Thursday, May 7, 2009

Like a Fairy Tale Come True

It was like a fairy tale come true. But there was no gallant horse. No seven dwarves. No valiant prince. There was only me and my dream.

Just a taste of my dream. A dream of flying in my sleeping and waking hours. Nothing fascinates me more.

And this is not figuratively speaking. This is the literal soaring in the air like an ethereal being. Like I am one with the air. Like I am one with the world, yet isolated from it.

Defying gravity. Keeping my feet off the ground. Reaching the skies. Being in the sky. Far more richer than the most expensive gold. Far more simpler than the dying of the rose.









This is the Macau Tower. The viewing deck, at the 61st floor, is 233 m above the ground. If you are an Amazing Race fan, you would recognize this tower. Also in this floor, AJ Hackett, the one who "discovered" bungy jumping, offers the time of your life: Mast Climb, Bungy Jump, SkyJump, and Skywalk X.


When we went to Macau last February, all I expected was to see casinos, casinos, casinos. Not that I would play, but because I am ignorant to assume that Macau is just that (I am partly blaming advertising). So while driving at a street, our host there pointed to us the tower, and as if tempting me, I saw someone jumping from it! The moment I saw someone jumped, I got so excited, and this without knowing whether the tower would be part of the itinerary (sabit lang ako, e).


I knew right then and there that I also want to jump from the tower. As if the universe was conspiring to let me take my chance, we went to the tower to have lunch. While at lunch, I already presented the idea to my companions that I would like to try jumping. After minutes of convincing (I was deliberating on the price) and telling my father in the Philippines that I "might" jump, I decided that I definitely must try it. I never felt so much gratitude on having a credit card. After a swipe, I am off to the 61st floor alone. Only I want to do this.






At the top of the tower, it was really cold, much colder than I am used to here in Manila. There were different nationalities there, and all of them were in groups. While waiting for my turn, I explored the 61st floor, looking down on the ground, looking at the clouds, and looking up at the sky. I was neither nervous nor afraid. I was ecstatic. I felt like a child who just received her first bike.



Once you jump, you automatically becomes a member of their club, and along with it are discounts to various stores. I wonder if I can ever use this again. But the best part is, if I decide to come back and jump once again, it would be on a discounted price. :)

They gave me this certification, along with a T-shirt and a baller (pics to follow), to remind me of that wonderful night and to allow me to ask, "Do you have what it takes?"






This is the 10th tallest tower and the highest jump facility in the world. As I waited for more than an hour, I got a bit bored. I had no camera or anything with me because you should not have anything in you if you would jump. I was alone in the tower so no one can hold my things. They were waiting for me at the bottom of the tower, with their cameras (and prayers for my safety) ready. I chose SkyJump instead of Bungy as it resembled more the flying stance. I wanted to see the world from above, and not just fall fast on it.

While standing on the ledge, I just wanted to feel the coldness of the air and to look down on the world. It was already evening then, and Macau was filled with lights. There were buildings on one side, and a river on the other. It was a beautiful view, as if it was really the right time to see everything all at once.

One, two, and my feet were off the ledge and into the thin air. No hesitation. They stopped the wire to take pictures, and I was just there, hanging, nothing on my feet, hundred meters above the ground. If I could just take the cable off. When I look down, I cannot see the ground yet. It was foggy and it was night. I felt like I could stay there forever, but I also wanted to continue my "voyage."

And as I go down, I savored every second and every scene, memorizing every picture that I see, even the passing cars on the bridge. It seemed forever, and it seemed an instant. It was like a fairy tale come true. A little taste of my dream. And it ached that it wasn't real. But nothing and no one can stop me from dreaming.

(see also plight of flight)














28 comments:

Rico said...

Wow! Exciting! Hindi ko alam na ginawa mo pala to. Galing!

kaka said...

you're a very very (very very) brave girl. i almost gasp as I read your post line by line. Grabe! Whoooooo!!! Galing!

ekstranghero said...

wow! no kidding? you did that? you really jumped? I remember you almost puked when you tried the space shuttle at EK. naawa nga kami ni PJVP sa iyo e. but we can’t blame you. kami ni PJVP kasi, kool lang. riding the space shuttle is something we can do many times over and over without even feeling dizzy. had PJVP been in macau with you, I’m sure he would not hesitate taking that jump, too. not in a million years. di ba PJVP? hehehe.

JOKE!!!

hey, I’m so happy (promise!) you were able to have that fairy tale-ish adventure. sana maulit. ng maraming-maraming beses.

(yes, may internet na ako ulit. :-))

escape said...

wow! jumping there must e on my bucketlist. hehehe...

i want that certificate. but about jumping again? hmmm.... with a discount? not sure. hehehe...

Marites said...

golly! you got guts! hahahaha! really admire that..the best I could do is the skywalk. I don't know, as I grow older, i got more coward:) even more so, if i have to delve deeper into my wallet, credit-card swiping included. But who knows, next time i get there i'd eat my guts and jump:D Congrats!!

kg said...

inggit ako! i wanna try that once in my life lang. pero ang mahal dyan...sa pilipinas na lang ako! :)

princess_dyanie said...

yay! ang tapang mo! weeee :P ang kulit ng vid. unsure pa mga friends mo if ikaw ba yun hehe ;)

Kayni said...

amazing! that must have been absolutely exciting and fun =). way to go!

jetty said...

Dare Devil! Gusto ko yan! Naku magkakasundo tayo parehas pala tayo ng trip :)

jeanny said...

wow sis you did it. Made a dream come true. So proud of you sis.

I wanted to try that. Kaya ko kaya at kaya kaya ng bulsa ko hehehe.

TGIF sis :)

mordsith said...

rico, hindi ko na nga naikuwento. medyo matagal ko rin bago naipost. alam mo na pag inatake ng katamaran. hehe.

kaka, hindi naman masyado. ahihihi.

eks, oo nga sana mangyari siya ng paulit-ulit, at hindi ako magsasawa. :)

mordsith said...

the donG, what's best, it gets cheaper and cheaper with every jump. :)

Marites, thanks! i bet you can try that, too!

kg, mapag-iipunan naman. :)

princess dyanie, oo nga e. they waited for me for more than an hour yata. kakahiya. hehe.

mordsith said...

kayni, it was absolutely wonderful. :)

jetty, sana ma-try natin ulit magkasama. malay natin, di ba? :)

jeanny, kelangan lang mag-ipon ng lakas ng loob, at ang mas mahirap, mag-ipon ng pambayad. hehe. pinagdudusahan ko pa nga hanggang ngayon yun. hehe. :)

Angeli said...

hindi ka natakot? wow..

:)

sheng said...

oh gosh, you did??? that was awesome of you...very nice...

grachie said...

wow! yun lang masasabi ko! di ko kaya yan! takot ako mahulog! ang tapang mo girl! hehehe

Sleepless In KL said...

Whoa! I salute you! I don't think I'd be able to do it hehe.

princess_dyanie said...

hello mordsith!

i need your email add! email me pls. dyanie12@gmail.com

surprise! :P

sterndal said...

wow!pumuntakang macau?kakainggit ka naman!:)

onyxx said...

wow. galeeeengg mordsith! definitely a milestone for you *raises mug*

pat yourself in the back for me :). may you have more mountains to climb and more heights to scale.

Anonymous said...

wow congratulations to you that looked really cool! buti ka pa nagawa mo na ang gustong-gusto mo! my sister would love to dothis, papakita ko nga post mo.

mordsith said...

angeli, medyo naexcite lang ako. :)

sheng, it was really an awesome experience. wish i can do it again!

grachie, go girl! hehe

mordsith said...

Sleepless in KL, i think you can do it. :)

sterndal, yup last February. Sana nga makabalik e. hehe.

onyxx, and more tower to jump! :)

prinsesamusang, i hope your sister can have the opportunity also. im sure she'll be very thrilled! :)

Anonymous said...

how are you? i've added you up na. thanks.

zarine said...

I have no words...that was ah-mah-zing!
Freakin' AMAZING, mordsith! :-)

Mai da Paypay said...

oh boy! di ko alam adrenaline junkie ka, A-mazing!

yeine said...

waaaa kahit binabasa ko lang naeexcite akohaha feeling ko mapapnuod kita any minute e hehe. brave naman. ako ahm ahm papanuorin kita hehe kahit ilang beses :D pero kung gusto ko matry pero mga 1month akong magiisip hehe galing galing :D im happy you had fun :D

witsandnuts said...

Grabe, ngayon ko lang nabasa 'to. I was actually waiting for you to blog about this on your other site. Buti na lang you link up to your recent post. I salute you! I am still scared to try this. Heehee. Kaya dapat wag muna ko bumalik ng Macau. =)