Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons will put her future
in the hands of voters on November 8, but today 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.
Ms Fitzsimons told NZPA she wasn't brave and about 100,000
jumpers had done it off the same spot.
The 63-year-old, who never bungied before, 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 husband Harry Parke went
to do the jump, but the day before she had a bruising
experience parapenting 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."
