A J Hackett Cairns Bungy Site - Cairns - Things To Do Reviews

I was determined to bungy in Oz and Cairns seemed like the best place. The person I was travelling with had bungy'd in Las Vegas so I wanted to try it.

So jumping off a 50 metre/ 164 foot high tower seemed like a good idea. When we arrived on the Bungy Bus which picked us up from our hostel, I watched a safety/ instructional video, was weighed (the depressing bit!) and your weight in kilograms is written on your hand - different cords are used for people of different weights so the guys at the top need to know which one you need. They can alter the length so if you want to go full body into the water or not go anywhere near it they'll arrange it.

The climb to the top of the tower was when I started getting nervous. I'm not scared of heights in the slightest, but knowing you're shortly going to be plummeting head first towards the ground with a length of knicker elastic around your ankles could make anyone tremble!

At the top, I was harnessed in with a towel wrapped around my ankles, then the cord. Trussed up like a turkey I was apparently ready to go. After a souvenir photo, the staffer said "We'll count down 5-4-3-2-1-Bungy! - Go on Bungy." OK says I...then I had to say to him if I don't go by Bungy give me a shove! Unfortunately they aren't allowed to, so I sort of fell forward in slow motion, not at all gracefully and fell the 45m in a crouch position, screaming Oh My God the whole way (I didn't swear because I was thinking of buying the video!). When I bounced back up I instinctively grabbed the cord at my ankles which I got into BIG trouble for afterwards - apparently I could have dislocated my shoulder or broken my arm. So that was a lesson learned!

After bouncing about for what felt like an eternity, I was lowered down to the dingy in the pond, released from my elasticated hell and paddled to the side of the pool, ankles still bound in a towel. Needless to say I was delighted to be back on dry land! It was an absolutely exhilarating experience and I was glad I'd done it, but I was shaking like a leaf!

The video wasn't so good so I bought the photos and a polo shirt and we headed back into the city.

Next Day: Horrendous migraine, projectile vomiting and a trip to the doctor for a pethedine injection in the butt. He said people prone to migraines often get a very bad attack after bungying because it rattles your brain and makes the blood vessels swell, causing a migraine.

So I'll never do it again, but can highly recommend it, so long as you don't get migraines - although you might after this experience!!