My mom is going to kill me
I've thought a lot about how to carefully (or dramatically) say this since I know my mom reads this, but I can't really think of anything good. So I'll just tell you how it played out and try to avoid any drama.
Today was another good day. No classes, the only think I had to do was meet up with my Erasmus buddy group for Oktoberfest at 4. I met up with Dominik in the pit and saw a crane in the car park just behind a concrete wall. Being curious, I ventured over. It was near the fresher's tent where events had been going on all week. I remembered having read a poster for this, but I thought it would be a wuss version. well...
As I walked over, the crane lifted and a basket rose. 2 girls stood in the basket, hugging. And when it got to the top, they jumped out. This was no joke - it was legitimate bungee jumping. Being curious again, I asked the local security guard (they're all over UCD) how much they'd paid. He had no idea. Brendon, then final-year Irish buddy walked over to one of the people in charged and asked how expensive it was and how much longer they would be open. 30 Euro and just a few minutes.
Now, I don't normally believe in fate. In fact, I usually think that you make your own fate. Hard work and perseverance are the ways to get what you want. Occasionally, though, that notion is challenged. This was one of those times. I had exactly 30 Euro on me, and today was the first time I had carried my small digital camera with me since I got to Ireland. To top it off, there were witnesses.
First things first, I called Mikey (my roommate). He'd thought the bungee jump would be on a trampoline. I kindly informed him that he was wrong, and to get his butt down to the pit if he wanted to jump. Then, baited by the "i did it two years ago" and general encouragement of the people I had met only 2 days ago, I went looking for the guys in charge. Probably not the smartest decision ever.
A standard release later, I'm sitting in a chair watching another girl jump. Then they started to strap me into a harness and leg straps. At this point, I want to point a small fact (to my mom) to allay some fear. I've been climbing for 4 years now. I saw before paying that the equipment used was EXACTLY the same as the equipment used in climbing (exect a giant rubber band the width of my thigh in place of a rope). I've known people that repelled 4 stories upside down. I myself can repel about 2 stories in a single jump (which is practically a free-fall). I know how to wear a harness and I know how to attach a carabiner. At any point, if I didn't feel safe, I could have backed out. However, the harness came over my hips, was tight, and all of the buckles formed C's (O = open, C = closed... it has to do with how things double back). All of the carabiners were the screw/lock type, which are actually more secure under tension. They were all attached to screw downward (the proper direction). Also, the people were only really falling 3 stories and there was a 2 story airbag under the basket. Nothing was happening. And yes, I DID check all of this shit while they were doing their thing.
So they got me into the basket and started to lift, facing south-west. It is the best view I've had of Ireland yet. Absolutely beautiful mountains with houses built on the sides. The only bad part of the experience was that by the time we got to the top, the jump master had delivered all of the instructions and the gate was open. I got up and put my feet on the edge, looking at all the field around. In retrospect, if I had looked down, I might have been scared, but I didn't and wasn't. There really wasn't time. I was still looking at the hills when I heard "3-2-1 bungee!" As per instructions, I threw myself out of the basket. A few seconds of confused free fall later, and I'm being pulled back away from earth. I thought I would be jerked around, but that wasn't the case at all. It was like at gentle roller coaster. By comparison, Drop Zone and Carowinds puts a hell of a strain on me (so much that i won't ride it again), but the jump was more like hard breaking in a car.
The most frequent questions have been:
"Were you scared?" No - I wasn't. I knew I was safe, and honestly, it was so pretty/I didn't have time to be scared.
"Did you feel a rush (of adrenaline)?" Again, no - I don't think I had time. I guess maybe on the 2nd bounce I got excited at flying through the air, but nothing I saw registered. Honestly, I remember seeing the mountains, feeling the fall, and seeing again when they pulled me in.
"Are you glad you did it?" Yes. That is one of the things I said I'd never do. And I did it. It was fun. It wasn't terribly expensive (sponsored by a school club), and that is one hell of a story I'm going to get to tell when I'm old.
So yea, I bungee jumped today. And if you need proof, look here. That's just one more thing I can say I've done that most people can't. Adding that to the list with SCUBA and helicopter ride. I've realized (over the past year) that life isn't worth living if you don't live, and money isn't worth having if you don't spend it.
And mom, please don't kill me.
Today was another good day. No classes, the only think I had to do was meet up with my Erasmus buddy group for Oktoberfest at 4. I met up with Dominik in the pit and saw a crane in the car park just behind a concrete wall. Being curious, I ventured over. It was near the fresher's tent where events had been going on all week. I remembered having read a poster for this, but I thought it would be a wuss version. well...
As I walked over, the crane lifted and a basket rose. 2 girls stood in the basket, hugging. And when it got to the top, they jumped out. This was no joke - it was legitimate bungee jumping. Being curious again, I asked the local security guard (they're all over UCD) how much they'd paid. He had no idea. Brendon, then final-year Irish buddy walked over to one of the people in charged and asked how expensive it was and how much longer they would be open. 30 Euro and just a few minutes.
Now, I don't normally believe in fate. In fact, I usually think that you make your own fate. Hard work and perseverance are the ways to get what you want. Occasionally, though, that notion is challenged. This was one of those times. I had exactly 30 Euro on me, and today was the first time I had carried my small digital camera with me since I got to Ireland. To top it off, there were witnesses.
First things first, I called Mikey (my roommate). He'd thought the bungee jump would be on a trampoline. I kindly informed him that he was wrong, and to get his butt down to the pit if he wanted to jump. Then, baited by the "i did it two years ago" and general encouragement of the people I had met only 2 days ago, I went looking for the guys in charge. Probably not the smartest decision ever.
A standard release later, I'm sitting in a chair watching another girl jump. Then they started to strap me into a harness and leg straps. At this point, I want to point a small fact (to my mom) to allay some fear. I've been climbing for 4 years now. I saw before paying that the equipment used was EXACTLY the same as the equipment used in climbing (exect a giant rubber band the width of my thigh in place of a rope). I've known people that repelled 4 stories upside down. I myself can repel about 2 stories in a single jump (which is practically a free-fall). I know how to wear a harness and I know how to attach a carabiner. At any point, if I didn't feel safe, I could have backed out. However, the harness came over my hips, was tight, and all of the buckles formed C's (O = open, C = closed... it has to do with how things double back). All of the carabiners were the screw/lock type, which are actually more secure under tension. They were all attached to screw downward (the proper direction). Also, the people were only really falling 3 stories and there was a 2 story airbag under the basket. Nothing was happening. And yes, I DID check all of this shit while they were doing their thing.
So they got me into the basket and started to lift, facing south-west. It is the best view I've had of Ireland yet. Absolutely beautiful mountains with houses built on the sides. The only bad part of the experience was that by the time we got to the top, the jump master had delivered all of the instructions and the gate was open. I got up and put my feet on the edge, looking at all the field around. In retrospect, if I had looked down, I might have been scared, but I didn't and wasn't. There really wasn't time. I was still looking at the hills when I heard "3-2-1 bungee!" As per instructions, I threw myself out of the basket. A few seconds of confused free fall later, and I'm being pulled back away from earth. I thought I would be jerked around, but that wasn't the case at all. It was like at gentle roller coaster. By comparison, Drop Zone and Carowinds puts a hell of a strain on me (so much that i won't ride it again), but the jump was more like hard breaking in a car.
The most frequent questions have been:
"Were you scared?" No - I wasn't. I knew I was safe, and honestly, it was so pretty/I didn't have time to be scared.
"Did you feel a rush (of adrenaline)?" Again, no - I don't think I had time. I guess maybe on the 2nd bounce I got excited at flying through the air, but nothing I saw registered. Honestly, I remember seeing the mountains, feeling the fall, and seeing again when they pulled me in.
"Are you glad you did it?" Yes. That is one of the things I said I'd never do. And I did it. It was fun. It wasn't terribly expensive (sponsored by a school club), and that is one hell of a story I'm going to get to tell when I'm old.
So yea, I bungee jumped today. And if you need proof, look here. That's just one more thing I can say I've done that most people can't. Adding that to the list with SCUBA and helicopter ride. I've realized (over the past year) that life isn't worth living if you don't live, and money isn't worth having if you don't spend it.
And mom, please don't kill me.
