Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Sunday 30/06/13
Today I woke up so early and had a lovely cold shower before heading to La Plaza de Bolivar to meet everyone. I didn't have any breakfast because I wasn't sure how scared I'd be.
We got minibus, there were about 32 of us I think, and we headed up into the mountains. All of us were talking about what lay ahead. It was fairly terrifying. We headed right up in to the mountains and it was chucking it down as we went through the clouds. Luckily when we reached el viaducto del Tigre it had slowed down slightly. The colombian version of health and safety is non-existant compared to the obsessive british culture of protection and cotton-wool procedures. However, I wasn't quite prepared for the way that this bungee jump was set up. As we walked over the bridge, looking nervously down the sides, we noticed that the equipment was n fact simply out of someones car boot. The car would be used to pull us back up after the jump. The ledge was about 40cm by 30cm and was bolted to the bridge railings. This, I have to say, was offputting.
We watched a few people jump before it was our turn. We signed a document in spanish and then we were ready. I was nervous, but after a few of our group had jumped, I felt much better. Dan and Iain decided to get drunk (4 beers) and I had an empenada because I didn't feel sick. Empenadas are pastry with meat and potato inside. I LOVE THEM. They remind me of pasties a bit. Even better, they are served with a hot sauce (very rare here, colombians don't seem to like spice in Ibague).
I was number 21. Christelle jumped before me as did some other friends. When I got my gear on i felt nervous. I opted to jump rather than be thrown and I wanted to jump forwards because I wanted to see the ground (and so that nobody would see my terrified scream face ahah).
When the moment came I sort of blanked out the sound around me. I only faintly heard "uno, dos, tres... BUNGEE" before I felt the guides hand in the small of my back move backwards, and with that, I just sort of... jumped. I don't remember much of falling, it was very quick. I felt instinct take over as I saw the ground rushing towards me and I think I screamed in fear. The next thing I knew I felt the cord on my feet elasticate and I bounced upwards. The first bounce was the most painful, well, uncomfortable. It twanged a bit but I was fine. After the initial shock I let out a loud yell of elation. I heard it echo off the mountains and then I heard some people on the bridge yell back. I felt elated. They lowered down the cord which I, still upside down, attached to my chest. I was then pulled up by the reversing car. As soon as I had climbed over the barrier I felt so high. I was so happy.
I couldn;t stop laughing.
I watched everyone else and got congratulated for managing it. Then I got a beer, naturally.
We were all in the party mood on the way back, none of us chickened out. People headed to the desfile, while i got more money and then I headed to the desfile too (parade). It was VERY busy. Too many people, especially when trying to find the others. I did't enjoy walking through the crowd. It was probably one of the busiest places I've ever been... or perhaps it was the narrow alleys for us to walk through. Then I found them on calle 37 and we started drinking. We headed away from the crowd into a park, and drank there. Aguardiente all round. I think that night we also went to a bar, followed by a club. I have hazy memories of this, but I know it was a good night. We danced salsa and lots of other dances. I really love the nights out here. The colombians are so proud of their culture and take every oppurtunity to show it off.
- comments
Joanna (mum) Blimey Holly. I admire your nerve. There's no way I could have done that. Just hope you've got it out of your system now though! ;-) xx