Adventurers travel the world in search of the perfect BASE jump site
2010-04-23
Some travelers like to live a bit on the wild side while touring a foreign country. For some tourists this means trying new foods, or attempting a new, unfamiliar dance, but for a few travelers it means parachuting from a large structure or peak to an uncertain fate below. While BASE jumping is certainly not for everyone, adventurous tourists can make a trip far more memorable by diving from one of the world's best jump spots.
The "B" in the acronym BASE stands for "buildings," and the top building to jump from according to AdventureBlog.org is the Rialto Building in Melbourne, Australia. This monolithic tower stands 824 feet high, and will provide jumpers with a scenic view of the city as they glide towards the ground with open parachutes.
For antennas ('A' in the acronym) Moscow's Ostankino Tower is the ultimate Soviet jump site. As for bridges (or spans, the 'S') the Perrine Bridge Jump in Twin Falls, Idaho, offers a 486 foot drop and a free pass to jump with or without a permit.
'E' in BASE is for earth, and no natural wonder is as revered a BASE jumping venue as Meru Peak in the Himalayas, a heart-stopping obelisk from which an Australian couple set a world record for the highest base jump at 6604 meters over the eastern face.