Everyone sorry to keep you waiting as I just came home about a couple of hours earlier from my much announced bungee jumping in Scheveningen. I tell you, its exhilarating, scary, exciting and fascinating, in that order!
I am short for words right now as I haven't lay down in bed yet to look back to that 1 short minute of my life where I felt truly amazing despite being scared to death. Nonetheless I'll try to tell the story as clearly as I can remember.
This morning (till afternoon) I was more worried about the weather than the jump itself. Today's weather was predicted cold and windy and the guys over at the Jump Center Scheveningen (www.bungy.nl) told us that if the wind became stronger, jumping wouldn't be allowed. I had poured all anticipation (and of course announced to the world) that I am going to do the jump and I hate to be disappointed.
MK and I had to go to the optometrist first and he doesn't want to hurry since it's Saturday morning. After a breakfast in bed of French toast, scrambled egg, doughnut and coffee, we headed to the center to have my eyes checked (which will be on another post), then went around to buy some things. I was bugging him along that I wanted to jump that day and the weather might change if we don't hurry. He wouldn't budge so we just kept going around town till all errands are completed. Then we took the train to Delft to catch Tram 1 to Korhaus, the tram halt nearest to Scheveningen.
The beach wasn't that busy because the weather is a bit gloomy and there is an impending rain all day. And it was also very cold, at 18 degrees perhaps. I was freezing the whole time despite wearing the Zara jacket I bought sometime ago.
Waiting for my turn also wasn't that long. There weren't so many adrenaline junkie that day. After paying EUR60,0 and signing the waiver, the crew told me to step to the scale for weighing. I don't know if he was just bluffing but he told me that the minimum allowed is 45kls. If I wasn't wearing clothes, thick socks and rubber shoes, I would weight 44.90, my normal.
I didn't feel any fear at all, while still in the platform. After all, this wasn't my first time to be exposed to that much height and it was even low compared to the 3000 meters above sea level that I had to brave (with the plane doors open) when training for my first sky diving. The only thing I wasn't able to do was jump and the wind is the culprit.
Anyway, when the crane starting moving and I was pulled up, with the viewing deck as the reference of how high I am being pulled, I started to feel fear. And when I was standing 60meters in the sky, looking down to the sea and all the people looking up at me, the fear started to escalate. Feeling the strong wind slapping my face, almost blowing me away and the wide Northen sea with its big waves lapping the beach, the fear made my knees shake. At the back of my mind, I want to back out but I was there already and I had planned this all along.
Then the crew told me to turn around, facing the sea, loosened the harness and instructed me to fall freely at the count of three. I am almost wishing that he wouldn't utter zero, the magic word that signals fall. But when it came, I summoned all my courage, spread my arms, closed my eyes and let myself fall in the abyss.
In the 15 seconds I can feel gravity pulling me roughly to its center. My chest was heavy, I was afraid like I've never been afraid before and thought that this might be the end of my life. Because of my weight, my bounce was higher and longer that the usual. At first, I didn't shout, but to let the fear out, I screamed at the top of my lungs, unabashed and not caring whether I am registering fear for everyone to hear. I screamed every time I bounced (which was three times). I opened and closed my eyes, seeing the crowd cheering and getting afraid to hit the viewing deck.
When the bouncing stopped and the rope was just swaying back and forth, I began to relax, opened my eyes completely and enjoyed flying, the rest of the world moving like slow motion from up there. For at least 20 more seconds, I felt like a bird circling the beach, seeing everything small and distant and feeling....free and very calm. A kind of calmness that you wouldn't get when you're feet is touching the ground. The feeling is incomparable and I loved it!
My head and my knees are still shaking when the crew pulled me down. MK was there recording everything. I think he felt more relieved than I am when I was safely back on Earth.
Thanks to MK for paying half of the jump fee. You made this day very special, I love you.
MK and I had to go to the optometrist first and he doesn't want to hurry since it's Saturday morning. After a breakfast in bed of French toast, scrambled egg, doughnut and coffee, we headed to the center to have my eyes checked (which will be on another post), then went around to buy some things. I was bugging him along that I wanted to jump that day and the weather might change if we don't hurry. He wouldn't budge so we just kept going around town till all errands are completed. Then we took the train to Delft to catch Tram 1 to Korhaus, the tram halt nearest to Scheveningen.
The beach wasn't that busy because the weather is a bit gloomy and there is an impending rain all day. And it was also very cold, at 18 degrees perhaps. I was freezing the whole time despite wearing the Zara jacket I bought sometime ago.
Waiting for my turn also wasn't that long. There weren't so many adrenaline junkie that day. After paying EUR60,0 and signing the waiver, the crew told me to step to the scale for weighing. I don't know if he was just bluffing but he told me that the minimum allowed is 45kls. If I wasn't wearing clothes, thick socks and rubber shoes, I would weight 44.90, my normal.
I didn't feel any fear at all, while still in the platform. After all, this wasn't my first time to be exposed to that much height and it was even low compared to the 3000 meters above sea level that I had to brave (with the plane doors open) when training for my first sky diving. The only thing I wasn't able to do was jump and the wind is the culprit.
Anyway, when the crane starting moving and I was pulled up, with the viewing deck as the reference of how high I am being pulled, I started to feel fear. And when I was standing 60meters in the sky, looking down to the sea and all the people looking up at me, the fear started to escalate. Feeling the strong wind slapping my face, almost blowing me away and the wide Northen sea with its big waves lapping the beach, the fear made my knees shake. At the back of my mind, I want to back out but I was there already and I had planned this all along.
Then the crew told me to turn around, facing the sea, loosened the harness and instructed me to fall freely at the count of three. I am almost wishing that he wouldn't utter zero, the magic word that signals fall. But when it came, I summoned all my courage, spread my arms, closed my eyes and let myself fall in the abyss.
In the 15 seconds I can feel gravity pulling me roughly to its center. My chest was heavy, I was afraid like I've never been afraid before and thought that this might be the end of my life. Because of my weight, my bounce was higher and longer that the usual. At first, I didn't shout, but to let the fear out, I screamed at the top of my lungs, unabashed and not caring whether I am registering fear for everyone to hear. I screamed every time I bounced (which was three times). I opened and closed my eyes, seeing the crowd cheering and getting afraid to hit the viewing deck.
When the bouncing stopped and the rope was just swaying back and forth, I began to relax, opened my eyes completely and enjoyed flying, the rest of the world moving like slow motion from up there. For at least 20 more seconds, I felt like a bird circling the beach, seeing everything small and distant and feeling....free and very calm. A kind of calmness that you wouldn't get when you're feet is touching the ground. The feeling is incomparable and I loved it!
My head and my knees are still shaking when the crew pulled me down. MK was there recording everything. I think he felt more relieved than I am when I was safely back on Earth.
Thanks to MK for paying half of the jump fee. You made this day very special, I love you.
6 comments:
wooow! that was super duper! You are one brave girl. I had such goose bumps reading your post..Way to go!
Amazing & way to go! I would really love to do this, but I have a special place I want to do this. It was great to see this & to read your experience, so thank you for sharing!
ohh wow...you did it girl...bravo...
While reading your post felt those butterflies in my stomach and one can still see goose bumps :)
wow. You are brave!!! I always wanted to do it too, but I get scared even by just reading about your experience!!! But it has to be so cool to try! Thanks for sharing this experience!
how amazing! i am so jealous.
You go girl! Bungee jumping is so much fun! It's really the waiting and standing on the edge right before the jump that's scariest. But once you're free-falling, it's just an amazing feeling! Good job! :)
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