Friday, January 07, 2005
Just jumped!
Just before I left for US in Dec'02, we - a group of Infoscions - had planned to take the bungee jump organised at the Bangalore Palace Grounds. That plan did not materialize for some reasons. And for some funny reason, I cud not take a bungee jump during my stay in the US. So when in mid-Dec this time Xtreme Zone organized for the bungee in the Palace Grounds, I wud not miss it at any cost.
It was Dec-19 that me and my cousin Sanket decided to take the jump. We - me, Sanket and my Mom - reached the place at about 2pm......the entrance is in front of the Talisma office.....just before the Sankey Rd signal if u r coming from the Mekhri Circle signal. The first sight of a guy jumping from 120-ft gave goosebumps to my mother :) She decided that we will not take the jump! It took a bit of convincing from our side to get her tolerate our jumps! We enrolled for the jump....the jump cost Rs. 600!!!....sadly the guy at the counter said we need to wait another 2 hrs. We decided to make use of the time and went to my Chikkamma's place in Vidyaranyapura. Since my Chikkappa had a camcorder, I decided to convince him to accompany us to the location again.
We reached again at around 4pm only to realise that there were another 20+ ppl before us. Finally it was around 6:30pm when our turn came. I dont know whether it was the evening chill or the chill runing thru our nerves, our bodies were virtually shivering as we readied ourselves for the jump.
The jumpng facility consists of a platform that will be lifted / lowered using a crane. You get the rope tied to ur legs, enter the platform with the rope tied to ur legs, the platform is raised to a height of abt 120-ft and then....u jump! First it was my turn. As I entered the platform there was this person who thrusts a microfone on me and asks me my name. He says he'z gonna gimme a kool pair of Fastrack glasses if I "jump like a Tarzan". For me, jumping itself was a big deal, and here'z this chap asking me to jump with a leap! As we went up, the guy with me in the platform started giving fundaes as to what to do after we reach the top! Once at top, I turned around, now facing the deep abyss! I took a second to have a look at the view from the top. Since we were in the middle of the Palace grounds, I cudnt see much other than the trees of the Garden City. Next, the guy asked me to leave my hold of the platform, which I did, hold my hand straight, which too I did, asked me move closer to the edge of the platform, then still closer, then still closer, which also I did. Now he asked me to push the platform with my feet and take the jump! This I cud not!!! I asked him to push me down. He once again asked me to push myself, but I insisted on him pushing me. Finally, in what was probably a combination of the guy pushing me, and me pushing myself, there I was plunging down in a free fall for more than 100 ft!!! I can even now see that moment in front of my eyes whenever I think of it. Those few seconds were probably worth all the fear and shivering! I cud hear the announcer syaing that I did not jump like a Tarzan and hence I will not be getting the prize. But what I did not hear was the crowd shouting my name when I delayed my jump at the top!
I had been to lotsa roller coasters during my stay in the US.....including the Dragster, the world's tallest roller coaster. However, the bungee shud rate as the most thrilling experience I've ever had. Probably because this is where u need to take some action - jump!!! - instead of enjoying thingz happening to u, like in a roller coaster. Anywayz, I'm now looking fwd to my next jump!
Be great in act, as you have been in tought.
- William Shakespeare
Just before I left for US in Dec'02, we - a group of Infoscions - had planned to take the bungee jump organised at the Bangalore Palace Grounds. That plan did not materialize for some reasons. And for some funny reason, I cud not take a bungee jump during my stay in the US. So when in mid-Dec this time Xtreme Zone organized for the bungee in the Palace Grounds, I wud not miss it at any cost.
It was Dec-19 that me and my cousin Sanket decided to take the jump. We - me, Sanket and my Mom - reached the place at about 2pm......the entrance is in front of the Talisma office.....just before the Sankey Rd signal if u r coming from the Mekhri Circle signal. The first sight of a guy jumping from 120-ft gave goosebumps to my mother :) She decided that we will not take the jump! It took a bit of convincing from our side to get her tolerate our jumps! We enrolled for the jump....the jump cost Rs. 600!!!....sadly the guy at the counter said we need to wait another 2 hrs. We decided to make use of the time and went to my Chikkamma's place in Vidyaranyapura. Since my Chikkappa had a camcorder, I decided to convince him to accompany us to the location again.
We reached again at around 4pm only to realise that there were another 20+ ppl before us. Finally it was around 6:30pm when our turn came. I dont know whether it was the evening chill or the chill runing thru our nerves, our bodies were virtually shivering as we readied ourselves for the jump.
The jumpng facility consists of a platform that will be lifted / lowered using a crane. You get the rope tied to ur legs, enter the platform with the rope tied to ur legs, the platform is raised to a height of abt 120-ft and then....u jump! First it was my turn. As I entered the platform there was this person who thrusts a microfone on me and asks me my name. He says he'z gonna gimme a kool pair of Fastrack glasses if I "jump like a Tarzan". For me, jumping itself was a big deal, and here'z this chap asking me to jump with a leap! As we went up, the guy with me in the platform started giving fundaes as to what to do after we reach the top! Once at top, I turned around, now facing the deep abyss! I took a second to have a look at the view from the top. Since we were in the middle of the Palace grounds, I cudnt see much other than the trees of the Garden City. Next, the guy asked me to leave my hold of the platform, which I did, hold my hand straight, which too I did, asked me move closer to the edge of the platform, then still closer, then still closer, which also I did. Now he asked me to push the platform with my feet and take the jump! This I cud not!!! I asked him to push me down. He once again asked me to push myself, but I insisted on him pushing me. Finally, in what was probably a combination of the guy pushing me, and me pushing myself, there I was plunging down in a free fall for more than 100 ft!!! I can even now see that moment in front of my eyes whenever I think of it. Those few seconds were probably worth all the fear and shivering! I cud hear the announcer syaing that I did not jump like a Tarzan and hence I will not be getting the prize. But what I did not hear was the crowd shouting my name when I delayed my jump at the top!
I had been to lotsa roller coasters during my stay in the US.....including the Dragster, the world's tallest roller coaster. However, the bungee shud rate as the most thrilling experience I've ever had. Probably because this is where u need to take some action - jump!!! - instead of enjoying thingz happening to u, like in a roller coaster. Anywayz, I'm now looking fwd to my next jump!
Be great in act, as you have been in tought.
- William Shakespeare
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