Before I could start my article please read the following info first.
http://uk.geocities.com/osfuk/osf/golden.html
http://breaking.tcm.ie/2002/11/17/story77136.html
http://www.trekking.ch/eng/bungy/info_007.asp
Friends after viewing my published pictures lots of my friend ask me share my experiences. At the time of jump after Jump before jump etc.
So here is my experience.
I am planning for such an adventurous event since from very long almost it’s a dream of mime since from last one year when I enjoyed the jump in Six Flag of Chicago. So as soon as I reached at Switzerland. One of my organization representative asked me what I like to do here and my first answer is that I would like to do Bungee Jump. Then we talk abt some thing related to my country (India) and his curtsey he gifted me an map of Switzerland and explained me what all places r good to go (to see). Like to record his name here because I have a very weak memory very frequently I forgot most of the things. Till date I remember his name it’s really a great thing. He is “Rolf Schlegel” president of INVICO CAPITAL CORPORATION AG (2005).
Hi Rolf if u didn’t like Ur name to be mentioned on my blog please let me know I will remove it from here but yes THAX a lot.
This event is organized by one of my colleague Naveen Kumar and he coordinated every thing. It’s long planning almost in a month. He also tried to collect few more friends to participate in event but unfortunately failed. I am always in loop in his mail. Initially I tried to read some of the mails. But most of the people refused to participate in event and giving lots of comments and Internet reviews which slightly demoralize me. There after without informing him I set a rule in my outlook. As soon as my Outlook receive any mail related to bungee it automatically get deleted because I didnt like to read all those silly and discouraging articles. (Sorry Naveen!)
So he created a beautiful plan and conveyed a traveling plan to me. We have to reach at Diga Verzasca dam, which is almost 4 HRS from out leaving place. Naveen is accompanied by Bharathi (another colleague of mine) and I am coming with my friend Ravi (That’s an interesting story how and where we became friends I will share it later on.) Hence we all decided that we would be meeting at meeting point at Zurich Railway station till yesterday I am not aware what is called meeting point.
Its an hectic day for me to wake up so early get ready and reach to Station to catch train of 7:15 AM but still I tried and left home at 6.42 AM to catch the tram. Oh I missed the tram because I am 1 Min Late. But its my bad luck. On Sunday here tram frequency is not so good next tram is at 6.59 and its almost 16 MIN journey means that train already gone. But still I didn’t give up and thought that lets try. At station I run towards platform number 2 but stopped at board and found that train described in the travel plan is not going from platform No. 2 but its already left from platform no 18. (Bull shit yes its same bull shit which u have seen in Black) I move toward meeting point. no one there except for Ravi (I didn’t expected that he will be there because on cell I informed him that catch the train I will also reach over there might be in some other compartment) he says to me next train is at 7.45 to Bellinzona. we r now in train for Bellinzona but again due to some technical problem train is again delayed by 15 MIN. Mean while I received an call from Naveen and he says that ok we will meet at Bellinzona. Our train is fast train, so calculation of ours says that we will reach over there in the interval of 15 MIN. It seems to be oky.
Some how we reached at Bellinzona. As soon as we reached to stop I again received a missed call from Naveen. I called him back and he said that we left for Locarno from Bellinzona now you have to catch the train of 11.40 AM to Locarno and get down at Teanero (Oh no this is not expected with them ! they did it again) But god knows how I am expecting it ; its again.
Now I am little bit angry and decided that OKAY I will not call them again and we will directly go to the spot. Hence we opted another train at 10.20 AM and reached at Teanero exactly at 10.40 AM.
It’s really a very small station like in India we have lots of (but yes its neat and clean). This spot located in between Italy and Switzerland. Its much more like border. We Tried to find out the bus stop; its little bit difficult for us because any how we just started to manage with German language and this place is totally an Italian speaking. I thought that here they have only three or four language and we r facing so difficulty how when these tourist reached to India r able to manage because we have 22 Official language and almost 40,000 dialogs. Here at lease they have symmetry in alphabets (A-Z) in all language but we have all together different lipi/scripts too. (To know more abt the Indian scripts and letter representation see http://www.ntu.edu.sg/home2001/b5423950/bharathilipi/.
And in complete locality no one is available except for one couple and a kid with whom we could inquire some thing. Suddenly I observed that the lady on other side of platform waved a hands (By their looks they looks like Indians) I also waved my hands and observed that the guy with the lady is coming towards us. Little bit shocked in the place where no one looks to each other why he is coming to us, then thought that might be they r also tourist. But no its an curtsey of the guy he crossed the platform to just help us. He is also from India. Then he explained us how to read the timetable and then suggested us that go to LOCARNO and take bus from there to Verzasca. We (me and Ravi followed him). In just a journey of 20 MINS he explained abt their self. He is from Kerla settled in Teanero since from 1999 but his wife is setteled there since from 1992. They both r working in old people shelter home. His wife is nurse. Then he asked us from which part of India u people r Ravi relpied from Selma, Tamil Nadu I replied from Central India.
‘Oh Hindi speaking `(In a very depressed voice). I feel very bad abt it. Why he said like that it’s our national language? Might be they having some feeling abt the Hindi speaking people. That’s the unity in diversity (Of incredible India and Indians too) we feel alltogether that we r Indian but still divided. Might be my perceptions r wrong? Now I recall the name of guy he is Sebastian
Seems to be that u gets board now (but I usually pen down like that and here sharing some pages of my diary so u have to bear with me).
OK. Myself and Ravi both reached to Locarno. There he said to me call Ur colleagues because they r already in Locarno. Might be we will go together. I called Naveen and finally we met. Now we all are together. Naveen took some travel plan from Zurich so he suggested that we will go back to Teanero (All of us has whole day travel pass so there is problem of ticket) Again struggle to find out the appropriate bus stand according to the travel plan we walked together for almost 2 KM and finally result is null. Again travel plan meshed up every thing.
Now we decided to hire a CAB to reach to the spot. Finally we reached to the spot.As soon as we reached to the spot I observed it’s a beautiful place. And again a photographer comes up in all of ours body photo session started till time the event coordinators reached. If u like to see the photographs use this link GO TO PHOTO -----------à.
I explained every thing, which is coming in my mind on that day. So now u can think off lots of things r going on my mind before Jump. In a very small head thousands of things. NO time to THINK abt Jump.
Yes I forgot some thing. That’s a wonderful bread omelet by Ravi. He prepared bread omelet for all of us. It’s very hard to wake up in the morning and prepare some thing. Yes its really very delicious after a very long time I had an omelet in Indian style.
Event coordinators reached at the spot exactly at 2.00 PM. Then we signed non-disclaimer document and other details in form. Naveen opted to jump first and we decided that we would take a break in between us so that we can capture each other.
Now he is dressed up and took a small training. Its time to jump. Bharathi said her heartbeat is increased. Finally he jumped but at the time of jump he closed his eyes. I observed some other peoples too. And started thinking how is going to be my jump. At that time I was thinking off how I will jump. Finally I also finished off the training session. And went to the jumping platform. Yes prior to that Naveen informed me that at the time of jump he is little bit nervous but there after he enjoyed his flight/lift. He is little bit angry on himself because he didn’t enjoyed his third bump and conveyed me that Mukesh do not make a same mistake which he has done.
Before jump the jump coordinators asked me have u done such thing ever before. I replied Yes, Where? At USA Chicago, Oh from Tower? Yes almost like that. So u enjoyed that jump? Yes. Now u r going to enjoy more here. Ok Hopefully.
Then he said that r u from India? Yes. He replied, we had also organized an event for some Bollywood bond movie. What is it Hollywood or Bollywood. They replied its Bollywood. But in Bollywood there is no bond movie. They informed me that its two-year back and the movie team spent almost Two months on that spot. They tried to recall actor name and movie name too. But unfortunately failed.
If any one already seen that bond movie of Bollywood please let me know. :)
I am interested to know which movie is that.
Finally its time to jump. As soon as I reached to the corner coordinators said to me that while jumping look at Ur friends. They all had very good camera so it’s going to be very beautiful event capture. Till this time I didn’t see down. But as soon as I took a look of down there it’s really a daring. Its almost 550 Mts depth and u can just imagine how its looks. Little bit depressed that what will be happened if rope get breaks down? Then thought that noting I will be looking like small ant to my friends. Yes also they said to me that jump towards urs friend. Then photographs will be more beautiful. Might be they r saying this because if u see down u will get depressed? But I am thinking what will be happed if I strike towards wall. Means if I jump with my full power (Superman) :) then might be I will hit dam wall. But still I can try and thought that I will apply little thrust.
Finally Jumped. Till today I am not aware how I am looking at the time of jump depressed, enjoying, charming etc. Because till this time I have seen only my stills, which is not captured appropriately specially from, jump onwards. So I am waiting to see the video shot at that time. It’s recorded with two cam coders.
When I am freely falling toward down I tried to see all over their but frames r going so fast. But yes I still remember the moment its blazing and fabulous. Suddenly I started moving towards upward that’s again fabulous. It’s almost three or four bumps, which I enjoyed. Then I tried to see down over their hanging reverse. Its terrifying and decided I will see only towards upward. Yes its lovely tried to see my friends but failed they r so far from me. Then waived my hands and expected that they will capture it.
Finally a voice reached to me OK. Now as per training I used the rope to make me up and straight and used defined hook to hook me up in the yellow marked strap expected that now I am in sleeping position and will enjoying the hanging in air till the crane hook will not come. Hence I left the rope but suddenly something wrong I am again reverse. Every thing is inverted. Why hook didn’t worked.
And also feel that the belts at my legs r slipping. At this point I became little bit nervous. Because first of all hook didn’t worked, Second leg belt is slipping so what will be happen if belt slipped completely. Third hanging reverse and seeing 330 Mts down is really a horrible. Now thinking why crane hook is not coming. And observed that the hook is coming towards me. Then thought to be on safer side use our hands and be sitting position then I have at least some more support. Hence did same. As soon as crane hook reached to me I hooked myself. And then all fear and nervousness gone. In air itself again I started thinking weather these people have captured event properly or not. Because still cam is in hands of Bharathi who is not that much familiar with photography.
Finally reached to the platform back from air to earth. I tried to find out why hook didn’t work and observed, there is two holes in the strap, which is marked with yellow tape. One is at leg side and another is at chest. I used the leg one while in air not able to identify the chest one.
Before my jump I observed that lots of European kids r watching their hands before jump putting their hands straight in air. Yes they r trying to see the fear in them. So I also thought that lets see after jump is it fear in me or not and observed its straight and not vibrating. I am happy. Prior to my jump I observed lots of jumper. Till time we r there only three girls dare to dive. Out of which two jumped very beautifully and they r them self very beautiful. Out of which one in small blue shots and gray T-Shirt and looking very pretty too.
But as soon as I reached to Ravi he replied, man u didn’t given any pose to photograph. (Yes u r right it’s modeling in air.) And also said that Naveen has given a beautiful poses.
Onoooooooooooooo!
I replied have u captured or not. He replied yes but its not good. Oh. But its ok at least some thing is there.
Then we booked again a CAB for Teanero and reached station. Then to Bellinzona then to Lugano without wasting time because Ravi said that in Lugano there is a miniature Swiss in some museum. Reached at Lugano and tried to find out museum finally not able to find it. Hence decided to go towards Lugano lake. And again photo session started. Then with small toy train took a look of complete city.
Whole day gone. Again back to Zurich with three hrs journey in train (Inter Country which runs from Italy) As soon as I reached back to home I realized that after Jump I forgot the dive.
That’s it. Now nothing more to share. Bye for a while.
:) :) :)
