Jeanette Fitzsimons takes the plunge at the AJ Hackett Bungy Centre near Queenstown. Photo / Otago Daily Times
Jeanette Fitzsimons takes the plunge at the AJ Hackett Bungy Centre near Queenstown. Photo / Otago Daily Times
KEY POINTS:
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons will put her future in the hands of voters on November 8, but yesterday she put her life on the line.
The line was a bungy cord as she took the plunge off Kawarau Bridge near Queenstown, dropping 43m towards the river.
MsFitzsimons said she wasn't brave and that about 100,000 jumpers had already done it off the same spot.
The 63-year-old said she felt good and her spine had a "lovely" stretch.
In Queenstown for the day, Ms Fitzsimons fitted the jump in between public meetings and other electioneering after a party member suggested it.
"I said I'd love to do a bungy jump."
Twenty years ago, Ms Fitzsimons and her husband Harry Parke went to do the jump, but the day before she had a bruising experience paraponting and pulled out.
"I've regretted it for 20 years that I didn't do it, but now I've caught up."
She said taking the initial leap was scary.
"Because you don't feel that you are attached to anything, and then it goes incredibly fast. I thought I was going to enjoy this great swooshing through the air, but it's whoop and you bounce and you bounce and you are down."
She said it was exhilarating and recommended the experience, which she called character building.
Ms Fitzsimons said it was also quite a sustainable plank of the tourism industry.
"It doesn't use a lot of resources, it doesn't create waste, it isn't energy intensive, except perhaps transport to get there."
