A Tandem Bungy Jump on Valentine’s Day [VIDEO]
Filed Under: I am starting to wonder about you guys. every time you celebrate your ‘love’ (V-day, anniversary) you jump off something very high. Please explain.
— A good friend responds to our Valentine’s Day bungy jump, capturing a little problem we seem to have.
So there we were in New Zealand, Valentine’s Day approaching. We find ourselves in Queenstown, the so-called adventure capital of the world where just about any adrenaline-pumping, blood-draining exercise can be found. So we think: What sort of shared experience, that we haven’t done before, can we do together to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Bungy jumping together, now that’s a shared experience. A little pleasure, a little terror.
We each get our feet wrapped up in towels, cords and carabiners. Then we get strapped and hooked together. On the platform, we wrap our inside hands around each other’s waist, grabbing hold of each other’s harness.
The whole time, we’re excited, pretty much terrified.
They call out 3, 2, 1. Then it’s time.
Here’s the surprising thing about bungy: it’s not anything like we expected. It’s a rush. We expected that. It’s terrifying. We expected that. But the bounce (it’s not a snap, by the way) at the bottom is soft and elastic and actually a lot of fun, particularly when you pop up and down a few times and realize that you’ve in fact survived and can enjoy an upside-down view of turquoise water and stunning ravine below.
And that’s when we gave each other a hug. This experience makes you truly appreciate you partner and not take him or her for granted.
If you’re in the neighborhood and even lightly grazing the idea of doing bungy, do it. It’s a sensation you’ll likely never forget. And if you’re a couple, do the tandem – there’s nothing like the fun of shared terror to bring you even closer.
Watch the video to see for yourself.
A Valentine’s Day Tandem Bungy Jump
Special thanks to AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand for providing us with this video.
Practical details for Tandem Bungy
At the moment, the only tandem bungy (or bungee, if you like) experience can be had with AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand in Queenstown, New Zealand. They are the folks that set up the original one in 1988 on the same bridge where we jumped off. You jump from a height of 43 meters (141 feet) off the Kawarau Bridge.
It’s possible to book the same day, however it’s preferred if you book in advance (say, the day before or earlier). Basically, you show up in town, hop a bus, go out to the site, get weighed, go out on the bridge, get strapped in and tied up. Then you jump. Cost is $180 NZ per person and includes a free t-shirt to show off your courage post-jump. The whole experience, while terrifying, strikes us as completely safe. Photos and video are available through download, DVD or a cool USB in the shape of a carabiner for $80 for both photos and video (or $45 for one).
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Disclosure: Big thanks to AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand for talking us through all our adrenaline options in Queenstown and providing us with this tandem bungy experience so we could test it out for ourselves. Our New Zealand Encompassed Tour is provided by G Adventures in cooperation with its Wanderers in Residence program. As always, the opinions expressed here are entirely our own.
Photo credits to AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand.
February 15th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
You two are nuts! I don’t think I could ever do that, but what an awesome memory for you!
loved the video l.
February 15th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Love it… looks like a lot of fun!
February 15th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
What an awesome Valentine’s Day memory!
February 15th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Amazing video!! You two amaze me. I would never do this alone but if I was holding onto Steven…I might actually think about it:)
February 15th, 2013 at 9:10 pm
Amazing! What a great thing to do on Valentine`s Day. Standing on that ledge must have been a bit scary, no?
Thanks for describing the feeling at the bottom which is a bounce and not a snap, as I always expected it was. Love how you guys hugged it out afterwards! I`ve never done it, not sure I ever will, but it was definitely nice to see. Great post!
February 15th, 2013 at 11:53 pm
All I can say is that was ‘particularly elegant’jump!
May you always celebrate V Day in such style!
February 16th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
That brought tears to my eyes! I really want to try bungy but remember watching people at this spot and getting cold sweats! Great job!
February 17th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
You guys are insane! I love how much you’re both grinning away though
Congrats on doing such a wonderfully terrifying activity on V-day!
February 17th, 2013 at 1:50 pm
Wow, you guys definitely have more guts than me! Having said that, I’ve always said that if I ever did a bungy I’d probably only want to do a tandem one so that it didn’t feel as scary, so this is probably the perfect thing to do with your significant other!
February 18th, 2013 at 11:27 am
You guys are insane. Who would ever do that with you?
February 18th, 2013 at 1:59 pm
OMG you guys are crazy!!……but I like it! Fantastic idea, I might even mention it to my other half, although I don’t she’d be too keen.
February 18th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
Bungee jumping in NZ is high on my bucket list! Great video! I would have been freaking out on standing on the platform so long. When I do it I just want to walk out there and jump lol
February 18th, 2013 at 9:26 pm
Wow, Wow, Wow, Dan and Audrey!! Wow. I watched this full screen. Amazing. Wow. And landing on the boat upside down and then getting untangled from the bungee. Amazing. Loved it!!! Wow again….and you guys are (semi) crazy!.
February 20th, 2013 at 10:56 pm
Wow! Amazing video!!! As always – thanks for sharing!
February 21st, 2013 at 1:21 pm
You’re crazy. Bungee jumping is one thing I really don’t think I’d ever want to do or have the guts to do. I can’t believe you actually took the plunge ~ good for you!
February 22nd, 2013 at 12:31 am
What fun! My husband wouldn’t do that with me in a million years.
February 27th, 2013 at 10:18 am
[...] full account of leaping from Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown, New Zealand, in their post A tandem bungy jump on Valentine’s Day. Follow Daniel and Audrey on Twitter [...]
March 5th, 2013 at 4:14 am
That was terrifying and exciting experience. I would also love to that in case my significant other would love too.:)
March 14th, 2013 at 6:08 am
@Sasha: Never say never
I never really imagined us doing this either, but sometimes circumstances conspire…
@Sabastian: It was!! Although, taking a break from bungee jumping for a bit
@Amanda: Definitely not a Valentine’s Day we’ll forget anytime soon! Good fun.
@Diane: That’s the thing – when you’re up there together it somehow becomes doable, since you have each other to bounce of energy and courage. I have a feeling you’d be able to do it with Steven next to you.
@Isabelle: Thanks – so glad you enjoyed the video. The bounce/snap was what we were most worried about and one of the things that had kept us away from bungee jumping for years. Fortunately, technology has improved so it’s a smoother ride. Next year will we see you & Chris??
@Jo: The jump was rather tough to do as we waddled like penguins. Honestly, my fear was hitting the back of my head by not jumping out far enough. But fortunately, we managed
@Paula: Watching this video still brings tears to my eyes, as well as it gets the adrenaline going. My advice: make the decision to do it and then don’t watch any of the videos or other people doing it. Makes it more difficult.
@Flora: Sounds insane, but the grin just kind of comes naturally when you’re flying and thinking “holy sh*t!” How will we top this next year??
@Julia: Not only is it a bit easier to get the courage to jump when you do tandem, but it’s also fun to share the same experience.
@Andrew: Ha! And who would ever think to jump off Kawarau bridge one day and then do the Nevis bungee the next? Crazy people, I tell you.
@Thomas: You never know – you might discover a whole new side to your significant other by asking her do to this. Kind of fun.
@Stephen: While it’s great to have the photos and videos, it is nerve-racking standing out on that edge trying to smile at the cameras and keep your cool. The goal is to jump as quickly as you can.
@Sutapa: So glad you enjoyed this and watched it the right way (full screen). I still get nervous watching it now – takes me back to that same emotion and spot.
@Agne: Thanks! Maybe you’ll be next?? Bungee in Thailand?
@JoAnna: We have done skydiving and base flying, but never thought much of bungee jumping because we were afraid of the jerk/bounce. But somehow it all becomes quite “normal” when in Queenstown and next thing you know… It is scarier than skydiving though.
@CosmoHallitan: You’ll never know until you ask
@Richard: Glad you enjoyed the video and photos. Not every couple would be keen on this, but just ask and you might be surprised at the response your significant other gives you.
March 14th, 2013 at 7:41 pm
How terrifyingly romantic!
I take my hat off to you! the thoughts of Sky diving and bungee jumping makes my heart go into my throat!
Scary stuff
March 17th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
@Sam: Don’t worry, thinking about that jump (& watching this video again) makes our heart go to our throats as well! But it is kind of fun
March 18th, 2013 at 11:38 am
Wow, you two are amazing! What a thrilling way to celebrate Valentine’s Day together. I’m excited about my upcoming ziplining adventure so it was great reading your post and watching your video. Thanks for sharing; I look forward to reading more of your exciting adventures together!
March 25th, 2013 at 5:38 am
@Barbara: This was certainly a Valentine’s Day we won’t forget anytime soon
Enjoy your upcoming ziplining adventure!
March 26th, 2013 at 3:32 am
I want to experience this too
April 3rd, 2013 at 3:58 pm
WOW thank realy cool. I thind i will to it too one day
April 9th, 2013 at 6:17 am
Nice! I would love to do that too. Maybe one day…