The first time I was at the cooling towers was on a primary school excursion, I thought it was huge but a little on the boring side. Little did I know…
The colourful cooling towers loom over me as I attentively listen to the safety talk. We’re waiting for our ride to the top of the Orlando Cooling Towers in Soweto, Johannesburg. I am not one to shy away from new experiences but the benefits of solid ground cannot be disputed.
The red elevator gate opens and a trembling man steps out and shakes his head as he is helped out of the safety harness. “I just couldn’t, I just couldn’t” he says. The staff members around him pat him on the back and say “It’s okay, bhuti…maybe next time.” We watch in silence as his girlfriend leads them to their car. This is the type of encouragement I really did not need right now.
We scramble into the elevator gate and with a mechanic shudder, slowly begin our ascent. As the people below turn from people to ants, I suddenly remember the guard at the gate shaking his head and incredulously asking when we arrived. “Niyaphi bosisi?” (Where are you going, sisters?) I’m starting to wonder myself. I distract myself by looking at the view and counting the places I can recognise. There’s my parents house, dads office, gogo’s house, the hospital, the municipal park…interesting but not particularly calming.
And then it’s my turn. I’m told to take a deep breath and make sure I’m ready before stepping onto the platform. Apparently, “If you don’t jump once you are on the platform, then chances are you won’t jump at all.” So, as nervous as I am, and adamant not to be the trembling bundle exiting the elevator at the bottom, I step onto the platform.
As they clasp the large rope to my waist, I suddenly realise that I’ve completely forgotten the information given at the safety talk.
What did she say about where to place your hand?
My brain is sending messages like: “remember, do NOT something, something…” But what?!
With no time to find out more, as the count down had already began, I hurled myself into the unfamiliar on three.
It’s quite difficult to imagine what the experience will feel like. Nevertheless, I was expecting to jump off and with my adrenaline pumping I would feel… excitement, release and silence (I can’t explain that last one). After all, you’re swinging off one tower towards the smiling face of Nelson Mandela on the other. How can you go wrong?
Well, Instead of excitement I experienced terror, in fact I sincerely felt that the 30m free fall was underestimated.
Instead of release…panic. The rope took a little longer to catch and well, I was utterly convinced that mine was broken. I obviously was that small percentage that they spoke of, the freak accident.
Instead of silence…I swore…loudly… You would too.
But then of course the rope caught and I was calmly swinging between the two towers with the now laughing Nelson Mandela looking down a me.
I find that most my adventures have a lot of these emotions in them. Sometimes I’m coolly swinging to and fro, other times I’m clinging to the rope that I took the right bus and often I’m hoping tha this plant really is the edible kind. Mostly, I’m just glad I didn’t go home trembling and shaking my head, while others wished me better luck next time.
As we left, we were handed a document which read “This Is To Certify That Hitekani Risked Life & Limb…In a Death-Defying Leap.”
Hell Yeah!
Orlando Towers
Orlando Towers was established in 2007 by Skyriders, with the concept of developing the disused Orlando cooling towers in Soweto into a vertical adventure facility and tourist attraction for Soweto. There are a number of adventure activities on offer at Orlando Towers, including a bungee jump, power swing and abseiling.
The bungee jump costs R480 a person, the power swing R360 a person, abseiling is R260 a person (on Saturdays only) and to access the viewing platform costs R60.
For groups of 6 or more it is essential to book at least 48 hours in advance.
Tel: 071 674-4343
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.orlandotowers.co.za
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