Zipping Across the Ganga

What’s the use of traveling to Rishikesh and not doing any adventure sport, or at least daring yourself to do something you have never ever done before. And knowing the crazy person I am, doing these activists definitely is on my bucket list.

But it was just my luck that activities like river rafting and bungee jumping was to start only on the 15th and I was in town only till the 11th.

But thanks to Samarth, the co-founder of UbEx Hostel, the place I was put up, who recommended a couple of activities to do, one of them being zip lining across the Ganga.

So as soon as I got my two-wheeler, which I hired, I took off (well not literally, just figuratively), to my destination brimming with excitement and enthusiasm and a promise of an adventure (if you could call it that).

As I reached there my heart began to pound against my chest, threatening to break through my rib cage. A mixture of nerves, of excitement, and a bit of fear (and no, I don’t have fear of heights), an anticipation of what is to come.

So I get into my harness and put on the gloves, and my instructor tightens my harness and attaches my carabiner and pulley to my side. I follow him as he leads me to the top of the building and to the ramp from where I would zip line across the Ganga and back. I try to pay attention to the instructions that he’s giving, afraid that I may blank out and just plunge into the river in sheer panic.

Once the instructions are done, it’s time to zip across the Ganga. He fixes my pulley on the line and attached my carabiner. He asks me hold on to the pulley with my dominant hand which would be my right, and hold on to my lanyard with my left, lean back and cross my legs and I am ready to go. 

So I do as I am instructed, I lean back, cross my leg, and let gravity do its job, and off I go. I let out a woohoo as I zip across the Ganga, letting the wind blow across my face. It’s an exhilarating and exciting and feeling. I see people on the bank, taking a dip in the river, wondering if they notice this person zipping high above them. 

As I reach the other end, my instructor indicates me to break, and as expected I totally mix it up, using my left hand instead of right, almost causing me to blister. Leave it to me to mix even simple things up.

He unhooks me (damn this sounds kinky) and asks me to follow him to the zip line to the other side (and here I thought I would be using the same line to go back). 

I follow him like an excited little kid, or one of those game show contestants on The Crystal Maze following the host Richard O’  Brian (and If you haven’t heard of this show Google it, damn this makes me feel really, really old), trying to catch my breath from all the excitement.

So once you hooked once again it’s off you go to the other side, zipping across the Ganga and people frolicking on the bank, or just taking a  dip in the river. This time you get your breaks right and you are able to stop yourself with the right hand (which incidentally is also the right hand… damn English sure is a punny language).

As you come to a  halt a little early you literally have to haul your ass to the ledge. And thanks to all the upper body workout that Jayesh has put you through, not forgetting that stubborn weight you are finally able to shed off, you are literally able to haul your ass to the ledge. 

When my instructor asks me how was my experience, I smile and give him a thumbs up. This was one for the memory book and an item off my bucket list l.