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Interlaken, Switzerland
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I had a big entry typed up but hadnt saved along the way and I just lost it...bummer.
Anywho...Interlaken, Switzerland. SUCH an amazing, gorgeous, breathtaking etc etc etc town with such drastic views of landscape I have ever seen. The town is nestled between two mountains that rise thousands of feet on each side along with two lakes with water the deep vivid blue of a glacier. Interlaken, from a travelers perspective is an activity wonderland. Depending on how much time, money, energy and bravery you have, there is something for everyone. (I am in Germany right now and the Z and the Y are reversed on the keyboard so if you see zou typed then zou´ll understand) We had two days in Interlaken so we had to decide on what to choose from. Skydiving, hanggliding, paragliding (the parachuting part of skydiving, riding wind currents and checking out the view), canyoning (climbing, sliding and jumping in on and around streams, canyons and pools throughout the mountains, and pretty much any other outdoor activity you can think of.
Day one, we decided to rent bikes for a half day and bike up whatever road/trail we could find and then mountain bike down. After riding up a steep road for three hours (I dont recommend not doing much physical activity for a month and then trying to bike up the Swiss Alps...its hard), we were exited to have reached what we coined the "top" of the mountain and to head down with no more climbing. Turns out we were wrong. We twice chose paths that were not legit paths that only led to dead ends and had to turn around and walk back up. Our third attempt was a legit bike trail that turned out to be, apparently one for professionals. I take myself to be relatively athletic but this trail was near impossible. We ended up walking our bikes down most of it after bailing a few times and not being able to get back on them. One part I must describe, riding down a steep decline oer exposed tree roots the course banks 90 degrees to the left into a JUMP, yes a jump, that drops 15-20 feet into another 90 degree bank. I honestly would have paid money to see someone come tearing down the trail and hit that part of it. We sat for a few minutes hoping A) they wouldnt run over us and B) we could see them take it on. No such luck. Back to walking down. We managed to eventually emerge back to the road and proceeded to find another trail more our speed and took it to the bottom.
Day two...what to do. Only one real option. SKYDIVE! (it was really day one but its better if I put it at the end) We signed up for tandem jumps from a helicopter from 12,000 feet. We waited in the lobby with 6 other suckers for the van to pick us up and take us to the launch point. Once we arrived we had a brief instruction session. We realized we would go in twos and that there were 5 groups to go. Scott and I ended up going last which ended up being around 4...plenty of time to become an expert while watching everyone else go. After everyone had gone the instructor said "Let´s go fellas" and we hopped in the van to go to the helipad. All at one time I checked of three never have I ever´s. Go to Interlaken. Check. Ride in a helicopter. Check. Skydive. Check. And one other thing the guide, Andrew, pointed out to me, have another man harnessed to me...check.
We hopped into the chopper and took off under the beating of the rotor. The ride in itself is an experience I loved and am glad I got to do. We went for about an 8 minute ride in, around and eventually over the Swiss Alps to reach the drop zone. Once we got there, the heli hovered for a minute to allow us to soak it all in. Scott was first to go and the instructor started yelling final instructions as they slid over towards the door...oh wait, there was no door..the opening in the chopper. Scott stepped out onto the skid and after a few seconds they stepped out and GONE! We waited a few seconds and then slid across the seat. I looked down and realized there was NOTHING under me except Interlaken 12,000 feet below. I dont know whatI expected to see, but there was nothing other than the skid. I stepped out and Andrew let me hang there for a few seconds while I looked around at the amazing view laid out beneath me. Words cant describe that feeling. I have a DVD of my jump that tries to do it justice and captures the event pretty well, but of course not the feelings, sights and sounds. I had told Andrew that I wanted to jump out so that I could see the chopper shrink away as we fell towards earth so as I stood there he counted down 3...2...1 and we stepped off the skid into a back flip. I saw the chopper flying away from us and then we rotated back around to face Interlaken laid out underneath us. It really was an amazing experience and such an incredible way to see the area, while plunging 120 mph towards earth. Of course the whole experience flew by but it was amazing all the same. I dont remember all of it in vivid detail because I think I had sensory overload but I remember most of it. I honestly was not all that scared except for three distinct instances of nervousness. When we were waiting in the loby to be picked up, when the instructor said "Lets go" and when we got to the drop zone and Scott started sliding towards the door...sorry...hole in the copter.
Interlaken was an awesome experience and an outdoorsmans dreamland. Ive never seen a place with such breathtaking views at any point whever you look. These pictures capture what I could but dont do the views justice. ENJOY!!! More thumbnails ...
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