You jump I jump?

That was the pact I had with Hay. Initially, I wasn't even keen on bungee jumping for 2 main reasons:

1. I was travelling with my parents and didn't want to freak them out.
2. My guts got smaller as I aged. Somehow, crossing the Big 3 changed my perspective and made me treasure life more.

However, since Hayden wanted to do it, I thought hey, if I don't do it now, I'd probably never do it! Not to mention that when I was younger, I was quite the daredevil / adrenaline junkie. To me, bungee jumping was the epitome of all fears, and I just had to conquer that!

I did some research and found out that there is a bungy site in Taupo, North Island. And it so happened that Taupo was in Dad's itinerary! It seemed like all the stars were pointing us that way and how could we defy destiny? Easier said than done though...the decision to do it or not kept playing itself back and forth in my head and it would have been really easy to make up a silly excuse and use it to back out.

Frankly, the easiest way to make yourself jump is to PAY AND GET ON WITH IT. The jump costs S$150, and you had the option of purchasing the pictures and a video for another S$50. After paying for our jump, filling up the indemnity forms, taking our weights and making a quick stop at the loo, we were ready to go!

Hay and I wanted to scissors-paper-stone to see who would go first, but ultimately, I went first as I was standing closer to the platform. Hay wasn't even allowed to be on the platform with me (he had to wait in line behind a gate). While the 2 attendants were strapping me up, I asked as many questions as I could (partly to alleviate my fears), e.g. what's the best way to jump, how long would it take, etc etc. Once strapped up, I was told to take small steps to the edge of the platform and to give them the thumbs up when I was ready to leap.

So I inched closer and closer...and I have to say that the inching and waiting at the edge was the WORST part of the jump. Not to mention the cord seemed to be dragging me forward as I moved! If I could sum it up, it was really a mind over matter situation that I was forced to face with. At the edge, I procrastinated for a longgg time and screamed adamant "NOoooooo"s when asked if I was ready. Finally, the attendant said in a low, nonchalant voice that the longer I took, the more scared I will be. With that, I mentally closed the door of fears and told him I was ready to go.

And jump I did! I screamed all the way down (ahhhhhhhhhhh!!), and the rebound came before I knew it...I was still screaming my lungs out as the rope jerked me back and forth, up and down. It was exhilarating  and I felt thoroughly stretched, slightly light headed and definitely wobbly legged. When I stopped rebounding, a rubber boat came out to me and one of the guys dragged me onto the boat with a long stick. And that was it! It was over in less than 30 seconds but the entire experience will stay with me for the rest of my life!

I hung around to watch Hay jump and we caught back up at the shop with Stan and out parents. Of course, after the plunge, $50 for some photos and video didn't seem so bad afterall. Hay and I happily paid and left feeling awed and proud of ourselves and of each other.