We hear a scream and see a body fall off the mountain. Tony turns away. He is sickened. "Oh no," he says. His horror and sorrow are palpable. I tear up at his reaction even though I know the real story. I kept watching and saw the bungee chord.
The jump was intentional. Tony is greatly relieved. It takes him a minute however, to settle his emotions.
We found this fabulous trail that led us to this unexpected bungee-jumping station. Just a fifteen minute hike from our chalet is a deeply forested mountain with pleasurable ups and downs. We pass three, water-falling rivers plunging down the mountain. One bridge is made of steel, but mostly we bypass water by stepping over boulders and little pools of water.
Emerald green moss covers everything. On the rainy day, Tony finds two salamanders. I find moss on the side of the trail that looks like someone lost their heavily dressed salad. On one afternoon, we seek shelter from the rain under a giant moss covered rock.
On our first day, a rainy day, we had the trail to ourselves. Not a soul in sight. even with rain, its beauty was unsurpassed. We climbed in the mist, in the mist of a cloud. We wore rain jackets and our rainproof boots. We turn around at a signpost at the top of the trail because my leggings are wet, and I'm already getting cold. We call it a day. A beautiful hike made even more so by the rain.
On the trail's second hike, we intend to go farther. Tony has studied the map and we will come upon a gorge. He isn't sure of its immensity, but his curiosity leads him to keep going. When I see another steep descent, knowing we will have to climb the ascent, I balk. Tony encourages. We turn a corner. We hear the rushing water. I see a bridge below and head toward it. Tony yells to come back. I have to see what he is seeing--skyscraper high walls of granite with a river flowing through. The feeling is immense, overpowering, like we've just discovered something heretofore never seen.
And then the bungee jumper.
But even more memorable is the feeling of immensity.
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