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Rap Jump!

Run down a 155ft vertical wall???  Here's me, running down the side of the Novotel Hotel in downtown Auckland.  Why? Because it was there of course!

 

And of course it's me, I have a t-shirt to prove it!

 

12 years ago, I was in New Zealand on vacation (my first trip here and before I met my husband -- that's another story). I was young (well, if 31 is considered young), single, and trying to be adventurous. After all, New Zealand had a reputation for being the "Adventure Capital of the World" -- and after travelling halfway 'round the world, I had to see if that was true.

 

 

Our Contiki tour leader told us about an optional excursion we could do while we were in Auckland, and 9 of us from our tour group of 22 decided to give it a go. So I, who was afraid to climb up ladders because of the height, signed up and volunteered to go first... if only to get it over with quickly.

 

A quick elevator ride to the top of the building, a staircase to the roof, a quick swipe of the pen on the 'you did this of your own free will' form, a climbing harness wrapped around me ---

-- and I found myself perched on the edge of a building 155 feet in the air with a voice in my ear saying "it's okay, just let go of the rope..."

 

And I did! ...    And it was awesome!

 

And I survived to tell the tale!

 

And now I live in New Zealand but I would never run down a building again.

 

And I'm still afraid of climbing ladders. 

COMMENTS
Nmat said at 6:29 p.m. on Sep 25, 2006:
Adventure Capital of the World, indeed! Congratulations on your courage!
Mylakent said at 7:04 p.m. on Sep 28, 2006:
You are braver than I and these photos are just fabulous! About the most crazy thing I've done yet is go parasailing 300' over the Puget Sound (where, I might add, they informed me that there be sharks in them waters -- right before they let me go) -- it was great. Until the 100' freefall. And then up up up I went again and oh wow. Thanks for the memory ;)
Papariccardo said at 5:18 p.m. on Dec 2, 2007:
Congratulations! I suspect that I am the instructor in the photograph of you being unclipped at the jump base, although my face is hidden. It's great to hear a blast from the past like this! I was an instructor/ jump master at the Adrenalin Adventures jumpsite up until it's close (end of lease) in 1999.

Did you do the 3-jump package with the freefall on the final jump?

And I'm STILL scared of heights & climbing ladders, lol! The rope is safe, a ladder can break necks.
Curiouskiwi said at 5:42 p.m. on Dec 2, 2007:
That's so cool!

No, we all only did the 1 jump... I was too scared to contemplate more than 1 before I did it. :) But afterwards, I remember thinking that I'd like to do it again, as it would be even more fun knowing that it wasn't as scary as it looked. :)
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