So there’s been some hold up. I’ve been having a good time in Australia and not spending a whole lot of time putting up pictures on Facebook or updating this here thing.
Part of the problem was my bungy jumping post just wasn’t panning out.
I have part of it written, but it wasn’t really flowing.
There is a part of me that think this is because I glossed over the thing when it was actually happening. I spent a lot of time both not thinking about it and trying to psych myself up about it that when it actually happened it was a bit of a blur. I enjoyed it, but it was all over so fast.
Now I’m going to have to do it again. At some point. It was so fast I might just forgo bungy all together and move up to skydiving. When I compare my video to my friend Nat’s skydive video, there is a lot more falling in hers.
Which is strange because she says that she’s never bungy. There are actually a lot of people who say they would be way more willing to jump out of a plane than bungy. There are two major reasons that most people say this.
The first is safety. They think they are safer skydiving. For me I like to be able to see the rope firmly attached to me and the thing I’m jumping off of. That seems safer than jumping out of a plane in the hope that there is actually a parachute crammed into that backpack you have on, and that it will open with no problems.
The second thing that they prefer about skydiving is the other guy that’s strapped to you. They like the fact that they don’t actually have to make the final decision to jump.
They prefer murder to suicide.
That wasn’t a problem for me… is that a problem itself?
Before I left for my trip there was a thought in the back of my head that I would probably bungy jump. While I was on the North Island I still thought I was going to do it.
When I got to the South Island, I was not longer that sure. I felt like I really didn’t care that much one way or the other.
I really don’t like doing things because they are something “you must do”, just like I won’t read classic books that I have no interest in.
Then, after my glacier hike I started looking at the brochures and by dinner I was pretty sure I was going to do it.
I got really nervous when I booked the jump, partly because it looked like they were going to have an opening for me that day, and I needed a day to prepare, which in hindsight might have been the problem. I prepared too much.
Everywhere I went I was already seeing myself after the jump doing the same things perfectly safe. I was already past the jump a day before it happened. When I would get a twinge of what I was planning to do I’d stop and imagine myself on the platform ready to jump, “yeah, I can do this, no problem” I’d think.
I wasn’t feeling nervous when I got out to the jump point, and I got strapped in and jumped without hesitation, partially to get it over with and partially to keep myself from noticing what I was about to do.
I did a lovely swan dive and it wasn’t until halfway down that it sunk in.
On the video you can see it. About half way down my swan dive becomes mad flailing for a moment as I try to stop myself in midair like Bugs Bunny. Then my arms move back into swan dive position.
Also I cussed, and I think I might have thrown up the tiniest bit. ALSO!, and I just realized what this was, at the bottom a weird thought stuck me. I didn’t know where it can from and I can’t really tell you clearly what it was, but…
For a second I think I thought I was a baby.
It just now came to me that my life must have decided to flash before my eyes! Just as I got to the bottom of my fall. So I only got the very beginning before my brain figured out that I wasn’t going to die.
Thank goodness that wore off quick…
So, anyway, that’s why there’s not post about my bungy jump. Sorry.
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