I was highly anticipating this day trip, first time going further out of my realm here in Kr. It was a group event we booked in advanced with promises of transportation, rafting, lunch, some day drinking, and an optional bungee jump if you so choose. Boarding the bus out of Seoul at 7am with very little sleep the night before the prospect of jumping intrigued me, and I so wanted to do it, but deep down I did not think this would be a possible achievement. I concluded I would make the decision the last possible moment I had to make it.
After rafting down the beautiful Hantan river, eating a Korean style buffet lunch and downing a few beers to get my nerves up we once again board the bus and are on our way to the bungee site. I get off the bus with the other jumpers and pay the fee, still not 100% sure about this. I watch about 20 people go before me, they all survive. With each jump my stomach drops a bit and my sweat glands are in full action. After waiting for what seemed forever its finally my turn. My ankles are strapped in serious Velcro contraptions and hooked to the bungee with climbing carabiners. I step to the edge and look down. Mistake. oh. my. fucking. god. I can't do it. I really can't. I make up my mind and turn around after my 3-2-1 countdown fail and start asking the nice Korean guy to take these things off my ankles. I don't really recall what happened then, but somewhere in between deciding I can't do it and asking the man to release me, I turn and jump. I did it. It was awesome, fast, and disorienting. After swinging and bouncing and spinning around upside down on the cord I am finally lowered into a small little raft paddled out by a small little Korean man who unhooks my ankles and rows me to shore. Heart pounding. And pounding. It was exhilarating, and I would do it again.
Video still courtesy of Helen. Full video available Here
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