Halloween Screams

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We had arrived in Taupo, (city of adventure, according to Lonely Planet), late last night and checked in at Rainbow Lodge. Come the morning, we were eager to see what was on offer, and had heard rhumours about Taupo being one of the cheapest places for outdoors activities, so checked at front desk. Adam wasn't too keen on a bungy, or skydive since he'd done the latter before and the former didn't really appeal, (I'm being nice here and not saying the 'chicken' word at all - Mr Compassion, that's me). Anyway, the girl pointed out a fantasic 4-in-1 offer that was impossible to decline and within seconds we were booked in.

Come 12.30 I was standing 47m above Lake Taupo, strapped onto a large, inadequate-looking elastic band, being told "3...2....1...Jump!"

You don't really have much choice at that point, especially when the jump was being managed by 2 girls - the age old gender-rivalry making it impossible to chicken out.

I jumped.

Well, it'd probably be more accurate to say that I just leant out and fell.

Freefalling through the air, the water zooming towards me, all of the previous instructions given to me by the girls pulled their rip cords and exited my brain as it was swamped by a massive influx of Adrenalin.

Although I'd requested enough slack in the bungy so that my arms were dunked in the water and the girls had warned me that if I didn't jump out, away from the platform, my entire body could be submerged, I still forgot.

"AAAAARRRGGGHH", "FFFUUUUCCCCCKKKKK" and various other expletives spewed from my mouth as I hurtled towards the water.

Luckily the vague warning about getting black-eyes if you keep your eyes open and break the surface of the water with your head, started to come back to me just in time for a quick vertical superman pose before I hit the water...and kept going....gulp.

I was wrenched out in an instant, having been dunked upto my waist, but it was amazing! I whooped and shouted, American-style as I continued yo-yo-ing until a boat appeared underneath me and I was lowered down.

The photos were amazing, but we didn't have time to check the videos as within 5 mins we were on a jet boat, racing up and down the Huka river, doing on-the-spot 360degree turns and cruising into the spray from the huge Huka falls.

After a good drenching we were taxied off to our awaiting helicopter, (I kid you not), and soon we were circling in the skies above Taupo, looking out over the awsome sun-drenched views of the lake and surrounding mountains, dipping and diving to dodge the clouds.

A gental landing at Taupo airport brought us to our final event and we were quickly geared-up and briefed, ready for our tandem skydive!

Benny, (my jumper), seemed a cool sort of bloke and soon we were sitting, squashed in a little yellow plane along with 5 other victims and our personal film crew, (nothing but the best for us!).

The plane climbed and climbed, revealing some stunning views of Taupo and its lakes and mountains before the time came, last min. safety checks were completed and there I was, sitting in the open doorway with my legs dangling out, attempting a relaxed smile for the on-board camera!

3...2...1.... and we jumped!

An unbelievable minutes worth of free-fall saw us accellerate dramatically downwards, hurting towards the ground at ridiculous speeds, screaming obsenities all the way. It seemed like forever before Benny pulled the rip cord and the air-brakes were applied sending us shooting up, and the camera-man plummetting down.

A pretty intense day, all in all.

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