Interlaken

Today early morning, I left for Interlaken - the playground of europe. Had spent 3 days here 2 years back and absolutely loved it. And today, I was to fullfill my dream of canyoning. reaching at 10 am, I was disapointed to hear that the trip had left an hour before for whole day canyoning - the thrilling one. And the easier one I did not want to do. So, I decided to take bungee jumping instead. I always had vertigo and fear of heights. But, just had to do it once. A jeep load of tourists along with our guides - 2 kiwis/aussies as usual - went up Grindelwald to the steep cliff from where we were to jump. Frankly, I was going tense every moment, see the steeeep cliff with a river flowing below. And the 125 CHF which I had already paid kept me in tow. Some people could not do it after being strapped, and just on the verge of jumping. They just could not take the plunge. There was 2 options for me, one where I was to hold on to a rod, using which I was assured I can play some trapeeze tricks. The other one was being straddled by the feet. Though choosing the hand-trick first, I chickened out and chose the one tied by the feet. Atleast, you will not be expected to be acrobatic when you are hanging on to dear life. My turn came. I was weighed, put with the requisite rope leeway. I steeped forward close to the little half-bridge from where I was supposed to jump. The instructor said - dont take too small a jump, dont take too big a jump, and jump slightly to the right. Freeking... I jumped. A few gods faces flashed before my eyes. And then I was falling slowly, and then gradually at a breckneck speed. At the nd of the rope near the river, the elastic pulled me back to almost as high as I had jumped. And then the same plunge. Gradually, the pendulum up and down became smaller and smaller. And I had the same sensations which one has when in a vertical merry go-around, you go from 12 o clock to 3 o clock. only 100 times more intense. I was worth it. But, only maybe once, considering the money involved. Then gradually, I was lowered down, where a person pulled my down by a pole he gave me to hold on to. It was definitely a lifetime experience.