Nationwide Bungee Jumping Experience

Caly’s Review:

Every year, Experience Days hires two new interns to complete their placement and this year it was Connor and I. There is an annual tradition for the new interns to do a Tandem Bungee Jump to begin their journey in the company or else they get fired…. obviously I am joking, we don’t have to do it if we don’t want to! But it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is on everyone’s bucket list, so why wait?

From my perspective, this Tandem Bungee Jump experience was rather thrilling. It seemed fun and exciting to be up in the sky, on top of the world for a little while, but to be honest I was petrified at the idea of free falling. 

When Connor picked me up from home to go on our experience, we both perceived a tall crane from the marina. At first, we thought it was for construction work because it seemed so high up, but the closer we were getting to the marina the more we could notice that it was not a construction crane, but a bungee jump crane. I instantly felt an adrenaline rush and quickly the feeling of confidence vanished out of the window.  

After parking the car, signing the papers, obtaining a brief, getting harnessed, and seated for the experience it was time to take off. Following all those procedures, Connor and I got called out to the cage and it was at this moment that the panic started filling up my body as I knew it was time. 

I felt goosebumps and sweat crawling down my neck as the cage was going up. I told myself not to look down because I knew it would make me panic even more. Obviously, I couldn't help myself; I had to look down, and I panicked even more. But there was no turning back now… we had to jump. 

At the top of the platform, we could admire the beautiful scenery of the marina and the city of Brighton, which was so unique. We were then directed by the guide in front of the gate for our jump. 

I was positioned to go backwards facing the cage, and Connor was facing me. The guide opened the gate, and 3, 2, 1 we were pushed off into the void. I instantly opened my eyes to see the world upside down; I felt like a bird, the air was fresh, and the feeling of free falling was indescribable. 

However, I do regret not opening my hands sooner because I was too afraid to let go whilst we were bouncing. Therefore, I would recommend not overthinking and just fly free with your arms wide open. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

When the experience finished, Connor and I laughed for a good 30 minutes reminiscing about our screams through the photos of us that were taken, and how it was so funny to see our faces up in the air. I am so grateful we got to do this experience together, and without a doubt I recommend it to anyone who is thinking of doing it. Memories like this are unique.

Connor’s Review:

For me, the Tandem Bungee Jumping experience was honestly something I never thought I’d be able to tackle! I cannot put into words how certain I was that I would pull out of taking part. The building of anticipation that mounted prior to the actual day was released as a major adrenaline rush as soon as I was about to be pushed off the platform. Driving up to the bungee jump, Caly and I could see the crane that we were going to be dropping from, for what seemed like miles upon miles away!

After standing below the crane, it became surreal as we watched other participants thrown around in the air, being suspended upside down by only a rope to keep them from plunging to the ground. Now I know that does sound scary, but it was safely carried out with the necessary procedures put in place, and the staff were incredibly skilled at putting us at ease – some staff were still up for a joke too if you’re that kind of person, like myself!

The ascension was possibly the scariest part of the bungee jump because it felt like a one-way tunnel, and I knew what was coming next. Reaching the top of the platform was amazing because we could see the entire landscape of the Brighton Marina as well as beyond! Then, this all changed as we were informed that it was time to plunge off the platform and experience what it feels like to fall 160ft!

My legs were trembling as we were standing on the edge, but I just took a breath, realised it would only last a split second and the initial falling was definitely the scariest part as my mind tried to grasp the reality of it all! However, before I knew it, I’d let my hands free to enjoy the rest of the freefalling as it genuinely felt like the closest anybody could get to flying. For the rest of the bungee jump, it was an enjoyable experience to participate in.

I cannot recommend enough how much anybody should give this a go. If you’re like me, I have always thought about wishing I had the confidence to complete it but never followed through with it. This did change as I can now proudly state that I have conquered this fear and successfully completed it! So, if you’re a little scared, don’t be anymore because if we can do it, then so can you; make sure to drop a comment to let us know if you would ever do a bungee jump! 

From both of us, a massive thanks to the team at UK Bungee for a fantastic experience we will not be forgetting in a hurry.

We thought it was about time to have a chat with John, owner and founder of UK Bungee Club and one our very best experience providers. The level of professionalism and commitment to customer safety that the club projects makes it easy to understand why they are the market leader in bungee jumps. Here at Experience Days, many of our team have been lucky enough to jump and it is truly something we will never forget (you can see our jumps here). Although nerve wracking and nail bitingly scary, the rush of adrenaline is worth the anticipation and will leave you grinning ear-to-ear as you land back in reality. So, if you’ve been thinking about taking a step on the wild side and taking part in a bungee jump, have a read to find out a bit more about the adventure…

Q: Please could you tell us a bit about the history of UK Bungee and what inspired you to join the bungee jumping industry?

A: Bungee first started on 1/4/79 in Bristol when 4 members of the dangerous sports club jumped from the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol. What most people don’t know is that Bungee jumping is a British invention. I jumped in Australia in 1991 and was hooked. Coming back to the UK The UK Bungee Club had just started operations. I became a Roadie and worked for the club more or less every weekend during the summer of 1992 completing all my exams to become a site controller. By 1993 the bubble had burst with only a handful of operations left in the UK. We decided to put a 300ft Crane next to the Thames in Battersea and we have never looked back. Today we offer 10 locations nationwide including Belfast at heights of 150ft, 300ft and 400ft plus the only Bridge in the UK plus the world’s only indoor Bungee. Overseas operations have included Moscow, Abu Dhabi, Thailand, Brazil, Australia and South Africa to name but a few. The UK Bungee Club continues to be market leader in the UK for Bungee jumping and safety consultation with the health and safety executive.

Q:  How has the bungee industry or customers’ understanding of bungee changed over the years?

A: In the early days people were naturally scared of the product which was kind of the point. People were sceptical of the safety approach and the public needed educating. We were regularly inspected by local councils which we welcomed to spread the word regarding safety and that our operations were professional and run with integrity. Bungee is now recognised as a highly safe activity run by professionals. British health and safety is the best in the world and so by its very nature the attention to safety has been very high from inception back in 1992 when the company started. The general public know that with 25 years’ experience we are the company to jump with.

Q: What’s the most frequently asked question by customers?

A: Believe it not have you killed anybody and will I die. Thankfully the answer is no to both of these.

Q: What’s next for the Bungee Industry in the UK? Any exciting news to share with us?

A: We are looking at our 25 year anniversary next year on the 16th July so potentially we are looking at a 400ft Crane jump at Wembley Stadium. Look out for information on the Experience Days website!

Thanks UK Bungee Club for letting us know a bit more about your story. You can buy a bungee jump here which is available from a number of different locations. If you haven’t got the courage to jump on your own, jump with a friend!