Sagana Bungee (Gulp) Jump!

This is a little walk down memory lane, inspired after I randomly came across this amazing read (Isn’t she on orgasmic levels of awesome?)

My virgin Bungee happened last year, in December. It was during my department’s first Team Building gig, which thankfully was nothing humdrum like the usual corporate dullness that happens when you and a couple of colleagues are asked to tug at each other and snap your fingers in the air.

The idea was birthed with voiced concern by our Manager. We cannot have a boring stint our first time round at this.  I am forever grateful. The Universe works in wondrous ways you see; I had been toying with planning a trip specifically to strike off Bungee jumping from my Bucket List.

Sagana it was.

I’ll get straight to it because I can’t really remember how long the trip there was, though from Nairobi, it’s roughly a smooth 2 or 3 hour drive, depending on how fast you’re driving.

I was the last in our group of 5 adrenaline junkies to take that LEAP OF FAITH. And I was, naturally, the most dramatic.

The decision to take the plunge is made while your feet can still feel the dirt on the ground, as they harness and strap you into safety cables and the Bungee clips that will be your lifeline to the Bungee cord.

If you decide to go ahead, they will take your weight and you will sign an Indemnity form. (It was your bright idea to jump off a steel cage, suspended by a 60M custom built steel tower off the ground anyway!)

This is the only chance you have to admit to yourself and everyone around you who cares to acknowledge, that you are officially not as bad-ass as you’ve believed yourself to be.

Climbing up those 177 steps of that 60M metallic contraption was.not.easy.at.all. Mainly because I was unfit and I could feel the strain on my thighs and glute (and looking down on how far up you’ve made it doesn’t help).

Halfway up, it felt like the thing was being swayed by the wind. Like the Devil was having a good laugh.

At some point, I stopped and tightly hugged my metallic friend and told him to just be nice.

When I did finally get to the top, I was rudely shocked to find out that I had to jump over a gaping (but narrow) vacuum into the Bungee cage. It’s a little leap, but a quick look down (which you instinctively and automatically will do) shall swiftly remind you that you are not a bird and yes, humans do not fly.

There is a moment of silence and peace that washes over your tensed muscles when you take in the view while up there. Standing on top of the world.

Breathtaking; wind in your hair and for those milli-seconds before the jump; you’re in awe of the freedom of choice that God gave man.

And then reality hits.

You are in a cage. At 60M above the safety of being carried by your feet.

You are about to test Newton’s Law.

You, my friend are stupid.

I do not remember the pep talk that Andreas gives now, you know, the standard safety pointers. Don’t you dare do this or you’ll break your pelvic bone kind of thing, but, at the time, I can assure you, I could have recited his words in verbatim while I was tucked safely in bed, on my third phase of requiem sleep.

You stand at the edge of the cage, contemplating Life.

Praying.

The food you ate last week churning.

You look down at the brown of the Sagana River below and it seems like nothing but a speck of dirt.

Andreas will ask if he should push you.

You will be squeamish.

Hesitant.

Wondering what crazy adrenaline pumped demons took spiritual possession of your good sense of judgment. The kind of judgement that normal, gravity-loving people have.

And then if you’re lucky, Andreas in his wisdom, will trick you like he tricked me.

He said he will count to 10, with his palm laying firmly on your back.

Then you will give him this weak, terrified nod, sort of whispering that you love him because his is the last face you will see. His warm eyes will remain imprinted in your spirit to guide you through an after- life of Bungee jumps.

Then, without warning, On 6, you’re flying down.

It hits you like a train-wreck; the liberation of free-fall, nothing holding you back but air.

Maybe this time around you will get a chance to shit on a bird.

You are one with the Sky.

You are the freaking Sky!

You love the Sky.

You feel it in your skin. Your teeth. Your hair follicles. Your butt crack. Your Soul.

You feel Invincible.

You feel Uninhibited.

You feel Powerful.

You are a Conqueror.

You are Iron Man.

You fear nothing (but the sudden odd feeling that pressure may have let up and you may have to immediately change your panties if you live through this).

And then, it’s over.

Just like that.

What feels like hours is really time gone in just under just one minute.

There is nothing in this world like that feeling.

Noooothing. Nothing.

Believe me.

Especially when the pendulum effect kicks in. You’re a human YoYo, flipping about the sky, scaring birds and butterflies from the comforts of their flight. (I’m a flimsy 50Kg. You can imagine, I felt like rubber afterwards).

It comes to an end sweetly…. Slowly.

The heavy cord loosens and your heart beat slows down and it no longer feels like an outer body experience. Or being abducted by aliens.

They pick you up just as your head is about to dip into the brown and they will cradle you in their arms like a mother would, riding in their blue kayaks to row you back to the safety of Mother Earth.

Truth is, I almost didn’t do it, but, I am SO glad that I did.

Andreas has been in business for over 10 years and I did my research; no incidents unless you do not pay attention to his strict Do’s and Don’ts.

And I have to do it again.

Higher.

And second time around, I will try not to scream like a Banshee as much as I did and maybe I’ll scream something uber cool like:

“Yes!! Yes, I’ll marry You Idris Elba, I mean Trey, I mean … [inset current’s name]!”

****

XoXo

INFO:

Where:           Savage Wilderness Camp

Charges in Kenya Shillings (also payable in €/₤/$ ) as at December 2014, subject to change:

Kshs.5,000/= for a single jump

Kshs. 9,000/= for a tandem jump (two going together)

Kshs.1,000/= deposit payable in advance

Contact:

Andreas Reblin for the Bungee: reblin@mitsuminet.com

&

Mercy for accommodation etc. at the Camp:  info@savagewilderness.org

Weight Restrictions:

Minimum weight 40 kg/88 lb

Maximum weight 105 kg/231 lb

Maximum combined weight for a Tandem Jump 105 Kg/231 lb

RANDOM:

• The highest known Bungee is The AJ Hackett Macau Tower at 233m / 764ft high 
• The Victoria Falls Bungee at 111m/364ft has to be the most scenic Bungee (The Victoria Falls Bridge, Zambezi River between the Zimbabwe & Zambia border posts) 
• There is a site dedicated to Bungee disasters/accidents
• Your chances of dying while Bungee jumping is apparently 1 in 500,000
• This is fun to read