Jump to it
The recent furore surrounding the England rugby team’s decision to go bungee jumping on their day off only served to remind me how much I’d love to tackle a jump in New Zealand. The players are over there for the World Cup and some commentators suggested it was a less than safe pursuit for professional athletes 48 hours before a big game. Bollocks. Bungee jumping is probably safer than rugby! And if you don’t take the chance to do it while you’re in New Zealand – the unofficial home of bungee – then you’ll probably never forgive yourself. I know I regret not having a go when I was over there a few years ago. Mind you, I was there for a family wedding and it was either bungee jumping or help collect red diesel, so we could actually have enough power for the evening party. I guess my Grandma would never have spoken to me ever again if I’d picked the first option….
New Zealand may well be where bungee was born, but it has been surpassed by other destinations as the ultimate jump site. I thought about trying to write a definitive “Top Five” based on reports from friends and other thrill seekers, but decided I could only really write with authority about those places where I had experienced the thrill of hurtling towards the ground or a body of water with only a large elastic band saving me from disaster. So, in no particular order, here are my favourite bungee jumping sites around the world.
The Corinth Canal in Greece is spanned by an impressive bridge, which is used for bungee is the summer months. Gets kind of busy with passing tourists and a few pissed up stag parties even venture out there as well, but the canyon you’re jumping into is actually pretty narrow at this point, which makes the descent even more spectacular! Without a doubt the scariest bungee jump I’ve ever done was from the 150 metre-high Ponte Colossus in Italy – an initial free-fall of 4.5 seconds will challenge the resolve of even the toughest jumpers. Finally, the highest bungee jumping venue in Europe is at Niouc in the Swiss Alps at an impressive 190 metres. Set in an even narrower canyon than the Corinth Canal, the descent somehow seems faster – which makes up for the very scary wobbly bridge that you have to cross to get to the jump platform…
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