Why would anyone consider putting themselves in such a position?

Picture yourself standing on a viewing platform overlooking the ravine at Mokai Gravity Canyon.  That act alone may be enough to give you vertigo.  And then to stand there, firmly supporting yourself on a sturdy rail, and watch someone 50 metres away shuffle themselves to the edge of a perfectly good platform without a rail may be enough to turn your stomach. 

If you're feeling unwell even thinking about that picture, I suggest giving bungy jumping a miss until you've done some serious energy realignment.

I was privileged to have been part of the Manawatu Chamber of Commerce's Business After 5 trip to Mokai Gravity Canyon and I resolved to get maximum value from the event.

The journey in the TourTime luxury coach was most pleasant.  The weather was perfect and the traffic didn't hold us up.  We arrived, were given an introductory spiel about the establishment and lines up to be weighed for whatever event we chose.  Fully 25% of the 40 participants chose the bungy, along with yours truly.

I'd experienced a 25m bungy jump 3 years previously at Taupo.  It was a baby in comparison.  80m is a long way when you're looking straight down on it.  Having said that I wasn't really nervous until I had walked along the narrow, suspended walkway to the jumping platform area.  I felt a twinge of vertigo as I looked over the edge of the small observation area.  Then the butterflies started fluttering once I'd been invited to sit down and have the straps attached to my feet.  This was really happening.

The worst part of any anticipated event is the waiting and I had to wait because my colleague decided she had better go first in case she chickened out.  She almost did and the staff member behind her applied just a smidgin of pressure to her back to encourage her forward momentum.  She screamed all the way down.

Suddenly I was being called to action.  The clipping and tightening all happened very quickly and efficiently, then two women did safety checks on me before I was shuffled out onto the platform.  I swear that's the worst bit, having to take these ridiculous baby steps with a heavy elastic rope dragging the feet towards the drop and nothing but nothing to prevent the vertigo from causing your body to lose its balance.

Except, oh the relief, my wonderful staff member behind me saying, "I'll just hold your strap as you move your feet onto the footprints marked on the edge of the platform."  I felt confident that with her firm grip on my back I could shuffle to the end.  It became easy.  She counted me down and I trusted the women had done a proper job.

Freefall has to be one of the most exquisitely exhilarating experiences in the Universe.

The bounceback at the end was comfortable and as I was lowered with long, vertical oscillations to the pontoon I crunched my body forward and grabbed my trouser legs so that the pressure in my head didn't get too much.

I was ready to have another go!