Escape Bonding Trip
When I first heard we were going to Penang’s Escape Park, I was thrilled. And frightened as well. I’ve heard stories about how exciting the attractions are, that you won’t get a similar experience in any other amusement parks, because the attractions are really extreme.
And I was frightened because ‘extreme’ also meant higher chances of getting injured, if you’re not physically fit enough, or simply because you’re too reckless.
Nevertheless, in the early morning when we were about to depart from campus, I pushed those dark, foreboding thoughts to the back of my mind. Mental strength is just as important as one’s own physique.
We had a late breakfast at one of the most humble roti canai stores I’d ever been to (though the prices were not humble at all), where its store was at the side of a road with heavy traffic. After filling our stomachs, we began the one-hour journey to the Escape Park, located in Batu Ferringhi.
It was a weekday, and we were fortunate to see that the park wasn’t crowded where you would have to make a beeline for every attraction. I was deeply impressed by how systematic the crew handled the visitor’s access in and out of the park. Every visitor who purchased a ticket was given a passcode and recognised by their fingerprint, so they could exit at any time of the day and still have access into the park. They implemented a system known as ‘e-wallet’, where you can top up cash and purchase items inside the park using only your passcode so you don’t have to bring your cash in.
We started with Adventureland, which as its name implied, was filled to the brim with extreme activities. In a park like this, safety was paramount, and every station was manned by an instructor who overlooked the attraction and the visitor’s safety.
The first attraction we went to was a series of obstacle courses suspended a few metres off the ground. There were three levels to begin with, so we started with the easiest one. Before we knew it, Farah, being the adventurous one she was, took off on her own to take on the challenges. And she was really good and enthused about it.
Every visitor was given a harness attached with a pulley and a clip, and once you’re clipped into the zipline, there is no backing out until you have finished the whole course. Throughout the course I found myself struggling to maintain balance because my limbs were trembling so much. It was my first time after all, and to say that I was anxious was a complete understatement. Every time I reached a platform between each course, I watched patiently as Kar Yen nimbly and swiftly completed it, be it a bridge made of narrow logs, a trapeze line that was pulled taut, or a net that swayed back and forth each time the wind blew.
I took my time with each course, and repeatedly told myself not to look down, focusing on my footwork and balance. For someone with zero investment in maintaining fitness, it really took a while. But what was important was that I made it, despite all the fears.
One thing I have learnt through this harrowing experience is that the first step to overcoming fear, you mustn’t be afraid to admit that you’re afraid. Acknowledge it, face it, then adapt and overcome it.
Kite Flyer with a lots of screaming sound, haha.
There was one fear, however, that I could never come face to face with – the blood-curdling feeling as you plummet from a great height, and the way your heart seems to fall to the pit of your stomach. Just the thought of it made my knees weak, which was why I stood aside as I watched three of my friends took on the miniature bungee-jumping challenge, where the drop was at least 12 metres high. I was awed when we watched them bravely make the jump, and how graceful their descent was when their fall was slowed by a wire hanging off their back.
I asked them about the experience out of curiosity, and they said it was always different when you were up there, preparing to jump. For the first time you would always hesitate a little, reluctant to make the leap. I was truly awed by their tremendous courage.
Another attraction that I did not try was the so-called ‘Kite Flyer’ – two people would be harnessed to a huge metal frame resembling a kite, only to be lifted up high in the air and released as it swung back and forth like an enormous swing. Honestly speaking, that would be twice the terror of the bungee-jump I saw earlier, and seeing how long it would take for each ride, my friend and I decided to try out the ‘Flying Lemur’ instead.
The ‘Flying Lemur’ was almost the same as the first attraction we did earlier, except that it just had ziplines and no obstacle courses. However, these ziplines were much higher than the ones we did, and when I risked a glance below I could hardly see the ground. The climb itself was extremely exhausting.
When I reached the highest and longest zipline which was 35 metres from the ground, I stared stupidly at the net that I had to walk to reach the platform on the other side. The view was spectacular up there, and the wind was much stronger, swaying the net from left to right. When I was making my way to the platform, I heard a shrill scream from below. And I saw Kar Yen and Ci Jun being released from the Kite Flyer. Seeing how they were free-falling and being lifted up in the span of a second, I couldn’t possibly imagine what it was like to be there, how terrifying it would feel.
Escape theme park.
It was 3pm, and we made our way to the Water Park that was opened recently. We did not get to try everything, as the park closes at 6pm.
There were at least 16 flights of stairs as we climbed up to the attraction. In fact most of the attractions in the park require physical exertion if you wish to have fun. I wouldn’t have minded so much if I weren’t carrying a tube that was larger than me. By the time we reached the highest platform, we were all exhausted and had our hands on our knees, but it was worth it in the end.
There was another pool where you can experience bobbing around among giant waves. If you enjoyed being slapped in the face by the water or being carried away by the waves, this would be the place for you.
And insanity took the form of a vertical-drop slide where you stand on a trapdoor in a slide. Once dropped, the momentum you built along the slide was enough to keep you in the air for a few seconds before you hit the pool. There were diving platforms as well, mainly for thrill-seekers who wished to experience something similar to cliff-diving.
That night when we got back to our rented apartment to call it a day, I realized that I did something that day that I never thought I would have done. If I called my mom that night and told her I was hanging by a wire 35 metres in the air or nearly broke my back while careening down a slide, she wouldn’t have believed me. I recalled the dark thoughts I had earlier that morning, then silently pumped my fist and congratulated myself on getting through it in one piece.
Nevertheless, you only live once. You should at least do something out of you comfort zone once in a while, to know what it’s like to live in the moment. And you will find that you have never felt so alive.
A group of girls.