Queenstown, New Zealand is known as the adventure capital of the world. Naturally, one must be adventurous. This is a tough thing to do if you are afraid of heights as I am. Most of the activities consist of swinging off a cliff, jumping off a cliff or jumping out of a plane. I decided ages ago that when I landed in New Zealand, I would be bungy jumping in Queenstown.

My first choice was the smallest bungee known as Kawarau Bridge. At 43m high, you jump off the bridge over the river. After inquiring about combining the Kawarau Bridge bungee with the Nevis Swing, we were told we’d have to come back into town before we headed to Nevis to do the swing and that it would end up taking all day. My sister convinced me that I’d have to suck it up and do the Nevis Bungee if I really wanted to. The Nevis Bungee is 134m high, a massive difference from the other one. Regardless, we booked it.

I think I was in panic mode from the day we booked until we got on the bus. We saw the bridge bungee on the way to Nevis and realized my bungee was way higher. Our bus wound its way up the dirt track to the shop. We couldn’t see the bungee until after we got geared up. My sister was coming across to watch me jump and give me some encouragement. We rode across in a cable car to the pod which was suspended above the canyon.

There were 7 others in front of me and we heard all their experiences as they came up. I started panicking even more as my turn got closer. Finally, I sat down in the seat where they attached the bungee cord. It was time to jump. I shimmied close to the edge and waited for their countdown. I kept reminding myself not to look down as I focused on the countdown and the fact I was jumping into a canyon 134m high. After the “three, two, one, Bungee”, I took a deep breath and launched myself off the side. The wind rushed past my face, I was free-falling into the canyon but it was so exhilarating. After a couple of bounces, I finally came to a stop, I couldn’t believe I jumped.

They pulled me up slowly and as I got my feet back onto solid ground, I had tears of joy running down my fear. I was so proud of myself for doing something I didn’t think I would manage.