Well Hello There Fellow Travelers And Hivers.
In the last part of my long forgotten journey we visited the Garden Route Wolf Sanctuary. Now I really wished I was more on the ball with taking photos back then, not for the purpose of sharing it on Hive but just being able to keep it as memories, it's no use crying over it now but the regret still remains. I think I've forgotten more than half of what we did on that vacation and having a few photos to remind me, well that would have been nice to say the least.
Thinking back I didn't really care for much of the vacation other than the fact that I knew I was going to be Bungi Jumping.
Where you might ask? Well the world's highest bungy bridge of-course!
Bloukraans Bridge Bungy stretching over the Bloukrans River Gorge.
Now it's not the highest bungy jumping spot in the world but it's the highest bridge bungy jumping spot in the world sitting at a height of 216 meters, we've got to clear that up first. 🤣 Well back then it was, since then there's one that took its place and the far side of the world in China the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge Bungee which is 260 meters high.
Wow, back then I didn't take some of the best photographs there was, I think I got more lucky than anything else really.
But we were on our way to secure my place for the day, I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared at all. In-fact my heart was throbbing to get out of my chest, I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life and that was coming from someone who has had a fear of heights his entire life.
What am I doing wanting to jump from high places then? Perhaps the thought of conquering my fears?
Who knows? Only a madman!
Whelp the first and most formidable thing I noticed was of-course the bridge, it was high! Very high!
I did mention I have a fear of heights just now right? At first I wanted to chicken out of it but then I thought to myself, what is the worst that can happen? I can fall myself to death of-course. Now needless to say that dying isn't on my bucket list but if it were to happen it would be painless and quick and at-least I'd have that pumping adrenaline rush I love so much before passing from one world to another.
That is unless I somehow miraculously survive the 216 meter fall.
Okay enough of that, what matters is that I didn't die that day. My heart told me otherwise but here I am and it is still pumping away.
The highest point of the arch is where we were to get ready for the jump. Of-course I still had to walk all the way there.
The walk was terrifying!
Underneath the road of the Bloukraans Bridge there was this hanging meshed wire bridge. Yes it was hanging underneath the big bridge, secured and fastened into place it didn't swing around or anything but the terrifying part was that everything below you was exposed so it felt like I was walking on nothing.
The worst part was that with every step I took I could feel the metal bending slightly underneath my feet and sagging a few centimeters, it doesn't sound like much I know but with every step it felt like I was missing my steps and falling and that combined with a fear of heights was terrible enough!
I kept everyone up waiting behind me, laughs I'll never forget it, infront of me there were three young american girls sounding so very excited to be there bungee jumping. They were ecstatic and loud, who can blame them? It's something to experience. But as soon as they stood on the edge ready to jump they were dead silent. Not a peep to be heard, then I knew I would fair much worse than them when I have to stand at the edge!
It was over faster than I thought it would be but it was a lot more exhilarating than I could ever have imagined!
Well it's a shame that I couldn't really get pictures of the walk to where we were supposed to jump from since we weren't allowed to take our phones or anything with us for that matter. I do understand that since you'll be losing all of the items in your pockets the moment you jump of the edge.
Well there I was hanging upside down after experiencing something that made my heart thump like never before.
I don't really know what the parents were trying to achieve with this photo, but I do actually quite like it. The focus isn't really on me and I like that.
I've a few things to mention, for someone that has gone skydiving and bungee jumping with a enormous fear of heights which one do you think I'll rate as the most terrifying?
No it would not be skydiving, actually that was not terrifying at all! That was lovely compared to going bungee jumping. It's not the jump down that was the scary part to be honest it was when the rope got tensioned up shooting you back into the air, that was terrifying! And when you fall back after that and you sort of bounce around there for a while. It felt like my shoes were going to slip off along with the straps around my feet.
I've never been more paranoid in my life than I was that day!
I never really gave it much thought as to how they pull you back up after you made the leap that sends your heart into a pounding, I think no one really does, we might be too consumed around the thoughts of jumping off that we don't really give that much attention at all!
One thing is for sure I was glad someone came to fetch me, the longer I hanged around there the worse it got! Laughs thinking back to it now, I do want to try it again although I'm not saying it's going to be less scary. Perhaps it might be even more scary after knowing what to expect!
Or should I rather go skydiving again?
Those really are the things you get to keep with you for life, not because their great things but because you feared for it and did them none the less. No matter what happens to me in life I doubt that I will ever forget the experience of bungee jumping or skydiving, because it's a fear that I tried to overcome. That will stick with me for life.
On a side note I'm still fearfull of heights.
Ironic.
Dated 17/06/2023
Connecting the people of #HIVE across South Africa. #hive