Flying Extreme with AJ-Hackett

Note: I got a surprise parcel from a blog reader at my company's reception today. Thank you Sheon for sending me chocolates! That is so sweet!! You even sent me my fav, Meiji and Ghana Chocolates!


It’s official!! I’m the toughest, roughest, baddest, hard-hitting chick there is! Danger means nothing to me! In fact, I should be named NicoleDangerTan.

Working as a travel writer might be tough work, but it is definitely fun. Oh trust me on the tough work part; it’s not easy to juggle between your social life, study, holiday and work.

Most time you tend to jumble them up and by the end of the day, it’s hard to differentiate which is your real personal life and trip and which is work. If you are optimistic, you just treat work as fun and love what you do.

Which is why I love my job!

Not only I get to travel (even within KL itself), I get to capitalize on media benefits which give me more reasons to travel and try out things with and for a purpose.

Life is GUUUUDDD……… *GRIN*


To achieve this, first you need to embrace all sorts of predicament that work usually puts you in. Your role model? Me!

And not everyone is daring with a heart too big to be scared by something as whimsical as eating roaches. Like me.

Most importantly, you need to look good doing it! You guessed it! Yours truly!!!


Take for example if my job requires me to jump off a waterfall while having my glorious free-falling moments taken on camera; I have to grace the fall with the strongest will and bravery, all while smiling and acting happy in front of the camera to convince my viewers/readers that getting push off some rocky-water-gusting cliff is the most awesome-st thing in the world.

Let’s cut the chase and straight to a real life synopsis. Few weeks back, I made an appointment to meet up with AJ-Hackett Malaysia franchise owner Adam at KL Tower (who happens to be a kiwi/NZ citizen) to discuss covering a shoot on the rides they offer. One of which on the spot is ‘Flying Fox’.


This is the other flyer, just for show


Quote from the flyer (will put up actual flyer tomorrow):

“… our longest Fox is an extreme 150 metres long! Step off and fly from tree to tree, feel the excitement as the ground drops beneath you…”

Technically, a Flying Fox is a ride whereby a string hangs somewhat tenths of metres above ground (60 metres in this case) and have you swing (fly) from one higher end to a lower end.




And why rides like these are created? Together with other extreme sports such like bungee jumping and sky diving? My bet is in the ancient times, New Zealand has nothing but sheeps and grass, after getting bored of shagging sheeps, a Kiwi vowed that he would change history and decided to tie himself to a rope and throw himself off a cliff, but forgot to think of a way of climbing back up and allowed himself to die dangling there. The rest of the Kiwis who were so impressed by his insanity to keep himself sane, followed his footsteps and one by one started jumping off cliffs around New Zealand, hence the start of Extreme Sports.




Sometimes I wonder if I was ever a Kiwi decedent, but that thought only crossed my mind for 2 seconds before concluding I probably stand a higher chance coming from an alien womb that has smarter genes in it. That might also explains why I’m fearless for most things.

So yea, after the brief meeting, Adam offered us free rides on their flying fox. I accepted without hesitation (after allowing my editor to go on the rides few times in advance, eh hem, and decided that the strings were safe enough).


Safety harness


I stepped onto the wooden plank, looked down, let out a ‘humph’ and roll my eyes. “This is too easy”. Even babies can do this! Are they seriously calling this an extreme sport?? They are joking right? I mean come on…

Thinking too much makes me tired. So off I jump!!


Click video to see my dashing take off





Piece of cake.