From A Whisper To A Roar

There is adventure in every nook and wildlife in every cranny, whether you are riding a quad bike or a mischievous horse, finds Anshika Nagar

- Anshika Nagar

It takes some time to find the courage. Voices ring in my ear, fading in and out, but all I see are treetops of an orchard and a 77-metre drop from where I stand. From my vantage point, it is a daunting feat, and even though I am safely harnessed to zip line through it, I can’t let go. My hands clutch at the rope, and my feet stay firmly planted on the ground like they aren’t mine to control.

Behind me, jump master Patrick has been admirably patient. He repeats the instructions and safety precautions again and again; while it is comforting, it doesn’t take away the fear. By the third attempt to pick my feet off the ground, I am ready to give up. The 450-metre long zip line won’t take too long, he tells me. “You will be down in no time, and this fear will be gone too,” I am assured.

I shake my head and try to undo the harness, but to no avail. Heights are a phobia, so perhaps this can wait another day. Patrick, however, has made up his mind. His goal is to send me down the zip line, and he does not seem to give up. He grips the harness and pulls it back in a semicircle, and then I am flying down.

My eyes open to a zooming scenery; the trees come from both sides and a gush of wind is enough to make me giggle. The fear dissipates with the winds as I fly past the endpoint—the zip line is a loop and the upward curve eventually slows me down to a stop.