A PENSIONER from Sticklepath has defied his age and the notion of being ?old? by accomplishing an extraordinary feat. Throwing yourself from a bridge, on the other side of the world, with an elastic cord attached to your ankles is not for the faint hearted. But for Michael Allen, 66, it was the achievement of a long held personal ambition. Mr Allen spent two weeks travelling the length of New Zealand and while he was in Queenstown, the self-proclaimed adventure capital of the world on New Zealand?s South Island, the opportunity to do a bungee jump presented itself. This was no ordinary jump either. The site Mr Allen chose, the Kawarau Bridge, was the world?s first commercial bungee site. The bridge spans a spectacular gorge and with pristine turquoise water rushing along 43 metres below, it is one of the most stunning and historic sites to bungee in the world. Jumpers have the option to ?bob? above the water, touch the water or be fully immersed in the water. Mr Allen, who has previously sky dived and run the London Marathon for charity, said: ?It has been a personal ambition of mine for a long time. I like to do things that are out of the ordinary.? After a safety briefing and having the bungee cord attached to their ankles, the jumper is ushered out onto a tiny ledge at the centre of the bridge. With words of encouragement from the instructors and cheering from the watching crowd, the jumper then has a choice; to jump or turn back. Mr Allen said: ?I didn?t want to think about it really. I was travelling with six friends as well as a coach load of people I?d spent the last few weeks with. I didn?t want to contemplate turning back!? Bungee jumpers say the first jump and the initial leap are the hardest. After making the decision to jump, a decision that seems to contradict every human instinct, the jumper hangs in the air before the sensation of freefall kicks in. Many recollect only being able to remember the sound of air buzzing in their ears. Mr Allen said that the cord gradually tightened around his ankles and the next thing he knew, he was going back up, with a huge sense of relief, much arm waving and occasional shouts of joy. He said: ?It was a wonderful experience. It is over so quickly that I?d absolutely do it again. It proves there is definitely life after 60.? Mr Allen also recommended doing the jump after the age of 65 ? because there are huge discounts!
