We all woke up the next morning raring to go – this was the day many of us had been looking forward to in Vic Falls, some had been dreading. This was our adrenaline day. We were bussed over to the gorge were it all happened. Our base for the day was on top of a cliff that had a 60 metre drop to the valley below. We were split into teams so that we all took turns on the various activities that were on offer. We started off with abseiling.
We hadn’t done this before, but basically you get strapped into a harness which is roped in and tied to a tree or rock and then using the device on the harness to let out the rope, you walk backwards over the side of the cliff. If you’ve never done it before, its very scary but once you’ve walked over the edge and got the feel of the rope travelling through the device on the harness, its very easy, watch out for rope burn, and only grip with the hand behind your body, the other hand is useless. It was great fun. The trick is also to lean out so that your body is as horizontal as possible and your feet are flat against the cliff face.
We had several goes at this as both Helen and I felt as though we wanted to improve on our technique. After we’d got down to the valley floor, we had to run around up the valley and back up the cliff to have another go – the trek out of the valley must have been about ½ mile. We were so keen we were running out of the gorge to get another go!
After a few goes of this, the guides then encouraged us to do the same but walking forwards! Whilst this might sound easier than going backwards, trust me, its not! Just think about it, walking over the edge of the cliff until you’re horizontal and then walk (or if you’re very skilled, run) down the cliff wall. We both did that once and that was enough. It took me some time attached to the rope to drum up the courage to do it, but with a dozen 20 somethings screaming encouragement, you soon do it.
Our next activity was the flying fox – again we’d never done this before. There was a steel rope across the top of the gorge – you got into a harness and then this was attached to a pulley system to the steel rope across the gorge. You then got on a 20 metre long platform at the top of the cliff and ran towards the edge of the cliff trying for as big a launch as possible so that you “flew” across the gorge. The first few times were pretty scary, but after about 3 or 4 goes, you got pretty casual about it and on my 5th or 6th go, as I launched myself off the platform I just had to have a quick think to make sure the guide had strapped me in before I launched myself off a cliff – the day was all pretty casual, (health and safety appeared to take a back seat), but just lots of great fun.
Finally we got to have a go on the gorge swing. This was very similar to a bungee except that there was another steel wire across the gorge with a bungee rope attached to the steel rope in the middle of the gorge. When we launched ourselves off the platform into the gorge, you had about 5 seconds of freefall before the bungee stretched and you just swung across the gorge bouncing up and down. It took Helen and I a lot of convincing to do this, I wanted to but with a fear of heights I knew I had to just do it and not think about it. We watched a couple of others do it and they walked up and out of the gorge with smiles and all looked fine. I went first, jumping off forwards. I was seriously scared when I stepped up to the platform and the guide was saying a little nearer, a little nearer … he meant towards the edge. Everyone was shouting encouragement from a lookout nearby. I willed myself just to do it, not to think about it, I knew if I bottled it and didn’t jump the first time, that would be it. The guide told me to just look ahead, don’t look down, he counted me down, 3, 2, 1, goooooo……. “holy sh$$$tt, bo$$ox, aaaarghh, sh$$$t”….. what a thrill, it was such an adrenalin rush, it was amazing.
I waited down the bottom for Helen, she jumped but backwards, she screamed, no swearing though. She got down and had a buzz aswell, amazing! We both rushed back out of the valley to have another go, we both wanted to try what the other had done, I wanted to go backwards and she forwards. We both had another go. Backwards was weird, you watched the sky, the cliff just disappearing past you, a great buzz still.
The next time, we had the option of going together… tied together on the same bit of rope, so we’d have to jump together. We did this one backwards. When we went off, I just screamed, no swearing. Helen wasn’t expecting this and she spent the entire swing (all 30 seconds of falling and then 3 minutes of bouncing before they lowered you down to the valley floor) thinking that I’d spotted something wrong with the harness! I hadn’t of course, but that was a blast and all the better for doing it together.
What a fabulous day and if it wasn't for our 20 something compatriates on the Oasis overland truck, we probably wouldn't have done any of this, so thanks guys, what an amzing day, it'll stay with us for a long time!
