Yes, I know its been a while.
No, I'm not dead yet.
Yes, I'm back home in Tech City.
The Big Apple was a looooong time ago (and I'm planning another trip!!)
So, like I said before (here) .... I'm a thrill seeker. Serenity doesn't understand or share my love for being scared to death - but he accepts it and even encourages it. This, then, is the story of how I walked off into empty space 150' above the ground (that's the height of a 10 storey building!!) with a rubber band tied to my legs! Not a mob hit, but pretty much walking the plank..... also called Bungee Jumping.
Oh wait! Did I just let you think I did that peacefully and calmly with no hysteria whatsoever?? You're in for a BIG disappointment! :D
I was part of this event conducted at a popular mall in Tech City, and the Event Manager told me to come and have a shot at it (with Serenity and whoever else I wanted to invite!). The event was being setup with the guidance of one of the best Bungee Jumpers in the world, he's done stunts for 007 !! So I went. Serenity did not accompany me. A visiting friend did. He resolutely decided to stay on the ground though! So I get all geared up, kitted out, take many brave pictures going up etc etc.. and then I'm in a cage with one side open, hanging at 150' from a crane and looking out on building tops and skyline.......
THIS is the point where my legs turned to water, my blood ran cold, and I almost S#@& my pants. Yeah, you can laugh now. I had a death grip on the cage.... got till the edge with pretty much only my heels resting on the platform..... but could I "Conquer my fear" (as I had so snidely put on all the artworks!) and let go off the damn cage and step off? I'd also like to clarify that at this point, it had gotten dark, so I could only see the little lit circle of the landing area..... and lights..... "Dont look down, look straight ahead at that tower over there!" didn't help either!!! The guys in the cage did the count for me..... MANY times! 1, 2, 3... GO!!
ummmm..... I didn't.
I just clung to the cage, stood there and pondered my life for a while..... begged them to give me a little push.... which they will NOT do. So I figured, if they're not going to push me, I'm not going to jump. After over 10 minutes up there in that swaying monstrosity and hearing everyone yelling "jump, jump, JUMPPPP!!!!" from way up there, I came down. And didn't do it. I chickened out.
You haven't seen a Walk of Shame like that one, believe me!! I felt about 2 inches tall.
I squirmed every time I thought of it. Had difficulty sleeping that night, picturing myself on the edge of that cage over and over. Just the thought of it had my palms going cold and clammy again!
BUT.
I DID JUMP!! A whole month later, but I did. TWICE! So now, I can take that off the Bucket List! :D The Event Manager, he's done a ton of jumps. He told me they'd never push me.... but they COULD let go!
So that's what I did this time.....
They held on to my harness while i leeeeeeaned out..... and let go on the count of 3 (I had to give verbal agreement, though talking was the last thing I felt like doing)!!! I was FALLING!!! And yowling! .... and then the yowling turned to squealing once I opened my eyes and started enjoying it! All too quickly (read a minute and a half) I was being lowered to the landing bed. Over? Already??? And because they saw how much I enjoyed it, they asked if I wanted to go again!! SO I DID!!! Two back-to-back jumps!!
IT WAS AWESOME!!
Would I do I again? HELL YEAH!
Am I feeling like the bee's knees? OH YES!
