You are at the top of a mountain looking down on nothing except giant-sized boulders that look the size of breadcrumbs.
You are at the top of a mountain looking down on nothing except giant-sized boulders that look the size of breadcrumbs. A sudden acrophobia you didn't know existed, grips you. Getting up the hill wasn't that tough; the sky lent you enough motivation to keep going. Getting back to ground zero is a different ballgame.
Rappelling or abseiling, a technique of fast descent from vertical faces using ropes and specialised equipment, gives you an adrenaline fix little else can. If done right, it helps you put your trust in strangers and unfamiliar devices. As you stay there, suspended over a gorge, the feeling of conquering heights merges with the power you place in your own hands, making it a heady concoction.
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The Kandivali unit of the Youth Hostels Association of India will organise a rappelling camp at the Takmak point at Raigad from February
5 to 7 (Rs 1,750 per head). Once used to push down criminals from, this high point provides a thrilling view. Call on 9867911009 / 9869174605 for more details.