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Shortcuts: How to be a daredevil Down Under

By Julie Clothier for CNN

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(CNN) -- If you fancy yourself as a bit of an adrenaline junkie or wish you were braver when it comes to embracing X-treme activities, here's a few ideas to get your heart racing.

Head down under: If you like the great outdoors, New Zealand is a good place to start. It's home to a number of X-treme sports including an obscure pastime called zorbing, which involves rolling down a hill while strapped inside a three-meter (9.8-feet) diameter plastic ball. Not surprisingly, it's Kiwis who have recently claimed two world records in zorbing. Keith Kolver became the world's fastest "zorbanaut" by reaching a top speed of 52 kilometers (32.3 miles) an hour. Just a day before Kolver earned his title, Steve Camp broke the world record for the longest zorb ride, traveling 570 meters (1,870 feet).

Reach new heights -- and then lows: Want to try something that'll get your feet off the ground? New Zealand is also home to another off-the-wall pastime, bungee jumping. You can quite literally throw yourself off a bridge for thrills with just a rubber cord attached to your ankle. And while New Zealand has been the home of modern bungee jumping since the 1980s, the practice originates in the Pacific Island of Vanuatu. These days there are various locations throughout the country from which you can take the leap of faith -- from bridges, rail viaducts, specially constructed platforms and even stadium roofs.

Like a bird on the wire: Ever thought how cool it would be if you could fly like a bird or Peter Pan? Skywire is the closest you'll probably get to finding out and involves you stepping into a carriage that's a bit like a ski lift suspended in the air with strong wires. Once you're strapped in, you'll fly through the air for 1.6 kilometers (one mile) across a valley, perched 150 meters (492 feet) above the ground at speeds of more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) an hour.

Head rush: Head case, more like. That's if you think you need more of a challenge than the suggestions above. You could try canyon swinging where you'll fling yourself about, body attached to a harness, on the world's highest pendulum swing 109 meters above the ground at speeds of 150 kilometers (92 miles) an hour.

Jet stream: If you're more of a water baby, then jet boat riding, developed in the 1960s by a local farmer to help him navigate along the shallow rivers in New Zealand, could be for you. Don't expect a relaxing, scenic cruise though -- a jet boat ride will take you powering through narrow river gorges and spinning 360 degrees through mere centimeters of water.

Anything more conventional? It's not just these obscure activities that you can do in New Zealand. The country is full of mountains and lakes, which means it's also perfect for more traditional adventure sports like skiing and snowboarding, rock- and mountain-climbing, paragliding and skydiving.

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