Longquing Gorge in Beijing: do something everyday that scares you.
I hung upside down several feet above the river waters. My ankles were very tightly bound to an iron rod to the point of near asphyxiation, which was then secured onto an elastic rope. 150 feet above me stood the tower in which I had jumped off. One hour earlier, I was one of 60 passengers in a boat taking pictures while listening to the tour guide explain the history behind our current whereabouts. The water was 35 meters deep, while the mountains that enveloped us from all sides stood 300 meters tall. Small caves could be seen on the sides of the cliffs, while the surrounding waters boasted a bright green color. The remnants of mountain climbers could be seen on the cliffs as well – they painted the name of our location in Chinese characters: the Longqing Gorge.
Our boat turned the corner and, low and behold, a bungee tower appeared into view. After some contemplation and deliberation, three of my friends and I decided to spontaneously bungee jump. After all, what better place to do it than in the middle of the wilderness? The four of us climbed several flights of stairs to reach the ticket booth. After signing our lives away through a simple-looking disclaimer, we climbed one last flight of stairs onto the tower.
I volunteered to go first. After having my ankles secured onto the bungee, I stepped onto the steel plank. The gate shut behind me, and I was told to put my toes over the side. I inched forward slowly, my two hands still grabbing onto the rails behind me. The worker pried my fingers loose, and I was now balancing 168 feet above water using only my ankles for footing. Knowing that I would be okay (hoping, actually), I lifted both arms above my head and dove headfirst into the abyss.
It turned out that I survived. The bungee lowered me towards the water, all the while a motorboat drove out to retrieve me and then drop me onto shore. Reflecting back, the fall felt incredibly quick. Each drop was only met with a split second of stomach churning and slight dizziness from the blood rushing to my head. Otherwise, it was a very thrilling and rewarding experience. I once heard a famous quote, “Do something every day that scares you.” I’m glad to have fulfilled that requirement for the day.
