The Mondo Loco Night Bungee!
It was all going to be easy. It was going to be the experience of a lifetime, we were jumping into the abyss, but it was going to be easy. I’d been up there twice before. Both forwards and backwards I had leapt of the 140ft high bridge over the river Garry beside Killicrankie so I knew what I was doing. Haha!
It was in the car on the way up. I realised Luggsy was toiling with the idea. First ever bungee jump in the dark. Brave guy. I'm really glad I had my two daytime jumps so I knew what was happening but they never prepared me. Not really. I thought they had, but they hadn’t really. It dawned on me in the car. Suddenly it was dark. We were on the A9 heading for Pitlochry. It was dark. Really dark! It wasn’t going to be the same!
There was eleven of us jumping and six of us had jumped in the daytime so logistically we knew what we were doing. The staff at Highland Fling are totally awesome and the registration, weigh in, briefing and harnessing process went smooth as mustard (?!?) and in no time at all we were up the ladder and under the bridge walking along the service plank to the platform!
Now, what you jump off is actually a permanent cage that’s fitted underneath the top of the bridge. It has a waiting area above the edge you jump off. Everybody is fenced in, the lights are on and the tunes are pumping. It’s a great place to get a banter with your mates and definitely a big part of the experience. Bungee JumpScotlandhave got it so right with the way they work it all. Waiting area. Nice and safe. Lit up. Slag yer mates. All good.
Until it’s your turn!
Big Greig went before me. I had worked it out that if I went second last I would be Mondo Loco’s 50th jumper. I’m not so sure of this stat now; I got home and checked and I think we may have done 48 in tota. I might have forgotten some from the first time! When Big G came back up he was all excited about the fact that he’d had a big moment he wasn’t expecting. Greig’s a veteran now; forwards backward and darkness, just like Myself, The Dude and Maff; so he wasn’t expecting to be actually standing there totally bricking it when he was on the edge. Neither was I to be honest!
It’s just not the same when step out into the dark. There’s nothing. Absolutely Nothing. Black all around. No Light source at all for miles down the vast expanse of river. The stars are bright above you; but your not jumping towards them. You look out in front of yourself to where you know you have to launch your body and all you can see is nothing. You are consumed by the overwhelming expanse of complete darkness covering your complete range of vision. You are aware of the safety of the platform lit up behind you but you can’t turn round. You are facing what you now know is a life moment in front of you.
You enter into a different state of consciousness I think. When you make yourself leave that platform into the abyss there’s nothing you can do anymore. It’s then not terrifying. You now have to just let it happen. There was no way I could not have jumped, it was always going to happen. I was always going to launch myself regardless of how I felt. I just never expected it to feel so good in flight or so bad before! You actually don’t know where you are. In relation to anything. You can’t see the bridge when you’re swinging. You can’t make out if you’re moving out the way, down the way or back up the other side. All you know is total freedom. You’ve let go, you’ve left your fear on the bridge and you’ve jumped into the unknown. You let go of all control and put your faith in a rope when you couldn’t even see what was going on! You’re totally free man, totally free!
Massive well done to first timers Jez, Kriss, Luggsy, Ross, and Tony. Massive thanks to Randy, Big G and Maff for keeping the banter flowing and the heavy rope busy. Awesome shout out for Kirsty for being the only girl and going last and a huge round of applause to The Dude for organising it all.
Here’s to the next one…Easter Bungee No.2!!!! Sign up here:
http://mondolocofundraisers.weebly.com/mondo-loco-easter-bungee-2013.html
Peas and Luv,
Paulo xx