I probably should have named this episode A Meghalayan Photodiary — 666 because what happens now has good measures of evil, with wet-yourself-dangers, laughter about someone else’s misery, etc. It also features unshakeable yet unexpected heroes with guts and elan.
To give some context, we were headed for ziplining!
We went back to Mawkdok. There are two ziplines here. One parallel to the hillside. This is a training line. Tickets at 300 rupees for this. There was also a longer one(Rs.500). The wiser ones in our group decided to stand and watch. A few of us went down to the small room housing the ticket counter.
I was not certain if I should do the second. On one hand, it is going to be bloody awesome!!! On the other…..’Oh God! It looks so long, I barely can see the rope leading up…to somewhere….. so bloody high(did I say I have a fear of heights?)… hidden in the engulfing fog… located somewhere like a lifetime away.’
This picture gives a fair idea of the terrain we were to be gliding across in the longer ride.
Yes, dear reader, from the mountain on the very left to the right side of the picture. Over the fog.
I suddenly had an image in my mind of the very real possibility of me breaking down and crying convulsively after the ride. That will be embarrassing but that could happen once panic sets in.
I decided to do it, purely because of a little boy of our group called Terrence.
Someone asked him,”Do you want to do the small ride or both?”
He replied “I want to do the small one and I want to go there also(long one!!!)”
Unflinching! Calm! What is he if not a hero?
I thought ‘Ok, I’ll do it too. Let’s see’
We stood in the queue contemplating the distance, height, fog, and meaning of life. About 7 of us, while the rest watched. The prep ride was simpler than thought. It runs along the hill, is about 330 meters long.
We were to wear safety harnesses that would be locked onto a sliding part on the metal rope. We would wear gloves on both hands, one glove padded very heavily as it would be used to brake the ride by pressing slowly onto the rope, and there by slowing us down, while the other hand held on to the connecting wire for balance.
This braking has to be done not too late, or you would hit the landing station very hard and make it a very hard landing for yourself and maybe the adventure company(http://www.pioneeradventuretour.com/) person. You shouldn’t brake too early too, for you will come to a stop too early, hanging in mid air way before the landing station.
Macho‘s ride
A few guys stood ahead of us in the queue. In fact they had cut the queue while we got ready with helmets and gloves. I didn't make a fuss as I didn't want to disturb my peace, and maybe because I was watching the others do the prep ride and wondering how it would go for me.
The ride assistant informed them that they need to wear helmets. One of them(let’s call him Macho, because he features in this segment of the story as a very important character)asked the ride assistant if a helmet is even necessary. Wow! Macho!
The ride assistant insisted. So he had to get out of the queue with his mates while we moved forward ready to ride.
When my turn came, I wore the harness, the assistant pointed me towards a tree below the line, and asked me to start braking when I reach there. He connected me to the rope, and told me to hang from the rope and hold my legs stiff and up, not touching the ground. Then, he pushed!
In about 10 seconds, I am at the tree where I have to start braking, and in another 5 seconds, I am at the landing platform. I step and climb onto a sturdy footstool on the platform, the harness wire loosens up, the assistant unplugs me and I get down. I handover the harness and join the others who are waiting to go back via a second zip line. That was easy!!!
Then came Macho.
From the starting base, here he comes hurling through the air. Then he stops unexpectedly. About 5 meters far from the landing station. He braked early!!! I then hear him make some sound. He is crying. Through his sobs he is saying to the assistant: ‘Tell my wife to not come. Please tell her to not come. Tell her now…. I will never ask her to do this again. Please tell her not to come.’
When someone brakes early, the assistant wears his harness and connects himself to the rope, slides out, connects another rope to the rider’s harness, returns to the platform, and then draws them in. He draws Macho in.
Macho lands. He is still crying about his wife and the urgency to tell her to refrain from ziplining. His harness has been removed, and he walks towards us. He sits, hunches, and retches. I move forward and rub his back to calm him. He gets up and hugs me, still retching and crying. A worry crosses my mind if he would vomit on me but I try to console him. Finally he breathes and let go.
He turns to see the next rider approaching. I looked at the others, they are all amused, as am I. We smile.
The next rider is his wife.
She does an early braking too! But this one is different. She, while hanging there, is taunting her teary husband:
“Oh my baby, did you miss me? Did you miss me? You missed me, no?’
Soon, Terrence came smiling towards us with the mandatory companion rider. We all harnessed up and returned to the starting base. Now, it’s time for the long ride!
To be continued.
