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In the collage you can see the platforms used for
take-offs and landings throughout the canopy tour. The tour begins when
you board the shuttle bus in the shadow of our cruise ship, through the
city of Li'mon, and then a steep climb up a narrow dirt road. At times
it seemed the shuttle was impossibly agile, as the wet dirt road grew
ever steeper. Higher and higher, soon you could see a vast sea of green
below, peeking between the tree trunks. At last we reached a plateau and
19 brave souls left the relative safety of the shuttle bus. You could
hear nervous giggles and chatter as the guides began outfitting everyone
with the harnesses and safety gear. After a brief lesson on hand signals
and how to use the leather glove for braking, we were off to the first
platform. |
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There are 14 platforms with 13 zip lines that take you
down the mountain in stages. When you arrive on the first platform a
guide attaches the zip line trolley to the steel cable. You hold onto
the harness with one hand and grasp the cable (behind your head) with
your leather braking hand. Then you just calmly (Yeah, right!) go to the
edge of the platform, bend your knees and step off the edge. You accelerate
quickly and if you're not in total panic, you may notice the whizzing
sound of the trolley as you're speeding down the cable. As you approach
the next platform you quickly lock your eyes on the guide as he makes
hand signals. The signals give you useful information such as "at
the speed you're approaching, you may become embedded in the tree. Slow
down!"
Some people prefer the high speed approach after experiencing the opposite. That's when you brake too much and stop short of the platform. The long cable sags, so that the end of the zip line is actually uphill. If you stop short, you find yourself dangling from the cable a few hundred feet up in the air. To get to the platform you have to turn yourself around and pull yourself hand over hand until the guide can reach you. this seems to un-nerve some people as they have to let go of whatever they're holding on to, in order to complete this maneuver. Forgetting the details, what it's really all about is a lot of fun and an exhilarating adventure. It's amazing to be soaring through the rain forest canopy, and the view from the platforms is unlike any other. If you ever get the chance, this is a worthwhile adventure. |
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Kim and Jim's travels. Through geography, life, relationship, joy and caring. Join us as we explore what makes a life worth living. |
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