My Taiwan Adventure

After a rendevous at the train station we drove about 30 minutes out of the city into the suburbs to Cheng Ching Lake. Under rennovations, it was a really big patch of dirt with some dump trucks and bridges thrown in for scenic effect. After meeting the students and sharing lunch together we were introduced to our lodgings. (I had a nice 2 bed cabin all to myself.) Then we met to head out into the 38 degree temperature for the first of our scheduled activities at the camp.

We started out on a wire 1 foot above ground then moved to a log suspended 35 feet off the ground. My biggest challenge was getting over the fear of heights while I was climbing the pole to get to the log. Climbing the tower on my rooftop with Jeremy could constitute a warm-up activity. We were all safely harnessed and supported by team-members on the ground so I screwed up my courage and took the climb of faith towards the sky. My hands were sweating and my heart beats rang in my ears as I deliberately climbed upwards. Several times I had to pause and reconsider where to put my hands and feet. I don't think I'm made for coordination on this kind of thing. Finally I reached the top and the last hurdle - getting across the log! The log wasn't too bad as it didn't sway so much as bounce with my steps. I focused on one knot hole after another while holding onto my safety rope with one hand to make sure I was still attached and wouldn't plunge downwards. What a feeling of accomplishment I had when I reached the far side of the log and was ready to descend. I was still shaking when I was lowered to the ground by my team-mates and celebrated with them because we all finished the task. What I didn't know was the 50 foot high tight-rope was next.

Yes, you heard me right - we then went on to climb up to a 50 foot high tight rope and attempt walking across it. It was both harder and scarier than the log and we had two people on the rope at a time which made it bob and shake quite badly. The girl that was up with me fell off and tested her team-mates by making sure they were holding her up. I made it to the goal though and managed a graceful descent in my harness.

It was an exhilerating way to begin the week with KaoFung College students. Dinner saw us all kind of slumped over. We were drained by the rush of activities and the incredible heat. The evening's movie "Wag the Dog" managed to get most of the students napping. I almost nodded off myself. The result was that the evening ended early and we decided that activities at the camp needed to allow for more nap time in the mid-day heat.

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