I Jump Off Cliffs

day 26 // interlaken // florence

I miss Switzerland already. Today was yet another one for the books. We had to wake up early to make it to breakfast and to pack up for checkout time at 10. Then we waited around until our bus arrived to go do what we had been anticipating all weekend...... canyon jumping. A bunch of the girls going had been freaking out all day going through worst possible scenarios in their heads, but I was pretty calm. Whenever I thought about it I just got really excited and anxious, but not scared or nervous at all. The whole van ride up the hill was pretty silent. Everyone was processing what we were about to do and I was getting so antsy. We finally made it and after a gorgeous, yet tiring small hike, we arrived at the spot where we would jump from. We paid for them to take pictures and signed our waivers. (Read it, trust me)

Signing our lives over on this humorous waiver

Then we got all harnessed in and walked to the jump spot. There were about 12 of us going and I went third. It got to my turn and I started getting butterflies. I waited until everything was ready, not really sure what was going through my head. He hooked me up and I walked out on the platform (roughly 250 feet high). He told me I could go and let go of my rope. I felt a little pull and froze up for a second, not able to move other than awkwardly shaking my hands. Then I just went for it. I got a little running start and I jumped off. I screamed as I jumped off but stopped screaming halfway through the free fall, probably because I was partially in shock. After a 4.2???? Second free fall, I swung back and forth like a pendulum through the canyon until I slowed enough to grab the rope and climb to ladder. I did it. I just jumped off of a 250 foot cliff in the middle of the Swiss alps. I couldn't even find words, it was the most incredible feeling. I wanted to do it again just so I could savor it more. It was unlike anything I have ever experienced before and I could not be happier that I did it. I might become an adrenaline junkie now, you'd love that wouldn't you mom? After watching the rest of the group go, living vicariously through every jump just so I could keep the adrenaline high I was feeling. When the last person landed, we walked back to the van, took a few more photos, and drove back to the hostel. We grabbed some food and hung out, sharing videos and photos of our jumps, until our busses arrived and we had to load up for another 7-8 hour bus ride back to Florence. I love Florence but I could easily stay in Switzerland longer. Everything about it is breathtaking, but I'm also partial to the mountain landscape.

PS - Uploading photos right after I post this so check back on all my Switzerland posts in a bit to see all the photos from each day! Some of my favorite yet :)