Ziplining in the Rain

It has been a desire of mine to go on a "canopy tour" almost since we first landed here in South Africa. A canopy tour is basically a zipline back and forth over a gorge or around a mountainous area. Some friends of ours- Bri and Kyle (not previously mentioned in a blog, we must be branching out!) asked us to tag along and we accepted. Fortunately there is one located somewhat close to our home (1.5-2 hours away) in the Magaliesberg Mountains.

When we left our Joburg home, the sun was shining; however, the closer we got to Magaliesberg, the more cloudy and storm-threatening it became. By the time we reached the canopy tour office, there were even a few raindrops. But of course we didn't let the rain stop us, so we donned the lovely helmets and harness belts for the ride. I would have to agree with the Guides that the truck ride to the gorge is actually more dangerous than the actual ziplining experience! I clung to the sides of the truck bed as we bounded over the dirt road towards the start of the tour (and I don't think I was the only one holding on!)

For those who are nervous, let me just tell you now- we were secured to the zipline by three separate carabiners, so there was very little chance of us falling while riding. Additionally, the line itself is inspected twice a year by civil engineers...so we felt pretty safe.

Anyway, I wasn't nervous at all until we actually reached the platform for the first zip. It was about that moment I simply became aware of the height (up to 30 meters above ground!). My nerves weren't alone. A man from another group with us appeared more nervous than myself- he was even shaking. Poor guy-it's okay though because by the end, he was loving it! The first few zips were quite simple, really. I hardly had to brake because my body didn't get up to super fast speeds. That didn't stop the Guides from yelling at me to brake every time..and I obeyed. I should have just ignored them, though, because when I braked, I didn't reach the platform and I had to use my arms to pull my body safely onto the ledge. Sadly, my right arm is still suffering from the braking and body pulling. Guess it's my souveneir!

The Guides are supposed to talk about the landscape throughout the tour; however, the rain was still coming down and they were obviously concerned. They did point out one particular landscape located on the second to last platform: lightning rod rock. Well, that was comforting! Needless to say,with the help of our Guides, we cleared that platform in record time!

We were quite wet by the time we reached the end, but I would have gone again if I had the chance! The ride back to the office wasn't as bumpy for me as the previous ride due to the fact my seat was closer to the cab. And wouldn't you know, the rain cleared and the sun came out...revealing a rainbow. Such loveliness. Wish you could have been there with us, my friends and family.