The writer with one of the 'jump masters' at the edge of a platform above Auckland Tower. — JOHAN JAAFFAR
Should I jump or shouldn’t I? That was the question.
At 328m, Auckland Tower in New Zealand is the tallest free standing structure in the southern hemisphere. The sky jump was too tantalising to ignore.
I registered for the jump. It was in January 2014 and I was 61 at the time.
I got suited up in a colourful jumpsuit and taken to a glass-bottomed elevator, which then went up to the 60th floor. There was a cubicle with six people already in there.
When it was my turn, I was brought up to a platform. I was surprised to see two ladies, who were the “jump masters”. One was in charge of the machine controlling the cables, while the other one lead us to the edge. One of them checked and double-checked the harness that I was wearing. It was a cable-controlled jump.
“We have to be triply sure, you know. The wind might smash you against the wall. Or the harness might simply snap,” she said, laughing heartily.
“Don ‘t worry sir, our safety record is stellar.”
How reassuring.
Earlier, I had read that if the wind travelled over 40km per hour, the jump will not happen. The wind can travel up to 70kmph around the tower, I learnt.
A 40kmph wind is almost unheard of in Malaysia, right?
I had to jump on the count of three, as this was when the cable would be released.
“Raise your hand on the second count if you suddenly chicken out,” one of the ladies said.
But, being in the presence of two women, what choice did I have but to continue with my jump?
And jumped I did, 192m down, at the speed of approximately 85kmph, in just 11 seconds. In the last few seconds, there was a fairly fast deceleration to stop the fall.
I screamed all the way down! But, I survived to tell the tale.
The jump cost me NZ$145 (RM552) at the time. To show proof of my heroic attempt I paid another RM260 for the USB with the video of my fall, and another RM120 for two printed photos.
I have done many other things in life – I ran marathons during my younger years, and later I trekked, went mountain and hill climbing, and tried spelunking (cave exploring), too. I have had “bad” days where I fell, got injured and even hospitalised.
I have been to Scotland, Wales, England, many parts of Indonesia and the northern parts of India and Pakistan to pursue my dream of trekking and climbing. I made it a point to spare some weeks in a year to do these.
And they all involve risks.
I got serious with doing outdoor activities after the age of 50. I was reminded of the fact that if one is physically fit and mentally prepared, one can do anything at any age. Even extreme sports. But after my 60th birthday I was told by my insurance company that it would no longer cover me if I were to get involved in such activities, in the event of a mishap, an injury or even death. That is so unfair!
Why would people over the age of 60 (warga emas, as we’re called) take such risks? Why would they jump off a tower, or airplane, go bungee jumping, run marathons and get involved in extreme hiking, trekking or water sports?
I myself have been asked many times: Why do I keep pushing my ageing body to walk, trek, climb and explore caves and terrains?
You can still take part in marathons when you're older – just make sure you train well and are mentally prepared. — Run 4 FFWPU/Pexels
Outdoor sports require a certain level of fitness. Training is key; mental preparation is crucial. Many among us who aspire to climb Gunung Kerinchi in Sumatra, Indonesia or Ben Nevis in Scotland have to do at least an hour of walking everyday on various terrains.
Perhaps very few among the “oldies” can ever summit Mount Everest. But many are aiming to at least reach the base camps of both Everest and Annapurna (the 10th highest mountain) which is over 4,000m tall, and higher than Gunung Kinabalu in Sabah.
Amazingly, Yuichiro Muira from Japan summitted Mount Everest at the age of 80 in 2013. And that wasn’t the first time he did it too. His first time was in 2003 at age 70; he did it again in 2008 when he was 75.
Interestingly, of all the 10 oldest people who have successfully summitted Everest, five are Japanese, including Tamae Watanabe, who holds the record for being the oldest woman to reach the world’s highest peak.
While many older people have lost the ability to partake in sports activities or even to exercise because of ill health or weakening physical strength, others are doing the extraordinary.
For example, Fauja Singh or “Turbaned Tornado” as he is nicknamed, ran a full marathon (42km) at the Toronto Marathon in Canada when he was 100. And he only started running marathons at age 89!
Briton Ray Wooley, meanwhile, was a World War II veteran. In 2018, he broke the world record for being the oldest active male scuba diver. He was 95 when he dived for 50 minutes off the shores of Cyprus. He died last year at age 99.
Our own Iron Man, Adnan Osman, started his interest in extreme sports and outdoor adventures at age 50. He has climbed Gunung Tahan in Pahang 15 times and Mount Kinabalu five times. He has also cycled in the Beijing and London Olympics, and was one of a handful of Malaysians who participated in the gruelling Marathon Of The Sands in the Sahara.
Tan Sri Khalid Yunus was 64 when he attempted to climb Mount Everest in 2007. He could have been our only senior citizen to have successfully summitted the highest mountain in the world. Alas, he had to stop his trek and turned back for fear of suffering from cerebral oedema at 7,200m.
Why are these people doing all these things in their old age? Sheer madness? Profound inquisitiveness? Or simply trying to push the envelope?
For me, jumping off the Auckland Tower is more than just an excitement. It is a personal accomplishment. And to satisfy a giddying curiosity and the bloated adrenalin push at an advanced age.Would I do it again when I turn 70 this November? Certainly!
Johan Jaaffar is a National Journalism Laureate. He is also an award-wining creative writer, a stage actor, playwright and director.
