Finally - the Bungee post

I'd said I'd write more about the Bungee jumping experience 'soon', but as usual, its taken a while for me to get off my lazy ass and actually write about it (before I forgot what it was like!)

Before the details, here are some key numbers:
Free fall - 3 seconds
Total time suspended upside down - 35 seconds
Total time spent waiting for my turn - 8 hours, 30 minutes

Nothing, not even an amazingly fun bungee jump, is worth that long and frustrating a wait. Anyway, here goes the story.

We arrived at the venue and felt like heading back immediately. Watching one poor chappy shitting bricks at an incredible height, in an insanely risky-looking apparatus, did nothing to motivate us. The first thoughts we had were 'Shit! It'd take a mircale for anyone to survive this. What's wrong with all these people? Do they really hate their lives so much? I'm never going to be able to go up there! Totally forget about takin a dive. Who the hell came up with this idea anyway?!'

But then we got closer, and saw chappy after chappy take the dive and not just survive, but even enjoy the crazy activity. First, you realize that it is safe after all. People can do it, and live to tell the tale. But no way am I going to do that!

After half an hour or more, you also realize that ordinary people are doing it. Kids. Girls. And other overweight, well-paid, long-hours-working young adults. Thats when your ego, self-esteem or whatever kicks in, and you decide you have to try.

I'll skip the 8 hours we spent waiting (this post is about the 'fun' bungee experience. I'll crib about Blore crowds some other time)

Eventually, you reconcile yourself to the fact that you ARE gonna jump from 150 feet up, with nothing but a rope tied to your ankles. And it will probably be fun.

Then they call your lot, and start to strap you up. You look up. All confidence disappears. Back to 'I'm never gonna be able to do this. Who's bright idea was this anyway?!'

Finally, you get on that platform because of peer pressure and I swear - nothing else. If one of our group chickened out, he'd never hear the end of it. Until he was shamed enough to end it all with a jump off a high roof without even a rope. This bungee seemed like the safer option.

(Note: in case you cant visualize the platform etc, look at the pic in the next post!)

Then the crane start pulling the platform up. Note that I'm not calling it a lift or anything. Its just a platform with some chains pulling it up. It's freakin scary, coz u feel u r rising in open air, and can fall off any time. And if you fall before you reach 150 ft, the rope wont save you. Its right about this point that people start closing their eyes and thinkin 'I wish i had not forgotten my gf's bday. Or at least apologized later. I've been such an ass. God, I'm sorry now. Please be nice to me when i arrive.'

Finally the moment of truth. You are at the 'high point' and the instructor is tellin you 'dont worry saar. dont look down. just look straight ahead and jump'

Easy for you to say, freako. Why dont you jump off? And how can i not look down? I'm used to having the ground right below my feet. not down there.

The moment of truth passes. Several moments pass. You can't believe u r standing up there thinkin of just... just... jumping off.

Finally - peer pressure, the constant bicker of the instructor, the pain in your ankles, adrenaline - I dunno what, something just snaps and off you go.

The fall itself is incredibly enjoyable. For all the hype, it is actually quite comfortable. The rope itself is just 30 feet, so the free fall ends before you even regain your senses after jumping. By the time 'sensation' returns, you are comfortably slowing down (the rope is elastic - it extends to about 100 ft, but really really eases your fall). The last few feet before you 'bounce back', are actually the most fun. You are close to the crowd, comfortable physically as well as emotionally ('I did it! Wow! How?!')

But then you bounce up and down for a bit, and this part is actually the most painful. Gravity is pulling you down, and the rope tied to your ankles is pulling you up. It feels like your feet are about to be yanked apart from the rest of your body by that brute force. The only thoughts you have are 'someone grab me. get me down and get this darn thing off my legs!!

Note that the last part has been described as my roomie told me. I have done a lot of jumping and diving off high boards at swimming pools, so i wasn't scared of the height. I didn't wait before jumping, and actually quite enjoyed my jump in all my senses (merrily yelling on my way down). But I'm sure it would have been a lot more fun if i was scared out of my wits.

And that's the bungee story.