To end what has already been an incredible two weeks of skiing, I can now tick off the list Europe’s highest bungy jump….192m! Renowned as one of the most breathtaking and challenging bungy jumping sites (the third largest in the world in fact), the bungy site is right off the spectacular Europa Bridge in Innsbruck, Austria. With a free fall time of over 5 seconds and a maximum speed of up to 120km/hour, it was pretty damn scary but also an incredible adrenaline rush!
(Once you past this sign, there's no turning back!)
I’ve been fantasising about the jump…even dreaming about it at night… for the past three days since a Swedish friend mentioned it to me. Since then it’s been my mission to convince the rest team to join me! At first they thought it was a crazy idea, but I finally succeeded in getting Anton and Scotty to also jump.
I arrived at the bungy site excited but also super nervous! I have bungy jumped twice before, but neither of them compared to the mammoth size of this one! Once we were harnessed up, we walked about halfway across the bridge along the pedestrian path until we finally reached these little old rickety ladders. We hooked ourselves on with our carabineers and climbed down to a platform beneath the bridge where the launch site was. By this stage I was so nervous, frightened and excited I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!
(Scotty and I excited for the jump)
(Anton and I on our way to the bungy site)
(View off the Europa Bridge. Long way down!)
(Dodgy ladder leading to bungy site beneath)
Anton was first to take the plunge, then Scotty. I was last up from the opposite platform. After the famous countdown from 5 in German (by request of course as opposed to English…. When in Rome!) I attempted a swan dive off the platform, however because of fear, nerves and the shear weight of the rope, it turned into more of a collapse and tumble off the platform! Either way, I was off and falling…
The decent was so long and fast… I was just waiting for the rope to tighten! Then came the rebound where it felt like I was flung almost all the way back up to the take-off! The scariest part was probably hanging upside down about 40m from the ground waiting for them to pull me back up again.
(The launch pad)
(Anton on his way up)
(Taking the plunge)
(Still free falling after 5 seconds...)
(I couldn't wipe the grin off my face for hours after the jump....)
All in all, I’m very glad I did it! Worth every penny, and something I’ll remember forever.
