High on Adrenaline

By Anonymous // 2 November 2010 // Comments: 0 // Related Categories: abseiling, adventure, bungee, hot air balloon, skydive, Surfing, Things to do, Traveller blog

Looking for the ultimate rush? While you’re travelling, it is the perfect time to do those things you normally wouldn’t do back home. Whether it’s bungy jumping, hot air ballooning or surfing, THE WORD has done all the research for you. So there’s no excuses!

Bungy Jumping
Bungy jumping, one of the most confronting and thrilling of adrenaline activities, is not for the faint-hearted. Bungy jumping is literally ‘jumping’ off a tall tower with an elastic cord attached to both your body (usually your ankles) and the tower. Once you make the leap, the cord stretches, taking the energy from the fall, then snaps back. This causes you to fly upwards and bounce up and down until the energy from the fall subsides. Bungy jumping is one truly dramatic way to confront any fear of heights simmering underneath your facade of cool adventure traveller!

Bungy jumping, kiwi slang for ‘elastic strap’, was inspired by the Pentecost people of Vanuatu. To them, bungy jumping was an initiation into manhood and an activity that ensured a good yam harvest!

Australia has some awesome bungy locations, with Cairns home to Australia’s A J Hackett bungy site. Located in the middle of jungle, the 50 metre high bungy tower has seen thousands surrender to their desire for adventure and take the plunge.

Where to go

• QLD: Cairns, Gold Coast

• NT: Darwin Wharf Precinct

• WA: Bibra Lake

Skydiving
Skydiving is one of those adrenaline activities on many people’s to-do list. With excellent training and operator safety levels, Australia is the perfect place to finally take the leap.

For most travellers, tandem skydiving is the way to go. A tandem skydive only requires 15 - 20 minutes of practical training before you are deemed ready to take to the sky. A qualified instructor is strapped to your back and all you have to worry about is enjoying the ride!

Do your own research to find the most suitable package including price, convenience and availability of extras like videos and digital photos. You’ll also need to think about the kind of view you want to absorb while floating to the ground and whether you want a beach landing or not. The best advice is to go as high as you can. You’ll get a full minute of free-fall from 14,000 feet and experience speeds of around 200 km/ph, but at 6,000 feet you won’t get much free-fall at all.

Maximum weight limits apply to skydiving. Generally if you weigh under 95 kilograms you’ll be fine, but if you weigh over 95 kilograms, fitness and wind conditions need to be considered before diving - you might also have to pay extra. If you weigh more than 110 kilograms, you’re unlikely to be eligible to skydive.

Once the big day arrives, wear sneakers and loose comfy clothing as tight clothes are uncomfortable when the harness is tightened. Also, if you wear prescription glasses, ask if special goggles are available - you won’t want to miss anything on your float down to land!

Resist the urge to have a big night before your dive. For safety reasons you’re not allowed to drink alcohol within eight hours before a skydive.

Where to go

• QLD: Cairns, Mission Beach, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast

• NT: Darwin - Lee Point Beach

• WA: Perth

• SA: Adelaide

Abseiling
Abseiling is another popular adrenaline-packed adventure. While it’s not leaping out of a plane at 14,000 feet, or jumping off a tower with your life dependant on a rope tied around your ankles, it will push the boundaries of your comfort zone.

Abseiling requires you to leap backwards down a cliff face and use ropes to control your descent. Walking backwards off a cliff and leaping over the edge is against all instincts - especially at serious heights! However, it’s these factors that make abseiling such an unforgettable adventure and so much fun for all you adrenaline junkies out there.

Abseiling is a great way to get amongst Australia’s impressive scenery, cliffs and bush. Different areas offer varying degrees of abseiling difficulty. Courses are available in abseiling hot spots to ensure beginners are well catered to. One day right up to five day courses are available, covering everything from basic abseiling techniques to safety tips.

Wear comfy, loose-fitting clothing and hiking or jogging shoes. Be aware that mountain areas are usually cooler than in the cities, so layer your clothing.

Where to go

• QLD: Brisbane - Kangaroo Point, Glasshouse Mountains, Gold Coast Hinterland

• NT: Lake Bennett

• WA: South Coast, Karijini Gorges, Port Headland, Bluff Knoll, Kalbarri

• SA: Adelaide Hills, Flinders Ranges, Mount Gambier

Hot Air Ballooning
Hot air ballooning is a relaxing way to see the sights from above. It’s the perfect adrenaline experience for those not quite comfortable with the extremity of jumping out of a plane, but still want to absorb the views from up high.

Hot air balloons are up to 30 metres tall and generally fly at around 3000 feet. Hot air ballooning adventures often start before sunrise - the colder and more stable morning winds provide the perfect conditions for ballooning.

So how does a hot air balloon actually fly? First a process of inflating the balloon with cold and hot air leads to the balloon’s lift-off. Once the balloon is airborne the pilot can’t directly steer the balloon. Instead wind currents and the height of the balloon determines which direction it travels in. So ballooning is like sailing, but through the air instead of on water. Ballooning is not always a quiet experience though - the burner can make things rather noisy!

Where to go

• QLD: Atherton Tablelands, Cairns

• NT: Red Centre

• WA: Broome, Avon Valley, Kimberley

• SA: Adelaide, Barossa Valley

Surfing
Few things are as thrilling as riding a wave into the beach, and what better place to master the skill than in Australia? Australia is famous for its surfer lifestyle and great waves, and you can choose from a plethora of beautiful locations to experience surfing. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, there is a surfing experience perfect for you for you.

Though professional surfers can make the sport seem simple, there is a lot to know before you hit the waves. Beginners are better off enrolling in a surf school to learn the basics, and even intermediate surfers can gain something from a bit of formal instruction. Another benefit to taking lessons it most surf schools allow you to rent surfboards and wetsuits. Not only are these rentals easier on your wallet, but the surfing instructors will be able to properly fit you to your board.

If you are looking for a more intense surfing experience, try a Surfari. These excursions will allow you to tour some of Australia’s finest beaches and search for that ever-elusive perfect wave. Besides getting the opportunity to fine-tune your surfing skills, you’ll be able to view portions of Australia’s breathtaking coastline. Most Surfaris run for several days, though lengths very by company.

Where to go

• QLD: Surfers Paradise, Currumbin

• WA: Margaret River

• SA: Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula

Diving
Though the prospect of swimming with heaps of exotic fish in the open ocean can be exciting, it’s important to remember that scuba certification is first necessary. You can find an instructor who can help you get your certification at just about any beach in Australia. While checking out different dive schools, ask if they are SSI (Scuba Schools International) or PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified. These certifications will be the most beneficial as they are accepted internationally. Most certification courses last 4-5 days and will cost you upwards of $300. Also consider the cost involved in purchasing your equipment, which includes a mask, fins, boots, gloves, a snorkel, wetsuit, and a BCD (Buoyancy Control Device). Alternately, most dive schools allow divers to rent equipment.

Once you’ve been certified, you’ll be able to experience Australia’s best dive sites---many considered to be amongst the finest in the world.

Where to go

• QLD: Great Barrier Reef, Sunshine Coast

• NT: Darwin

• WA: Ningaloo Reef, Busselton Jetty

• SA: Eyre Peninsula, Fleurieu Reef, Kangaroo Island