Inter(pop)laken

Our first full day in Switzerland promised to be legendary despite our jet lag and rugged appearance. Drew, Garrett, Alex, and I set out to do the world's highest bungee jump at a dam in Interlaken, a town about two hours north of Geneva. Drew had not stopped talking about Interlaken and the bungee since the car ride to the airport. He had researched this extreme adventure to the T and it was time to start our trip off right.

An hour into the train ride, Drew discovered that the dam was actually located in Locarno, a town about 4 hours in the opposite direction. He had heard there was a bungee jump in Interlaken and merely assumed that it had to be the one. We would have to settle for a 150 meter bungee out of a gondola. Unfortunately, this one was closed and required reservations many days in advance.

Feeling entirely too safe, we convinced an extreme sports company to take us canyon swinging (for you skeptics...there is a video coming soon and this stuff is absolutely terrifying). We walked around Interlaken for about an hour and met our bus at the local Hooters...yes, Interlaken has a Hooters. We were not there for the wings however, but for the adrenaline rush of a lifetime.

Two New Zealanders drove us and six other Americans up to a canyon overlooking the Swiss Alps. Apparently people from the US are the only ones crazy or stupid enough to try this. After strapping in and signing an indemnity, it was time to go. Garrett, the second youngest, and most attractive of the group was chosen to go first. We all watched with anticipation as he dove off the platform... But he did not swing...he just went straight down. Of the 250 ft. fall, you only really swung the last 50. The other group of guys had gone skydiving the same day and said the fear did not even compare.

Unfortunately, we all made it and, after a celebratory beer, caught the bus back to Interlaken to find a train home. Three hours later, we were celebrating in Les Brasseurs Pub, where they serve 5 liter tubes of beer per table. We all joked about the local Swiss bar hoppers, but in the back of our minds we all thought the same thing..."Our first day was a tough act to follow."

COMMENTARY FROM DREW:

Well for all of you who have been wondering when you would hear from me (drew) i thought now might be appropriate. Since the day trip to Interlaken was due mostly in part to my research and some advice from a friend, i figured i have to give my own accounts on one of the most spectacular towns i had ever been to.

Okay so sean has given all of you a brief understanding of our first day abroad. i must say he has painted quite the picture and for the most part he has been accurate in every way. some parts to the story are missing though.

First off the whole worlds tallest bungee jump was more then just something i had been talking about, it was all i had been talking about. I first saw the 750ft plummet on youtube and had not stop thinking about it. So as we took a series of trains up to interlaken i decided to take out my latest tool, the world edition blackberry, (thanks george), to do a bit of research. As i soon learned the bungee jump was no where near interlaken, i was not only upset, but i also felt as if i had let down sean, garret, and alex.

This feeling of guilt quickly vanished as we stepped off the train. The town we stepped into was like nothing i had ever seen. My previous experience with mountain towns consisted of places like aspen and vail, interlaken blew each one of them out of the water. The town sits in a valley in the Swiss alps and is surrounded by two seperate lakes. The streets are filled with mazeraties, ferraries, and porsches, and the buildings lining the narrow streets all share a simmilar small town style. There are chains of cannals that run throughout the town and series of bridges and circles that tie the city together beautifully.

So enough about how pretty the area was, the real question that needs answering is how teriffiying the rope swing of death really was. The trip up to the gorge was full of scenic views and photo opportunties, but nothing was going to prepare us for what had signed up for.

As we reached our destination the travel guides gave us a form to fill out which they gave to garret to read aloud to the group. Garret spoke clearly, he told us all about how the company was not responsible if we were to fall and die and that signing this form kept them out of the clear. After a few signitures and putting on a harness we were escorted to the jump platform.

Now as sean told you before, garret, of course, was the first to jump. Now i was under the impression that this was a swing, i was very very wrong. Garret took two huge steps and then jumped from the platform, unfortunaly for everyone jumping after him, he did not swing, he fell like a cinderblock. He just kept falling and falling, it made me want to turn around and get my 100 franks back.

Next up were sean and alex, both had spectacular jump. Now it was my turn, as sean said before you will see a video of the jump eventually, but untill then you have to deal with my lousy description. So let me walk you through this, i have a strange european man telling me in broken english that i am okay to jump, i have a rope attachted to me that is so heavy i am bracing myslef so as to not be pulled off this cliff, and i have 250 feet between me and a pit of death. So i do what any other normal 22 year old would do, i run and jump. Now i consider myself a pretty courages guy, but i tell you what, i jumped and just started falling, as i fell i began uncontrollably screaming lilke a nancy, and thouhgt that this was the end of the road for me. But then, thankfully the rope caught me just a few feet from certain death, i dismounted from the rope and the kind new zelander asked me if i was okay, my only response was yes, but i cant feel my hands or bottom lip.

The day ended with a round of beers at this great little bar in geneva, we were drinking to not only a day filled with near death experiences, we were drinking to our first day abroad.