Jump! Jump!! Day 57

Where am I: Rainbow Lodge - in Taupo - what date: Thu-20-Nov, what time is it: 19:25)

I am back. And I am alive. Not that I ever doubted it but it’s not everyday that you wake up, get on a plane fly up to 15,000 feet with a German tied on your back, and jump out of a plane doing a 60 second free fall. To make things a bit more interesting I got back to the hostel, had a sandwich with New Zealand feta (no comparison) and tomato and then jumped into a lake from a 47 meter platform on a bungy cord.

Enough for one day? Yes I think, I only need to meet a cute girl now and it’s probably the one of the most adrenaline rushed days of my life.

Bakerman, is baking bread….
I remember this video clip clearly – if you don’t know the song please go check it in You Tube. I remember watching it with my brother and laughing about the words. But that wasn’t the impressive part – the video made the difference. Tens of skydivers off a plane, into different formation, floating, moving, dancing…

Then you have the war movies. The airborne units jumpers, helmets and equipment, out of the plane’s door, into the blue sky (or pitch black night), parachutes opening one after the other, a line of puffy silk clouds slowly descending behind enemy lines. Even the Germans dropping into Crete looked fascinating in the photos I saw in the ANZAC memorial in Australia…

I always wanted to do this. Always dreamt of it and here I was, tied on to Albert Schuman, skydiving instructor with 9000 dives, telling me how to put my legs out into the open door and lean back as he propelled us both downwards into one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. Jumping from 15,000 feet is pretty high, it’s about 5km above the earth, my ears popping on the way up as the plane climbed and again as I dove into the great blue of lake Taupo. 200km/hour is the speed you reach on your freefall and it lasts for about 60 seconds – too short to realize what exactly is happening. A minute later, a cord is pulled, parachute opens and up you go – onto a beautiful controlled descend. What wonderful scenery, I have no words. Breathless from the speed (and some screaming) I just looked around, mountains, lake, great green fields on a perfect sunny day. “I am like a bird – I only fly away…” I thought… Perfect landing, on the run, no bum on the grass and it was all over in less than 5 minutes… Dream of a lifetime. Done. I will be doing it again.

Are you ready to jump, get ready to jump don’t ever look back now baby….
I went for a walk yesterday at Huka falls, apparently one of New Zealand’s most impressive water sights. A waterfall and crystal blue water roaring into WGHJK river, a truly beautiful site. I would be writing so much more about this place if I hadn’t been to Iguazu. Having seen Iguazu though made this waterfall look like my shower in Geneva. Nowhere near the volume of water, the speed or the hight of the flow. At least I had to earn the view of the waterfall, it was a 5km trek through a beautiful forest before you actually reached it.

The issue was the way back. I passed from the Taupo Bungy Jump site. Now this is not something should have done because having seen the place only made me think more about the jump. It is a wonderful place. A big platform extends over the river next to a vertical drop, rock walls on the side, 47 meters above the lake. I went there this afternoon.

“Hi I am the guy that skydives in the morning and bungy jumps in the afternoon”. I did it. I have the DVD to prove it and if only I knew they were filming me I would have left you guys a message. It was truly incredible. The rush is immense and these guys are so good, you can ask them to “dip you” in the water if you want. It was a hot day, so what the hell let’s go all the way. I ended up soaking my arms and hair in the beautiful lake water. (check the photo :-) )I am not the first person to bungy jump so I won’t bore you with the experience. It is an amazing rush – in some way more intense than skydiving because YOU need to make that last big step into the open air. One, two, three, BUNGY and off I went, face down, the lake coming closer and closer! I screamed… it was great I will do it again with my brother in South Africa.

Talk to you all soon – I dont have anymore credit on my phone - so please send me emails (if you want :-) )
Tomorrow I am going to do the Tongariro Mountainj crossing – for those that like the Lord of the Rings, this is Mount Doom…! Mommy, I am fine!

And the WORLD IS UPSIDE DOWN!!!!

Amazing views at 15000ft.

Idiot, looking up (looking down is harder)

JUMP!!!

47 meters, I am halfway I think (spot the orange dot)

SPLASH!!

Getting back to Earth!