Since I am writing once again, it should be clear that I survived my bungee experience. It quite honestly was one of the best things that I have ever talked myself into doing. So I will give you a playback of my day. :)
This morning, I was awoken at 5 am by Pachocho (which means precious. My sister tica named him, because he was anything but "precious" this morning). I finally got him to go back to sleep until I had to get up again at 6:45 so I could make it to VERITAS by 8 am for the van to Tropical Bungee. I decided that eating breakfast was probably not a good idea, since I didn't want to see it again mid-jump. So I said goodbye to my kitty and took off up the hill.
There were six of us who had decided a free fall sounded like a good idea. The ride to the bridge took about 45 minutes due to traffic, and I was a little bit nervous. Once we arrived at Tropical Bungee, we had to, of course, get out and sign a waiver. At the bottom of the waiver, there was also a spot that you would have to sign if you did not jump. Which I was determined not to have to do.
As we walked out onto the bridge, it was clear that we were the first group of the day. As such, we were suited up and strapped into our harnesses in less than 5 minutes. Before I think any of us were ready, they were asking us who was going to go first. I might be crazy, but I was not going to be that crazy. The bridge was over a ravine that was over 250 feet up. Looking over the edge, I had to remind myself why I wanted to do this. Soon enough, it was my turn to go ( I was the first girl to go, by the way). So I took off my shoes so they wouldn't end up in the river below and jumped up onto the side of the bridge. They strapped the bungee cord to my feet and made me show them that I knew how to clip the return line to my harness. Then, I swung my legs around, stood up and walked the plank. Literally, the ledge that they have built into this bridge looked like a pirate's plank. Comforting, very comforting. When I dropped the bungee cord between my toes, I made the slight mistake of looking down. It was a very, very long way. But then everyone started to count down from 5, and at 1 I was going to jump. I am not actually sure that I waited for the countdown to reach one, because I looked out into the horizon and jumped. There was a split second, when the butterflies in my stomach turned into eagles, that I thought "What in the world did you just do?" I kept my eyes open the whole way down and I really can't accurately describe the feeling. It was much more intense than the Tarzan swing from Monteverde. And at the bottom of my jump, the bungee let me bounce and swing again. The river at the bottom of the ravine is very pretty, but I am happy to say that I did not actually get to meet it first hand. Hanging upside down, with the blood rushing to my head, swinging in the breeze and riding my adrenaline high, I was so glad that I took the leap.
What the instructors failed to tell us was-
1. How difficult it was going to be to catch the return line when you and it are both swinging in the wind.
2. How hard it is to clip a return line to a d-ring on your belt when you are upside down, with the blood rushing to your head and your hands shaking like leaves.
But I accomplished the task, and they hauled me back up to the bridge. As fun as the jump was, I was grateful to be back on solid ground, because the wraps on my ankles were starting to hurt my feet. Watching the rest of the group go, I was amazed that I found enough guts to pull it off. I felt invincible and from now on, whenever I tell myself that I can't do something, I am sure that I will think back to that exact moment when my feet left the platform. I mean really, what is more scary than a free fall from 250 feet? And all of this happened before 10 am.
I have to say that the rest of my day has been pretty bland in comparison. However, in my adrenaline induced euphoria, I failed to notice that my camera had fallen out of my purse, so I have to see if I can find it tomorrow. And sad news about Pachocho; even though all the humans in the house loved him, the two bulldogs and he did not get along. I was in favor of keeping the cat, but obviously I was out voted. So Pachocho went to the local vet's office to wait for another great family to love him. I now have to concentrate on my homework, so I will write again tomorrow, and hopefully there will be pictures of my bungee escapade. :D
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