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Published: October 1st 2008
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3 additional video(s) currently being processed Alright, made a big decision today...tired of walking 17 blocks looking for a language institute only to have them tell me that they only hire teachers with permits (something they could have told me two days before when I stopped by). So, I became a backpacker today, if something comes up along the way-down the road, maybe I'll hunker down and teach for a bit, but as for now, I need to get out of the city.
So, my first order as a backpacker, do something ridiculous...like bungee jumping.
It all started lastnight, a Canadian, Carolyn, checked into my room last night, we started talking, she said something about bungee jumping, I quickly dismissed the idea, thinking back toa conversation Phil and I had about it right before I left, Phil not a fan of the idea. But I got up this morning and just felt like I needed a change immediatly! I emailed a few folks, let them know I wouldn't be by to see apartments, ran the bungee jumping idea past the crazy English guy who I was going to hang out with today, he was a fan, Carolyn was in...so I down. We booked the tour and Carolyn and I walked into the city to do some banking and get some fruit.
We got back, the bungee man was waiting for us, we loaded up, and 45 minutes later I was starring in disbelief down at the gorge, several hundred feet below the bridge I was about to jump off. They suit you up in a simple harness, one similar to a rock climbing harness. Then they strap belts to your ankles, very snug fit. The set up and instruction for all three of us took about 4 minutes.
Ian, the crazy English guy went first. He seemed to fall off the bridge with little hesitation, swung around and was hauled back up before we knew what happen. Carolyn, after a few stalls and false starts on the platform, fell off the platform, and before I knew it she was hauled back up. This ment only one thing...it was my turn. I climbed up to the platform-careful to NOT look down, took a deep breath, thought of Phil shaking his head at me, before I knew it the man that was in charge of the countdown had already made it to "2" (he started at 5 and we were supposed to be off the platform by 1). I shut my eyes and leaned forward, I opened my eyes in time to see my view shift from treetops and sky to river and valley. I fell for what seemed like forever (in reality a little over 285 feet, I'll let Phil figure out the actual time based on my weight and velocity), then I felt myself recoil back up, which was an odd feeling, to then watch the valley floor become farther away. I swung back and forth for awhile, knowing the rope was on its way down to haul me back up I thought I'd try to relax for a bit, however then I started spinning...and spinning...and spinning. Now the once river and valley were all mushed together in a dizzying scene. The rope finally found me and I attached it to my belt and enjoyed the ride up, mostly because I was so happy to not have my blood pooling in my brain.
The ride home was full of us re-living our jumps, each different in their own way. I made myself a dinner of *pineapple, plantanos, and papaya (*an entire pineapple), and repacked my bag for tomorrow morning...what am I doing tomorrow morning you may be wondering?? Myself, Ian, and Carolyn are heading to La Fortuna to do some volcano jumping--just kidding, they don't let you jump in the volcano. But there's some cool hiking and sites to see...then probably off to Monteverde, more volcano and lush Costa Rica goodness...then who knows?? I'm a backpacker now, I don't need a plan 😊
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mom
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I 'm glad you are out backpacking and out of the city Not too sure about the Bungee jumping ... just glad I didn't know ahead of time