When you think of the word 'Bungee jumping', instantly images of being flung off a bridge with only a single rubber band spring to mind. Sounds crazy? Well that's half the point. Uganda is full of interesting things. It is hard for me to describe how i felt when i was flung from that top. But for sure, this is a "must not miss" when you visit Uganda.
Bungee jumping! It's all about doing something that you couldn't believe that you could do and overcoming your inner most fears. For sure it's a wild adrenalin rush, but it has also been developed with a series of ropes, and back up ropes which makes it possible to jump off a bridge and still be able to yell "I did it" at the end.
It felt as if I could fly with my arms stretched widely in imitation of flight. Wind rushed through my hair and my cheeks pressed strongly against my face as I accelerated to toward the water.
In that remarkable feeling of slow motion, I had plenty of time to think, I could even enjoy the view as the cliff face flashed past in a blur and the river rose up to meet me.
Puffy white clouds seemed miraculously within reach and within seconds my fingers combed through the waters of the Nile. I hadn't imagined the whole movement to be so graceful and the splashes on my face emboldened the reality of the water touch.
I had only seconds to enjoy the proximity of the water before the latex rubber retracted and I was accelerating skywards.
This part of the bungee jumping had been given no thought as I had been so focused on the initial plunge and whether this enlarged rubber band would halt my speedy descent - after all the most common use of the rubber is to hold up women's underwear.
I had never intended to bungee jumping but afterwards as the adrenalin pumped through my body and the rush took over, I struggled to contain the excitement. This had been one of the best decisions I had made in some time.
It remains one of the most bizarre and unforgettable experiences of my life; to force myself to leap from a platform at what seemed like an impossible height above the Nile.It reminded me the escapades i passed through when i went for mountaineering in Mt Rwenzori
am'i a jumpmaster? no no..........
The jump master in charge of the platform had kindly assured me that the most dangerous thing about bungee jumping was driving on the road between Kampala and Jinja
As I sat nervously in the Congolese kings' chair a soft cotton towel was wrapped around my ankles. Cam and Phil calmly explained the foot-tie system which was developed in New Zealand and this made me firm to continue with my bungee.
They said that I would be attached by my ankles and that the webbing bound firmly around my lower legs would pull tighter as I jumped - I was fine with that.
Nile High Bungee is one of the most spectacular sights you can imagine. The views from the bungee tower are sensational and when the tower is not in use for jumping a troop of Vervet monkeys stand guard against the Nile.
The views over the source of the world's longest river lead you to dozens of heavily forested islands with flocks of long-tailed cormorants swimming in the swirling currents below and crowds of onlookers cheering from the nearby bar.
Nile High is 44m above the inviting waters of the Victorian Source of the Nile and this gives jumpers the opportunity to water touch - a single splash in the river on the first bounce; and you can do it with a friend!.
The tower can jump 235kgs at once so you can choose a big friend, a bicycle, chair, kayak or just about anything you can imagine.
By far the most popular way to jump is using the ankle tie but there is the option of a full-body harness as well.
This means you can somersault from the edge or choose any form of freestyle that will give you the best bragging rights in the photographs.
Is it safe?
Absolutely... The company has in place a number of checks and balances, including very thorough and comprehensive task analysis and inspection routes which ensure we are operating at or above the very high standards that have been set elsewhere in the world.
Nile High Bungee tower operates to the most exacting standards set by law in Australia/New Zealand Standard Code of Practice for bungee jumping.
Commercial bungee jumping originated in New Zealand and advice was sought from the construction, adventure tourism and alpine industries. The standard is reviewed bi-annually and is altered or updated as new innovations or situations arise.
Every item of operational equipment gets extensively tested and then assigned an appropriate working life span; calculated as the expected length of time, or amount of use, the equipment can with stand before its performance is likely to be degraded to the point where it is only three times stronger than the expected working safety load.
The equipment in use is recorded by staff as it takes place and then compared to recommended times and instances. Our adherence to this code is entirely voluntary.
The company self-governs its policies and procedures and provides an avenue where any staff member can take safety issues to the right people and ensure that the situation is solved to the satisfaction of all concerned. It is of my pleasure to encourage you to save sometime and visit this place at the source of the Nile and have fun with Bungee jumping.
By : Twinomugisha Charles
