Harness on, ankles shackled like a prisoner and toes over the edge of the cantilever platform, I stare at the vibrant turquoise waters some 47 metres (154 feet) below.
Nervously, I peer over my left shoulder at the woman standing beside me. She smiles encouragingly. I return to face the front, raise my arms above my head, hands in prayer position, and lean forward.
A rush of adrenaline surges, followed by a stomach-lurching sensation and then I’m flying through the air at 62mph. I feel euphoric. I have a profound sense of accomplishment. I feel on top of the world, even though I’m not actually anywhere near it.
Instead, I’m suspended by a bungee cord just a few feet away from the crystalline depths of the Waikato River, in Taupō, North Island.
I’ve just completed a bungee jump at AJ Hackett Bungy NZ, the only cliff-top bungy in New Zealand.
New Zealand became the home of bungy after Kiwis AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch set up the country’s first commercial bungy jumping operation on the historic Kawarau Bridge in 1988.
I travelled 11,500 miles on a solo trip just to take the plunge and seek out similar adrenaline-fuelled thrills.
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The next one arrives in quick succession. Pumped from the bungee, I’m back on the same platform as a man called Dylan assists me with the swing.
This time, I sit in my harness as I plunge vertically at a speed of 70mph before the cord swings me like a pendulum. Suspended mid-air, I blend into the beauty surrounding me.
Incredibly satisfied, I drive to Huka Falls jet boat tour, still on the Waikato River. New Zealand’s longest river narrows dramatically at Huka Falls. You can hear the falls before seeing them, and I’m excited at the prospect of getting closer in a high-powered jet boat (you can see the falls from a land perspective along a hiking and bike trail, too).
I instantly bond with Ricky, the jet boat operator, who is just as enthusiastic as I am about this adventure, and she does this daily. Safety instructions ticked off, and we’re off.
The boat crashes through the water against a backdrop of sheer rock face embroidered with native bush. Rickly expertly manoeuvres it, making sharp turns before spinning the boat 360 degrees.
This is pure unadulterated fun, and I’m loving it.
I catch my breath while wiping the spray off my face as we approach the base of Huka Falls. I’m dumbstruck by the natural force of the water. It can generate enough power to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool in just 11 seconds.
Remember when we were children, and rolling down a hill was fun?
Well, the New Zealanders don’t stop playing once they’ve reached adulthood. Nope. They find innovative ways to inject joy as they grow older, and I’m here for it.
ZORB in Rotorua (80 km from Taupō) is the world’s largest ball rolling park, operated by the inventors of this iconic experience right here in Aotearoa (the indigenous name for New Zealand).
The year-round hilarity, which is like a giant waterslide in a plastic ball, has been helping people to release their inner child ever since Andrew and David Akers invented the first operation in 1995.
Participants can choose from four different tracks. The world‘s longest zig-zag Sidewinder, the smooth and fast double Straight Track, the longest, fastest and steepest Mega and the newest pipeline, with sweeping half pipe corners and a tree-lined tunnel. What the hell, I’m all in!
I superwoman dive into the ball filled with 40 litres of warm water and roll down the hill without a care in the world.
You don’t need to be a daredevil to get a sense of adventure here. There are plenty of hiking and biking trails to get your fill. I highly recommend the gentle hike (after an initial uphill trail) around Lake Rotopounamu, meaning ‘greenstone lake’ in Māori.
Nestled on the side of Mt Pihanga towards the southern end of Lake Taupō and formed by a giant landslide 10,000 years ago, this is a special place for both birdwatchers and nature lovers.
New Zealand sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which shapes its dramatic volcanic and geothermal landscapes. The country’s restless geology, with its towering cones and steaming vents, fascinates me much more than it did during my school geography lessons.
To get close to this landscape, I embark on a two-hour tour of Waimangu Volcanic Valley, where I learn about Lake Rotomahana, the country’s youngest lake created following a 1886 eruption.
The lake was much smaller before the eruption and sat at the foot of the incredible natural formations of the pink and white terraces. It attracted Māori settlers who travelled close to the geothermal activity, in a bid to benefit from its advantages for cooking, bathing and warmth.
I reflect on this unique historical legacy as I meander around the trail, witnessing the deep underground forces at play. I pass bubbling mud pools, geysers, hot springs and the mysterious blue Inferno Crater Lake.
The healing properties of geothermal bathing are just as popular today as they were with the local Mauro iwi (tribe) of the time.
Lake Taupō is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia and is purported to be the size of Singapore.
While it can be viewed from several places from land, a scenic sailing tour is the only way you can get close to the Māori Rock Carvings, one of the most extraordinary contemporary carvings in the world.
Māori culture is well embedded in New Zealand (after all, they arrived here well before the Europeans over 800 years ago), and it’s a great introduction to this peaceful community.
Te Puia is a great place to start if you want to delve deeper into Māori culture, an integral part of life in New Zealand. So, in my quest to learn more, I head to the centre where I’m welcomed with a spectacular haka (a powerful ritual dance).
The performance illustrates the iwi’s deep, spiritual connection to the land, their customs and beliefs. The vigorous movements and stamping of the feet with rhythmically shouted accompaniment have me in a trance.
For the culture to survive and thrive, the community must pass on ancestral traditions to the young.
The Māori Arts and Crafts Institute next door is an exceptional example of these traditions being continued, where students (tauira) hone traditional skills in weaving, wood, stone and bone carving.
The school (wānanga) serves as a beacon for indigenous culture, and I watch in awe over the students who are completely absorbed in their tasks.
The restaurant Pātaka Kai on site further gives visitors a flavour of the Māori’s through hāngī, traditional food prepared underground.
Think fresh seafood and sweet treats such as Kānga waru (a corn and kūmara steamed pudding) and Roroi kūmara (a baked sweet potato dish).
With a full belly, I take a stroll to the state-of-the-art Kiwi Conservation Centre. Here I come face-to-face with New Zealand’s national treasure: the native Kiwi bird.
But it’s not until I fly to the capital Wellington (domestic flights are a convenient way to cover long distances) that I partake in my first traditional greeting of the hongi Māori, which involves joined foreheads and noses – meaning sharing of breath and I find this endearing. I’m now all set for an intimate paddle aboard an outrigger canoe.
I lower myself into the waka (canoe) and listen carefully to the instructions, including how to hold the hoe (paddle) and when to switch from left to right.
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I’m encouraged to chant in unison with my co-paddlers as I paddle.
The rhythmic time-songs were traditionally used to coordinate the paddlers to ensure unity and strength during long voyages, and I can’t help but feel the warm glow of solidarity as we row.
That sums up all of New Zealand, to be honest. I came here for adventure, but I got a lot more.
As the Māori say, you arrive on this sacred land as a stranger but leave as a friend.
Getting to New Zealand
Sabi Phagura flew to Auckland from London Heathrow with Singapore Airlines. A 15-day round trip (21st May – 4th June) starts from £1,107 per adult. Prices for the various activities are as follows:
Bungee – Aj Hackett Bungy from $275NZD per adult, Zorb – ZORB Rotorua, a two-ride deal in May, $95NZD per person and Jet boat tour – Huka Falls Jet, $149NZD for an adult in May.
For more information on New Zealand, visit Tourism New Zealand’s website.
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