Dear Mom, Remember I am Still Alive Part 3

May 29th

Michelle here: Sunday was my adventure day to write to you about.

As you may have read in the last blog entry, I am pretty sure I broke my nose on Lyndsay's knee during the rafting trip. So as a nurse in a third world country and should i mention without ice, I needed to pull in other resources for extra healing measures. I decided that the more blood flow to my source of injury (aka my nose) would promote and speed up the healing process. Sooooooo I went BUNGEE JUMPING!!!! I thought being strapped by my ankles and falling  for 145feet upside down would definitely get the blood pumping.  So, I must explain… We started our morning off by waking up at the hostel, having our first warm shower since we have been here, and I actually shaved my legs for the first time since we have been here. It felt soo great. Then we hopped onto the bodas (our main mode of transportation these days…who would have ever thought) and headed to Adrift, the bungee jumping company. I signed my life away, was weighed, but then had a couple of people ahead of me to watch do the jump before I took off.  The whole time, Lyndsay and Kristen are still trying to convince me NOT to go. For every single person that jumps, Lynds is like "No, they are not really going to jump. No they're not. Are they really? OMG, I think I am so nervous for you that I am going to throw up." I couldn't take it anymore so I just set off to climb the tower. I climbed up 6 stories to look out over the Nile River at the most beautiful hillside and gorgeous riverside view ever not to mention that the jump is off this cliff side (the whole way down next to jagged rocks). The sun was shining brighter than ever and I could not have picked a better day (picture prove it and will be posted). I waited for my turn (and I wont actually admit it out loud but i was slightly nervous) and while in line, I met the coolest couple from Sweden ever and they have convinced me to take my next trip there to visit. Then it was my turn to take a seat in the creepy Gollum looking chair and get strapped in. Issac and Will were/are my new best friends. Mom, Issac is a native Ugandan and Will is Canadian and both of then have been in the jumping, rock climbing, rafting business for many years. So after getting the whole speal, I waddled up to the ledge and literally felt like I was about to walk the plank (Kiffy: too long). Will told me to grab the roof ledge as I came closer to the edge. Then joking said, "Well, I mean if you can? You are pretty short." Ummm…thanks Will. exactly what I need to be hearing as Im about to DECIDE to jump off this cliff. The seconds were about to be counted down and then the decision would have to be made, would i or would i not? I must say I have never felt anything like this before. It is such an out of body experience that makes you feel like you don't have a heart or a brain for that matter but the adrenaline is pumping so fast and so hard that you can feel it in your toes (yes the ones that are wiggling on the ledge). I just stood there looking out and wondering what it would look like it i looked down (Will specifically told me not to look down when i got up there). And then here it comes… three, two, one, bungeeeeeee

He told me what to do, how to make it look pretty, what not to do, and to just remember forever what this feeling feels like… Well, I can tell you now that I didn't remember or do anything that he told me to do besides the fact that I will  remember the amazing yet dreadful feeling of falling for those 4-7seconds FOREVER. It sounds corny but I have literally never felt like before. Then SPLASH, I hit the water and sprung right back into the sky. After a couple more bounces and flinging all over, two men lowered me into a paddle boat and untied me. It was over so fast but was Amazing! The dramatic Lyndsay and Kristen jumped into my arms as I returned and told me I was to never do that again… little do they know that that was just the beginning. 

We then returned to town and shopped around the market looking for gum boots, sunglasses, jewelry, and bags but with little luck we found nothing of the sort just the craziness of every boda driver asking you where you want to go, jelly fish and squid swarming with flies and old American junk that has been left behind by other tourists for sale, and people everywhere! Too much for us simple Americans so we decided to head back. We took yet another joyous ride on a matatu cramming 17 people and a couple of little ones on laps. We arrived in Mbale where we were suppose to meet our driver Jowali for the drive back to Bududa. Jowali is a fine human being but his english is something we will just have to work on. 1 hour and 15mins later, Jowali picked us up and took to the market to pick up some basic grocery and supplies for the house (which was another experience in itself) and then we loaded back into the car for what was suppose to be an uneventful and easy hour drive home. 20 mins into our car ride, Lyndsay turns to me and mentions that she really enjoys the music here in Uganda but she feels like he has played the same song over and over again and again… we then proceeded to count the number of times he played the same THREE songs. Count it - 13times!! It had rained quite a bit this weekend and the roads were the proof. 

We arrived back at the house after such a long day of travel and we never thought to ourselves that we would actually be soo happy to be back here. 

Clinic this week and some lesson plans on their way. We are also working on a weekend retreat for P7 girls with Carolyn through the Arlington School… more details soon!  

Thrilled Michelle is still alive after her bungee adventure!!!!