On Saturday, September 8th, I bungee jumped off the world's tallest commercial bungee jump in the world. 216 meters of pure, terrifying bliss. We left our place around 8:45 in the morning and started out journey. We had been driving maybe 5 minutes when a car next to us honked and told us that we had a flat tire. TIA(This is Africa) I have never had a flat tire in my life and since coming here, I have had 3! We stopped at the gas station, where the attendants filled up the tire and search for a reason that it would be flat. They did not find anything and assume it was just low. So, we started again! This time there were no hitches in our plan and we arrive. We had planned for arrive early and wait for my friends family, because were were jumping with her brother, but upon arrive, we found out there were already there and he was waiting on the bridge. This was becoming all to real for me!!! Seeing the bridge was scary enough, let alone jumping off it!
After paying, there is no turning back. They weigh you to make sure you get the correct rope, which was not a fun experience for me. Then they take you over to get your harness.
I was already terrified, while getting the harness put on!
Despite being scared, I was ready!
We then walked the walk of death to the bridge, I can say I was having to control my breathing at this point, because I was so scared!!!
The walk could be seen as scary, however I was preoccupied. The bottom was see through, so you could see the long fall to the bottom.
We finally made it to the bridge, then we had to wait until our number was called to jump. After much waiting and pacing and whimpering it was my turn.
This was what I had been looking at the whole time, being terrified.
I actually chickened out the first time I went up there. I over thought and refused to jump, I was saying things like "I can't do it. You can have my money, I will give you more money to not make me do it! Please, I can't" But then all the workers and my friend kept telling me that I had to do it, that I would regret it if it didn't do it. I knew that I wanted to do it, but was so scared. Finally, the last person was up and the worker came and said "Ok, this is the last one, we can change the rope and you can go" So, I mustered all the courage I could find and said OK. I hopped up to the front, closed my eyes, and said "Ok...just push me!!!!" And....
It felt nothing like I expected. I thought it would feel like a roller coaster, where you stomach drops, but you don't really feel anything. Also, your perception of how far the ground is, is completely different. You can't tell that your really getting closer when your on the cord. The inicial jerk of the cord doesn't hurt either, the elastic absorbs all the pressure so it is really all one fluid motion. The worse part was hanging upside down. My ankles hurt where I was being suspended. I guess better tight than loose and me fall to my death! Finally, the worker was coming to collect me. I was grabbing on to him saying, "ok pull me up, pull me up" and he was just calm and said "please dont grab me". Looking back that part was pretty comical.
When I got to the top, everyone was cheering and my friend told me all the workers kept looking at me and saying "She's smiling! She's smiling!", because they knew how terrified I was.
In the end, I am so glad that I did it! I can't say if I would do it again, but I can for sure say that I jumped off the tallest bungee jump!!!
