he went, 3, 2, 1 – I just let go without thinking and that made it so much easier.

So maybe you can try it if you ever do give this a try. Don’t think about it, don’t hesitate and just JUMP!

I hope I get to try it too…I have to practice what I just preached after all….hahaha…good luck!

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- Turquoise Compass on May 29, 2014 at 10:05 pm said:
  
  Sorry I am just getting back to you now. I wanted to have the time to write you a response since you took so much time in writing such a detailed response to my post on bungy jumping.
  You are such a great supporter of my travel journey and blog. I appreciate every comment you make and every like you give. Know that your kindness, involvement, and effort does not go unnoticed. You are a one of a kind person.
  Thank you so much for the above comments. A.it is a seriously scary thing to consider bungy jumping like you mentioned, B. but it IS something I’d like to try once, C. however, I am just not sure if that time is now. I went skydiving for my 30th birthday, so if I don’t do it bungy jumping might have to wait until another year or special moment in time. You are completely right though, if I decided to do it I would have to just jump after the 1,2,3, go count down (or else I would never do it). Thanks for the tips!
  Have a great turquoise day!
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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  - Sha on May 30, 2014 at 11:15 am said:
    
    Hi Jess! Thanks for the awesome and thoughtful reply! No worries about when you actually do it, I too hope to be able to do it someday, maybe for my 30th next year just like you did skydiving for yours. Who knows! 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 30, 2014 at 4:55 pm said:
    
    Great! You should go for it as I am considering my myself.
    
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Sas on May 28, 2014 at 4:10 pm said:

It’s one thing I’ve never wanted to try. It’s not so much the jumping that scares me, as the point at which you bounce back up.

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 6:01 pm said:
  
  I know exactly how you feel. Ahhhh! Would you try skydiving? There is always that fear in the back of your mind: would you bounce back or plummet to the earth?
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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  - Sas on May 28, 2014 at 6:58 pm said:
    
    I have considered skydiving, but I don’t know if I’d be brave enough when it comes down to it 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 10:02 pm said:
    
    You would!
    
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Kendra S on May 28, 2014 at 10:01 pm said:

I’ve done it once, actually, in our mutual home country. I believe it is the tallest in North America at 200ft! haha it was quite the experience! you should do it!

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- Turquoise Compass on May 28, 2014 at 10:02 pm said:
  
  Great, and awesome! You did the 200ft one? Crazy!
  
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Contented Traveller on May 29, 2014 at 5:51 am said:

No way :))

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- Turquoise Compass on May 29, 2014 at 10:07 am said:
  
  That’s completely how I feel, yet there is something deep deep within my soul that tells me I should someday do it. That someday is probably not today.
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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NikiMarie on May 29, 2014 at 1:36 pm said:

You know, I’ve jumped out of a perfectly good airplane so you’d think that bungee jumping would be something I’d do too. But no, I wouldn’t! A parachute is one thing, but a rubber band is something very different! Not to mention, there was an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air where Hillary is watching her fiance bungee jump while asking her to marry him, but he didn’t make it. That scene just keeps replaying whenever someone asks about bungee jumping!

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- Turquoise Compass on May 29, 2014 at 3:18 pm said:
  
  I’m right there with you. Like you said, “A parachute is one thing, but a rubber band is something very different!” You get my hesitation bang on. Oh don’t tell me that, now I really don’t want to do it, haha. Although, there is still a part of me that is considering it.
  
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  - NikiMarie on May 29, 2014 at 6:05 pm said:
    
    Ha! Well maybe you will one day then 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 29, 2014 at 10:08 pm said:
    
    Yes, hopefully one day! P.S. I don’t know if I ever mentioned this, but I love your profile picture. Amazing one of you-full of joy and laughter. I like the original ones and not the posey posey ones.
    
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  - NikiMarie on May 29, 2014 at 11:34 pm said:
    
    Thank you! I love that picture too for the same reason – that’s the real me. I love it when you can capture that moment! Those are always my favorite pictures of anyone 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 29, 2014 at 11:51 pm said:
    
    Exactly!
    
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Packing my Suitcase on May 30, 2014 at 5:31 am said:

Ohhhhh no!! No way! You have no idea how afraid of height I am!! Hahahaha but some of my friends have done it in NZ and they all loved. Its important to mention that they are not afraid of heights…it wouldnt be the same in my case hahaha

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- Turquoise Compass on May 30, 2014 at 8:43 am said:
  
  If you are afraid of heights, how are you with flying? I don’t mind heights, BUT, it does scare the living daylights out of me willingly leaving a ledge at a crazy high height. My palms sweat just thinking about it.
  Jessica
  
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  - Packing my Suitcase on May 31, 2014 at 3:23 am said:
    
    Hahahaha I have problems with flying during take-off and I only like to sit by the window so I can see where we are… Because during take-off if I look to the corridor it gives me the sensation that the plane is falling! Crazy I know hahaha and in the Maldives I was really scared of the Seaplane, but I have to confess it was the best flight I ever had, smooth and beautiful 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on May 31, 2014 at 7:12 pm said:
    
    Good to know! I’ve never been on a seaplane and it’s on my bucket list. Maybe it will become a reality if/and when I make it to the Maldives.
    Jessica, Turquoise Compass
    
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  - Packing my Suitcase on June 2, 2014 at 2:48 am said:
    
    Yes it will!! Its very different…I liked it. I was really nervous before, but all went well haha. My husband says the worse it can happen is to land on the sea 🙂
    
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  - Turquoise Compass on June 2, 2014 at 9:04 am said:
    
    And it already has the skies reading for landing…phew!~
    Jessica, Turquoise Compass
    
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  - Packing my Suitcase on June 2, 2014 at 4:32 pm said:
    
    Hahahaha yes!!! 😃😃😃
    
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Rebecca Tremblay on June 1, 2014 at 3:13 am said:

Oh my GOODNESS Jessica! I started reading and thought you’d DONE IT! Perhaps we should save this one to do together, because it also scares me shitless! Hahaha! We would be good entertainment value for any bystanders!

Rebecca, Quirky Bikini

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- Turquoise Compass on June 1, 2014 at 5:58 am said:
  
  Oh my goodness, what a good idea! We could do it tandem! How fun would that be? You give me so much strength…I think I could do it with you.
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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thebritishberliner on June 6, 2014 at 8:47 am said:

Nope! Bungy jumping isn’t for me. Besides I wouldn’t see a thing. I don’t even like roller-coasters after forgetting that I had my glasses on and they flew off into never-never land. Luckily, they hadn’t broken but I spent the whole ride anxious and in a panic ‘cos I couldn’t see and it was early evening. Sigh!
Funnily enough Jessica, I wouldn’t mind trying skydiving or paragliding!

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- Turquoise Compass on June 10, 2014 at 3:39 pm said:
  
  Yes, funny (and ironic enough) that you would try skydiving and paragliding, yet not bungy jumping, yet I feel the same way. Skydiving is amazing, but I haven’t tried paragliding YET! Hang-gliding is incredible though. Just close your eyes and you will get through anything. Now if only I could take my own advice.
  Jessica, Turquoise Compass
  
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