Monday, May 7, 2012

The Last Resort Bungee

Instead of going with my buddy lex, I decided to just take the bus.  The bus rides on a straight route directly along the Bhote Khoshi river.  Looking down at the river, twisting and turning with the bus increasing in elevation-my fear began to get the best of me. From a distance, I saw the suspension bridge and wondered if that was my bungee jump. We passed it by and kept going higher up.  The next bridge and village area was my stop with a big sign hanging on the shop roof, “The Last Resort.” Off I went with my small backpack on my front and my big backpack on my back(I got this idea from my fellow backpackers). 
As I walked across the bridge, I just stared down at the river water and rocks(2,000 meters from the river). I kept my eyes ahead and just let my excitement and fear continue to build up. 

At the resort, I made friends with the staff, Umesh and Sanjohn, two nice Nepali boys and my new friend from India, Arjun, and my friend from US, Danielle.  The three of us went to the viewing platform to watch everyone jump.  I tried to get myself in the first group, but that plan had failed because my weight was too high by 5lbs-oh the extra five pounds. That is something I definitely am not going to focus on, but I am just going to let go.

Watching everyone jump I was not feeling scared and Arjun was talking about it like it was no big deal because he had jumped a couple times before. It was lunch time and everyone went to eat, but I was going to wait until after my jump. Eating before bungee jumping? Not really appealing to me. 

My number written on my hand was 66.  Sitting with my buddies, I was just waiting for them to call the second group.  Within a few minutes, group two was called.  Walking onto the suspension bridge, we all just sat looking down awaiting our fate. 

The guy first called was our friend from Holland.  He walked up to the seating area non-chilantly.  I began to go around looking at people’s hands and I realized that I was next.  Seriously, I had no clue that I would feel so scared.  Everyone was laughing as you could hear the panic in my voice and fully read it through my facial expressions.

We watched as our fellow Holland jumper dove off the platform as gracefully as a swan.  It was a near perfect jump.  It actually made me a bit envious.  Who jumps that perfectly in a bungee? Ha.

The bungee man comes for me next and I am just as scared as I was when I walked on the bridge. Being paranoid, I ask him if all my gear is tight enough.  He says, “Don’t worry about this part.” I then let go and sit down where I am strapped to the back fence while the Hollland guy jumped-accidentally messed up the sequence. I found this pretty funny as I felt like a dog on a leash-boy I feel for dogs now that is not fun. 

The videographer begins filming me asking me how I feel and my fingers are quickly making circles around my mala beads and reciting mantras. I looked in the camera and said, “I really did not think I would be this scared, but I am.”

This guy must hear the same reactions over and over again all day long, “I am scared.” Geez Priscilla could you be a bit more original?

It was my turn to jump, there was no turning back now, it really was the last resort.  Like a penguin, I waddle over to the platform and the man asks if I would like to say anything to the camera before I jump and I just keep my head down and do not even respond as I am filled with fear.  One slight push and 3,2,1- off I jump off and dive forward as instructed and what a thrill! My mind is blank, but all I remember is Umesh telling me whatever you do, “Do not pull the rubber.” I keep my arms out the whole time in the same position. I shout a bit, but stay pretty much am quiet throughout my jump-what a boring bungee jumper ha!

After this there was a mini trek, what goes down-must come up! The trek had all these mini-waterfalls along the way and went back to the resort through the village.  The lunch at the resort was amazing and we all had great laughs watching the video. While everyone is laughing I do not care to watch my video because I have concerns about looking fat-“Oh Priscilla get over it.”

My plan was to go to Tatophani after by local bus in the evening arriving by myself with no direction and it was raining-so appealing right? My other choice was to go back to Kathmandu.  All my new friends took the package deal and I took the side door of course. Instead of challenging myself, I decided to go for fun and convenience. I sat in the front of the bus with the guys singing Bollywood songs, watching the rain fall, and the river current crash.  We have to make our own music because the tourists like the bus quiet.  The Hindi and Nepali music on the local buses has actually been a highlight for me.  It just proves that tourist buses are BORING. Both boys in their early twenties are adorable and senseless.  They ar e  Umesh tells me that they are both there if I ever need any help on my trip and he is definitely sincere in his words. 

Ananda is staying in Kathmandu and offers me to stay in his guesthouse with another couple of his friends.  Sanjohn offers his home with his family.  My friend from Pokhara has a room for me and a couchsurfer also accepted my request a while back.  So many options and my decision really is the one that is closest away from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

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