Not today. Not tomorrow. But soon.
New Zealand is renowned for its bungy jumping and I am determined when I get to Queensland, which the home of the bungy, to give it a go.
I don't think I am afraid. Heights do not bother me and the thought of free falling for a few seconds is thrilling. Bring it on, I say.
However, the stories swirl and accumulate as we travel and everyone you meet has one.
"You'll detatch your retina!"
"You'll ruin your back!"
Peter, who we met up north in Cape Reinga, described his NZ skydiving experience as the most exhilarating two minutes of his life. "But I lost my bottle," he said when recounting the tale of his attempt to bungy. Apparently, all strapped in, out on the ledge, staring down at the drop of 75 metres plus, he lost his nerve and asked to climb back down.
"You'll lose your $300.00," the drop master told him.
"I don't care." And he climbed down and walked away from his jump and his money.
Klaus, back in Toronto, once told me a story about his one and only NZ bungy jump experience.
"The guy in front of us was so freakin' nervous, he was hyperventilating and psyching himself up to do it. And when he got up to the ledge, he jumped before they had a chance to strap the bungie cord onto him!"
You can imagine what happened.
And yet, the very next day, after the police investigation, Klaus was back up on the same ledge and making sure he was all strapped in, did the very same jump, loving every minute of it.
If you stop to think about it, you'll never go — get the thumbs up from the drop master, close your eyes and then fall into the abyss.
I want the one where your head dips into the water.
If I can.
The bungy looms.
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