Summary

The author, a 32-year-old, recounts her transformative experience of bungee jumping from Bloukran's Bridge in South Africa, which reignited her passion for adventure and self-discovery.

Abstract

On her 32nd birthday, the author embarked on a trip to South Africa to bungee jump from Bloukran's Bridge, one of the highest commercial bungee bridges in the world. Despite initial fears and the distraction of a devastating wildfire in Knysna, she found the courage to make the jump. The experience not only provided an adrenaline rush but also served as a metaphor for overcoming personal and professional stagnation. The act of jumping became a symbol of breaking free from societal expectations and proving to herself that she could conquer her fears and embrace new challenges. The author reflects on the joy of keeping promises to herself and the liberating feeling of truly living.

Opinions

The author had reservations about her soul-sucking job and societal pressures to settle down, which contrasted with her desire for adventure.
She views her decision to bungee jump as a rebellion against the conventional life path she felt she should be following.
The author admits to enjoying proving others wrong, especially when they doubt her capabilities.
She experienced a mix of fear and excitement leading up to the jump, which highlights the complexity of facing one's fears.
The wildfire in Knysna provided perspective and a sense of duty to help, momentarily overshadowing her personal quest.
Despite her cold feet, the author found the experience to be a pivotal moment of self-realization and empowerment.
The author values the importance of self-encouragement and the mental battle to maintain confidence during challenging situations.
Post-jump, she felt a profound sense of achievement and a renewed appreciation for the thrill of pushing personal boundaries.
The adventure solidified her belief in the significance of keeping personal commitments and the importance of living life to the fullest.

How A Birthday Bungee Jump Reignited My Passion For Adventure

I turned 32, so I jumped off a bridge in South Africa

Photo of Author Bungee Jumping Bloukran’s Bridge, South Africa

My heart was pounding so fiercely that it felt like it had risen from my chest to my ears and the butterflies in my stomach were feverishly flying. I wasn’t sure if I was going to faint or vomit, and my legs were tingling with anticipation and dread. Fight or flight mode kicking in, I did what any person turning 32 would do.

I jumped off the bridge.

It was June 2017. I finally took a real vacation from my soul-sucking job that I had a growing hatred for. I decided to spend my 32nd birthday with a buddy I hadn’t seen in a decade (literally, it had been 10 years or more). I wasn’t even sure we would get along.

Our agenda?

To bungee jump from one of the highest commercial bungee bridges in the world. Not only that, but it was halfway around the world from Michigan — in South Africa. Was I having a pre-mid-life crisis?

Perhaps.

I said count me in, anyway. I was craving a change, becoming stagnant in my career and my personal life. I was in my 30’s. I should be buying a house, getting married, and having babies. I already had a good job. That is what the cool kids do, right?

I never considered myself cool anyway.

June is South Africa’s winter season, so it’s considered “off-season” (little did I know, a few months later I would be fired from said hated job and off-season traveling would sort of become my thing). My old buddy, Steve, and I were going on a hope and a prayer that the rainy days would be minimal.

I was nervous. It was my first international travel experience and my whole intention was to jump off a bridge.

What the hell am I doing?

I’ve never been too much of an over-thinker. Once I get something in my head, I’m going to do it. Especially if you doubt me.

I like to prove people wrong.

Is this healthy? Probably not.

Bloukran’s Bridge in South Africa is 708 feet high, so I understand why people thought I’d back out. I was doubtful too.

Bloukran’s Bridge, South Africa — Photo by Author

In the days leading up to bungee jumping day, there was a horrific wildfire that engulfed the whole village of Knysna. The fire was one of the largest South Africa had ever had, killing 7 people, and destroying thousands of acres of land and numerous buildings.

The wind spread smaller fires along the Garden Route, which we were traveling on to reach Bloukran’s Bridge. We witnessed devastation as people fought numerous fires that seemed to be everywhere. Our tour guide was asked to assist in extinguishing a fire at a nearby animal sanctuary. So, we all got out of the van to help as well.

We were mostly just in the way, but I was happy to have been able to at least offer assistance. It was better than being an asshole tourist, just fleeing and gawking. Or jumping off a bridge for fun.

Locals helping to put out a wildfire at a Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa — Photo by Author

I wanted to help because it was the right thing to do.

I was also secretly hoping it was going to be my get-out-of-jumping-off-a-ridiculously-high-bridge card.

I was having serious cold feet.

As we were driving to Bloukran’s Bridge, doubt was creeping in. Part of me wanted them to turn us away due to the high winds. Then, technically it wouldn’t have been me who chickened out.

It would have been them telling us no, which is completely different.

But, alas, the wind was calm while we were there and they allowed our whole group to go. In my head, I had talked myself out of it and back into it about 100 times that morning.

Now it was a matter of not proving to other people that I could do this, but proving it to myself.

I was playing it cool with my tour group, acting excited and giving people pep talks. I was telling the 20-somethings that if this old 32-year-old lady can do it, so can they! To them, I was calm, cool, and collected.

Maybe I was an actress in another life.

The walkway to the bridge was scary in itself. 708 feet high, not strapped to anything, and walking on grates — fun! My adrenaline was already pumping.

Walking to Bloukran’s Bridge, 708 ft. high— Photo by Author

The second you’re off the grate and onto the bridge, you’re greeted with loud electronic music, friendly smiling staff, and a vibe that makes you feel like you can do anything you put your mind to.

The staff picks who is jumping and before you know it, they’re strapping you in and telling you to not look down.

Photo of Author getting strapped into the bungee

“Don’t look down, Maria! You got this!” they say.

So, naturally, I looked down.

My legs felt like Jello, but were somehow frozen solid. I can’t move. How am I going to jump?

I then hear:

“3, 2, 1 BUNGEE!!!” from the staff.

I have to go or this feeling will get worse, so my knees buckled and I basically just fell forward.

Totally graceful, as with anything I do.

I felt weightless, with a clear and peaceful mind, as if all my fears, doubts, and worries were left behind on that bridge.

The tug on my ankles jolted me back to reality and I thought to myself, HOLY SHIT. I just did it. I BUNGEE JUMPED.

I soaked it all in, the scenery, the silence, the beauty. I was in complete awe, not only of my surroundings but of myself. My determination to push through my fear was something I didn’t know existed in me.

As I hung upside down hundreds of feet in the air, waiting to be pulled back up to the bridge, I began to convince myself that I would slip out of my straps.

My brain is never nice to me for very long.

Again, fighting against the thoughts swirling around in my brain, I had to remind myself repeatedly that I was not going to fall. The juxtaposition of gently parenting myself while simultaneously screaming at my brain to shut up is typical in my world.

Photo of Author getting pulled back up by Bloukran’s Bridge Staff

Bungee jumping off one of the world’s highest commercial bungee bridges was a kind of high I had never experienced before in my life. I could finally see why people got addicted to the adrenaline rush of extreme sports.

That rush reminded me of how much I loved this feeling — the feeling of overcoming fear and doing something liberating. The feeling that I’m fully living.

The feeling of keeping promises to myself.

Yes, I proved people wrong, but more importantly, I proved to myself that I could do things that I never thought I could.

It was the best birthday present I could have ever given myself.