Bungeeee Jumping!
I guess it was a mail forwarded by Tarsh which mentioned that a certain "Outback Adventures" would organize Bungee jumping in Mysore over the Dasara weekend. I would not even have second thoughts before shooting a mail to them asking for more details.
My tryst with bungee has been jinxed to say the least! The first time was waaaaay back in 2000 (the times when I had to argue a lot at home when I wanted to do something adventurous!) when me and KP managed permissions at home (really!! we needed it!!) and expectantly went to Kanteerava Stadium - only to find that they were booked solid for the entire duration! :(
The next couple of times it happened in Bangalore - I was at Suratkal ........ And so, something I always wanted to do was still undone! And now was the time to change it - work pressures would not hamper those plans, would it?!
(For those of you reading my travelogue and wondering if I do any work - Yes .... I do work! :-p)
And on D-day, three of us - Ditty, Sindhu and myself set out to Mysore. I was all set to rip on Mysore road till I glanced at the smoke screen caused by Ditty's two-stroke chariot! It indeed was a miracle that his bike lasted the journey! ;-)
As we entered Mysore, we passed by the University grounds enroute my cousin'z place and my first thought on seeing the crane was - "Ah Crap .... this isn't that high!". Later, when I stood on the ground below the crane and looked up, I still remember thinking -"This actually looks pretty decent in height". :-)
My feet were tied tight and was clipped to the 'cage' through the bungee cord. The safety rope had been attached; carabiners locked and "Ahoy!" - Up we went!!
And as the crane was lifted up ....... higher and higher ..... to a height of around 120 ft ..... I had butterflies! When the crane finally stopped, I couldn't help but look down. And what a mistake it was!!!
Looking straight down I could see the net that was hung to 'catch people in case the safety cord and the bungee cord snaps' - and it looked no bigger than my palm!! The feeling that I experienced then has no words!! It can be best described as a mixture of excitement, fear, bewilderment, confusion, apprehension and a voice asking "What the hell is wrong with u!! Are u insane!!!" :)
The jump-master was obviously used to this I presume! So I was asked to stop looking down and see straight in front - which was something I was more than glad to do!! A few calming breaths later I was asked to just push my body top-down from the 'cage'. No second thoughts now ...... It wasn't a nuclear missile I was about to fire! I just let myself fall!!
Free fall is a thrilling experience - exhillarating! The one second when your feet is not on solid ground and you can not feel the tension in the ropes you are tied to is all bungee is about!!! It is amazing how many thoughts you can have in the one second of your fall! You have voices saying "Wow" "Help!!" "Amazing" "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and " " all at once!!
When you begin to feel the tension of the elastic bungee cord tied to your feet - its all over. All that is now left is a few oscillations on the cord to help it dissipate the tension - and u are lowered to the comfort of solid ground - the little piece on earth where man has evolved to survive!
My tryst with bungee has been jinxed to say the least! The first time was waaaaay back in 2000 (the times when I had to argue a lot at home when I wanted to do something adventurous!) when me and KP managed permissions at home (really!! we needed it!!) and expectantly went to Kanteerava Stadium - only to find that they were booked solid for the entire duration! :(
The next couple of times it happened in Bangalore - I was at Suratkal ........ And so, something I always wanted to do was still undone! And now was the time to change it - work pressures would not hamper those plans, would it?!
(For those of you reading my travelogue and wondering if I do any work - Yes .... I do work! :-p)
And on D-day, three of us - Ditty, Sindhu and myself set out to Mysore. I was all set to rip on Mysore road till I glanced at the smoke screen caused by Ditty's two-stroke chariot! It indeed was a miracle that his bike lasted the journey! ;-)
As we entered Mysore, we passed by the University grounds enroute my cousin'z place and my first thought on seeing the crane was - "Ah Crap .... this isn't that high!". Later, when I stood on the ground below the crane and looked up, I still remember thinking -"This actually looks pretty decent in height". :-)
My feet were tied tight and was clipped to the 'cage' through the bungee cord. The safety rope had been attached; carabiners locked and "Ahoy!" - Up we went!!
And as the crane was lifted up ....... higher and higher ..... to a height of around 120 ft ..... I had butterflies! When the crane finally stopped, I couldn't help but look down. And what a mistake it was!!!
Looking straight down I could see the net that was hung to 'catch people in case the safety cord and the bungee cord snaps' - and it looked no bigger than my palm!! The feeling that I experienced then has no words!! It can be best described as a mixture of excitement, fear, bewilderment, confusion, apprehension and a voice asking "What the hell is wrong with u!! Are u insane!!!" :)
The jump-master was obviously used to this I presume! So I was asked to stop looking down and see straight in front - which was something I was more than glad to do!! A few calming breaths later I was asked to just push my body top-down from the 'cage'. No second thoughts now ...... It wasn't a nuclear missile I was about to fire! I just let myself fall!!
Free fall is a thrilling experience - exhillarating! The one second when your feet is not on solid ground and you can not feel the tension in the ropes you are tied to is all bungee is about!!! It is amazing how many thoughts you can have in the one second of your fall! You have voices saying "Wow" "Help!!" "Amazing" "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" and " " all at once!!
When you begin to feel the tension of the elastic bungee cord tied to your feet - its all over. All that is now left is a few oscillations on the cord to help it dissipate the tension - and u are lowered to the comfort of solid ground - the little piece on earth where man has evolved to survive!
