Extreme Action in Kuala Lumpur

Could not think of anything new to put on my blog. So I dug this up from my journal dated April 2009.

I like to think of myself as an adrenaline junkie. My husband however begs to differ. Between snorts of hysterical laughter, he said that people who scream themselves hoarse at the sight of puppies and fluffy chicks have no right to make such outlandish claims. Outraged at his tendency to laugh about my phobia of anything with claws, fur, sharp teeth/beaks, and icky tongues I decided to rev up our weekend in Kuala Lumpur with some extreme action.

Our first stop in keeping with this endeavour was the theme park at Genting. The theme – park was a revelation. It was like those enchanted lands you read about in Enid Blyton books. Our destination in this wonderland was Genting sky venture. It is a one – of – a – kind wind tunnel that is designed to give people like me the chance to experience sky diving without having to give in to suicidal instincts and jump out of an airplane.

Perhaps it was pre – gravity – defying jitters but we decided to go on the regular rides first to ease into our as yet virginal thrill – seeking tendencies. After a giddy tour of the grounds where we giggled and screamed like school kids, we knew the moment of truth had arrived. It was time for our sky venture.

We were greeted by a friendly ‘body fly’ instructor, who assured us that there was no cause for worry and promptly gave us forms to sign. Apparently we should guarantee that the Genting guys would be absolved of all blame should one of us die in the course of this adventure. And if such an unhappy event were to occur our RM50 per person would not be refunded. It was all very encouraging. Hubby asked me if I wanted to quit looking like he might burst out laughing. That did it. I grabbed the pen and signed on the dotted line.

The instructor briskly ushered us into a changing room where we were suited up in flying gear. A briefing session followed on how to fly and basic safety procedures. We were then ushered into a wind tunnel where our simulated sky diving experience would commence. Nothing in my wildest dreams had prepared me for the next few moments. With knees bent and chin tucked in (I was following instructions solicitously) and buffeted by winds up to 193 km/hr I soared upwards. Truly believing I could fly, I soared higher and higher like a majestic eagle or a clumsy peacock depending on your point of view. The wind was screaming in my ear and my eyes stung with the force of it. But my tended towards plumpness frame felt gloriously weightless and I continued to fly. All too soon, it was time to return to Earth. My magical experience had ended.


Hubby and I were given certificates and a DVD that had preserved the moment for eternity. We were told that we were now part of an elite club that included astronauts and cosmonauts from all over the world who came to Genting for practise sessions. Next stop... NASA!!


As it turns out, newly inducted adrenaline junkies are always looking for a fix. Consequently, the next day saw us at the Menara Towers, KL, all set for our urban adventure. I had discovered in my quest for thrills and chills that the AJ Hackett group, pioneers of bungee jumping had a site in Malaysia. The ride is called Flying Fox Park. For the small sum of RM30 you are promised a quick thrill that is guaranteed to get your pulse racing as you glide over the treetops suspended from a steel cable with a pulley.


The ride was everything it promised but was a little tame after our sky venture. I tried to jazz it up by attempting some daredevil stunts but gave it up after inadvertently tickling the funny bone of a group of watching tourists.


All in all, we had thoroughly enjoyed our first foray into the world of adventure sports. I am now game for anything – bungee jumping, sky diving (the real thing), swimming with the sharks, frolicking with killer whales, carousing with man – eating tigers, friendly wrestling matches with grouchy bears and what have you. Just so long as I don’t have to play with a puppy or pet a chick.