This is the day of the
jump. Tina and Tobi’s driver dropped us off in Thamel where we will take the
bus to the Last Resort. The resort is called as such not because of the bungee jump but because it is the last resort before the Nepal-Tibet border. While waiting for the shuttle, I decided to wander off and look at the alleys of Thamel.
Most of the stores are still closed since it was not yet 6am. Other people taking
the shuttle started to arrive, a couple with one guy looking like a Nepali and
an Asian girl, her nationality I cannot guess right away.
Pilipino kayo?
Then we had to walk back
to the main street where the shuttle to Last Resort is. The ride to last resort is estimated to last
for about three hours or so, going through corniche amidst Kathnmandu valley.
There were several checkpoints along the way where armed men go on board the bus.
At one point during the
ride, Nadine asked me if I am ok and she asked in Tagalog. That is when the
couple in front, one who looked like a Nepali and the Asian girl, looked back
at us and asked “Pilipino kayo?”. It
turned out they were both Filipinos, Raffy is a photographer working for the
national daily Inquirer and the girl “Alyana” is from Travel Factor. They were on
vacation and were availing of the day trip package to the Last Resort. The day
trip package includes a bungy jump. I decided to practice my Tagalog after a
few days of talking in English. We had a short stop over in a small store along
the river. The store reminded me of a stopover in Banaue. Around 9-ish, we
arrived in the resort. The resort is situated across the river from the main
road. A hanging bridge connects the resort to the main road. The bridge where
we will be jumping from.
view from the bridge
When we got to the
Resort, we ordered sandwiches for breakfast. Just a light snack before the
jump. There was an orientation and the weigh-in. Everyone’s weight was taken
since it will determine the order of the jump. I was 47 kg based on their
scale. The main instruction was walk like a penguin and jump like a bird. Like
a penguin since our legs and feet were bound together already before we go to
the platform, and of course fly like a bird.
We went to the bridge by
batch. Since I was the lightest, I was the first in the line. Oh my……Am I
really doing this crazy thing I asked myself? It was not too windy that day.
Thank God.
our weight (B is for bungee or bungy)
Then it started, the “bungy
guys” started putting on the harness, called out the guys weighing around 55kg.
Phew! They start from the heavy guys first. I was not first after all. Raffy
was the one who jumped first. Raffy shouted his heart out as he jumped. One
American guy in front of me, was swearing all the expletives he can muster. That
did not help at all. Before this jump, I was practicing by looking down from
condo of a friend living on the 27th floor. Just to get me used to
the idea that I can really jump from a height.
But staring at the 260 meter drop is surreal and I guess no practice can
prepare you for it.
As I walk towards the
platform and feel the wind blowing in my face and as I stare down the height
from which I will jump from, my heart was in my throat. I was asking myself am
I really crazy enough to jump 600 feet? Then “kuya” counted 1….2….3….I blurted out some
words in Tagalog. "Wait lang po Kuya." Then he counted again, 1….2…and gave me a
slight nudge and booom…..I was off from the ledge and falling……
