Rag Doll on a String

SPOILER ALERT: If you've never bungee jumped before, but have intentions of doing so, I'd advise against reading this post because it may spoil the whole experience for you. Don't get me wrong - it's one of the best things I ever did, but reading this post may spoil the element of surprise.

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You're seated on the platform, while a man, sort of youngish, binds your ankles together. His attempts at small talk is greeted with distracted replies as your heart starts beating wildly upon hearing the screams of the people who jumped from the other platform just beside you not two seconds ago.

You realise at this point that there is no turning back and just hope that you don't smash your face against a rock or any of the bridge's imposing beams. Of course you could just calmly walk away from it all and have regrets for the rest of your life as you account the story of how you almost did it but chickened out at the last minute while you sip a latte with your friends. You shake that thought away as you hobble to the edge of the ledge. 

Every inch of your being screams "are you crazy?" and "don't do this!", but you've made up your mind, so scream or no scream you grin at the cameras like an idiot as your friends cheer you from a distance, step off the ledge and the rest, as they say, is history.

Silence envelopes you as the forces of gravity has it's way with you. There is a tug, and you bounce, do a pirouette in the emptiness and slowly settle in with one final tug, hanging upside down, exhilarated and filled with adrenaline as the blood finally decides to go with the flow and rush to your head. In the final confusing moments you spot the pole you're supposed to grab that will eventually lead you to the solid ground where you belong.

Getting untied from the ropes and the harness is a less than graceful affair. Aside from giving a total stranger an awkward hug as you try to maneouver yourself from the pole to the boat, you are expected to give one final smile to the camera. You're in such a daze that you just do what you're told, resulting in a somewhat comical shot (at least mine was, since I stopped being a natural in front of the camera after I turned 6)

You shakily get off the boat onto solid ground, your knees thinking they're Elvis as you make your way up the stairs to watch other people get their adrenaline fix.

Note: March 17 2011, 3-ish pm, New Zealand time.