[go back to travel section]

I think something's wrong with my self- preservation instinct (to a certain degree).

I did my first bungee jump (in the photo to the left) with three friends during the summer of 1998 (Interlaken, Switzerland).  It's the highest gondola jump in the world -- 180 meters (592 feet).  What a rush!  Pictures of the trip can be found linked from my Europe trip page.   If you go, I suggest that you jump, with all of your heart, off of the platform, instead of falling off of it.  First of all, you pay money to jump off of a gondola -- you might as well jump!   I also have a theory that jumping makes you feel like you're flying, whereas falling makes you feel like you're... well, falling to your death.

I had a chance to go skydiving during the summer of 1997.  I highly recommend it!  It's really not that bad.   In fact, "Free Fall" at Great America is more scary because the ground looks fake from an airplane.  Plus, they all but push you from the plane, so you don't really have to make the decision to jump. The "feeling like you're going to die" thing abruptly ceases once you hit terminal velocity.

I also enjoy scuba diving, and really like sharks.