march-2012

WORDS: TIANA TEMPLEMAN
5 WAYS
WHERE TO
FREEFALL,
SWOOP
AND SWING
We bring you some of the more
unusual ways to scare yourself
silly in New Zealand
2
SWOOP: ROTORUA
Daredevils of any age can
experience the Swoop, a
40m-high swing that sends up to
three people hurtling through the air
at 130kph. Each rider is suspended
in a full-body sling which makes it a
bit less scary. Kind of. Anticipation
builds during the slow winch to the
top of the ride, especially if you’re
not the one holding the release
cord. Swooping is a great choice
for families with children who don’t
make the height and/or weight
requirements for other rides.
Tel: +64 (7) 357 4747.
3
BRIDGE BUNGY: AUCKLAND
Thrill seekers get a double
rush with this heart-pumping
experience which starts with a
hair-raising walk along a metal
gantry under Auckland Bridge and
fi nishes with a bungy jump over the
ocean. AJ Hackett’s new world fi rst
is one of the few sites in the world
offering every possible jumping
option: ankle tie, harness jump or
tandem — which makes it tempting
to repeat this bungy (second jumps
are half price). If the tides are right,
you’ll get to touch the sky and
ocean. Enjoy the view rather than
looking down while walking across
the bridge! Tel: +64 (9) 360 7748.
1
4
EVENTS /// PROFILES /// FOOD /// DRINKS /// PLACES /// STYLE
1
ZIPTREK: QUEENSTOWN
You’ll fl y through the air
with the greatest of ease,
surrounded by birdlife and
beautiful trees on this eco-friendly
tour which starts on top of Bob’s
Peak. “It’s pure fun,” says sales &
marketing manager Nicky Busst.
“You get to zip through the forest
all the way to the bottom of the
mountain.” Tel: +64 (3) 441 2102.
2
4
NEVIS SWING: QUEENSTOWN
The World’s Biggest Swing is
strictly for the big kids. Henry
van Asch, who invented the original
Bungy with his mate AJ Hackett, also
created this super-sized swing which
travels in a 300m arc over a canyon.
“Part of the fun is that there’s up
to 12 different positions to choose
from on the Swing Menu,” says van
Asch. “We’ve had groups of friends
‘rock off’ to decide which pair will
swing in which position.”
Tel: +64 (3) 450 1300.
3
TOP: Thrillseekers
will be laughing
with New Zealand’s
crazy fun
5
FREEFALL XTREME: ROTORUA
“The funniest thing about
the Freefall Xtreme would
have to be the variety of facial
expressions caused by the wind in
the tunnel,” laughs Anna Rodgers
from Agroventures, the only place
in the southern hemisphere where
you can slip into a fl ight suit and fl y
like a superhero on a giant column
of air. If you’ve ever wanted to
try skydiving but aren’t keen on
jumping out of a plane, this is for
you. Tel: +64 (7) 357 4747.
021
5