So today is a wildlife viewing boat ride on Cano Negra. The tour company today is very interested in what we are up to and how to accomodate wheelchairs. This was kind of interesting because this tour was pretty straight forward and by far the mellowest tour we did. Their concerns were more about transportation and negotiating stairs, whereas yesterday we were concerned about safely supporting Vijays lower body while zips across a 300ft gorge at about 30-40mph.We get picked up and drive an hour and a half north, 6 miles from the Nicaragua border, to Cano Negra, a Class 1 river with some amazing wildlife. Bring your telephoto if you want good pictures. On the way there, after the Iguana Rufuge that had ginormous iguanas, we came across a 12ft boa these people had caught. I guess the snake had eaten one of their chickens. I thought they would be having chicken for dinner, but apparently they had called the fire department. The boa was the most excitment of the tour, but we saw a bunch of amazing birds, a 3 toed slough, long nosed bats, big-ol-lizards, howler monkeys, white faced monkeys, some other strange jungle animals, and a entire boat full of ferral tourists. Overall, an interesting tour that could accomodate any disability.
We get back to the hotel about 4ish and gather for a safety meeting prior to our 120ft bunge jump adventure. The jump is off a crane that is two blocks from the hotel. So we decide that Frank and I should jump, then figure out if it is safe for Vijay with the equipment we have. They don't have the paraglider harness for Vijay and we have some concerns about his lower body getting hurt. So I jump first and I'm freaked out just looking down. I'm a virgin bunge jumper so the pucker factor was huge! 120 ft is a long freakin way down! You freefall for at least 80 ft. and about halfway down I was hoping it would end, NOW! Once I rebounded and knew I was alive, I was high as a kite on adrenaline! So the next time, I jumped with a waist and chest harness and went off sitting down. This was better but the lower body needed to be more secure and equalized better with the chest. My legs got wrapped up in the bunge cord on my rebound up and I had to wiggle my leg free. There are some definate safety issues with bunge jumping, and all in all, it is not the best activity for people that have pre-existing medical conditions.
We get back to the hotel about 4ish and gather for a safety meeting prior to our 120ft bunge jump adventure. The jump is off a crane that is two blocks from the hotel. So we decide that Frank and I should jump, then figure out if it is safe for Vijay with the equipment we have. They don't have the paraglider harness for Vijay and we have some concerns about his lower body getting hurt. So I jump first and I'm freaked out just looking down. I'm a virgin bunge jumper so the pucker factor was huge! 120 ft is a long freakin way down! You freefall for at least 80 ft. and about halfway down I was hoping it would end, NOW! Once I rebounded and knew I was alive, I was high as a kite on adrenaline! So the next time, I jumped with a waist and chest harness and went off sitting down. This was better but the lower body needed to be more secure and equalized better with the chest. My legs got wrapped up in the bunge cord on my rebound up and I had to wiggle my leg free. There are some definate safety issues with bunge jumping, and all in all, it is not the best activity for people that have pre-existing medical conditions.
Tequilla shots followed and was washed down con muchas cervesas.
