Puenting in Ecuador
South America, Travel, Video

Episode 19 – Puenting: Banos, Ecuador

I did the one thing I said I would NEVER do. I guess when my mother asked me, “If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you?” didn’t properly sink in as a child – because I went puenting. I, Erica, who is deathly afraid of heights, jumped off a bridge in Banos, Ecuador. And even better? we had 3 cameras rolling to catch it in all it’s glory.

So for $20 and an insane about of peer pressure from my Couchsurfing comrades, I somehow got talked into it.

Apparently travel does some strange things to you, eh?

Check out our story:

29 thoughts on “Episode 19 – Puenting: Banos, Ecuador”

  1. HOLY CRAP YOU ARE BRAVE!!!! I like to think that I will do it; I know my son will…when we travel together someday…

  2. Wow. I could feel your fear while you got ready to go. I am so damn proud of you for overcoming your fears to do something like that. Love ya a lot.

  3. For some reason when you jumped, I actually got tears in my eyes. I totally felt your fear … it’s how I felt when I tried to go paragliding (and we all know how well that turned out). I am really proud of you for doing this!! xoxoxo

  4. @Patricia: It WAS terrifying and probably the most scary thing I’ve ever done in my life. I swore I would never do it and I have no clue how I got talked into doing it.

  5. @Lori: LOL! I’m so glad that I confronted my fear of heights but it is still hard to even watch the videos. My stomach gets all upset. I think when you travel with your son you are going to want to be a good example of how to try new things. Good luck with that lol!

  6. @Dad: I’m glad it came across how scared I was. It was TERRIFYING and I’ll never do it again. Thank you for watching pops.

  7. Like Stephanie I have never heard of Puenting before but it looks awesome!!! Good onya for jumping you definitely need some balls to do this!!!

  8. You are definitely brave. We never got around to doing this. Funny that they call it puenting (bridging).

    When we lived in BaƱos we hung out with the tour guides and they told us some of the horror stories about what has happened and it freaked us out.

  9. Amazing!!! I never knew you could fall back into it like I did. I don’t know… It doesn’t seem… high-tech (?) enough for me? I’d be terrified!! You’re my hero!! The guys’ barely screaming freaked me out even more. I always scream the whole time lol. Amazing, girl! And I LOVE the video!!!

  10. Argh!!! I have lost enthusiasm for things like this – especially after seeing that girl’s bungee cord snap. Shudder. Shudder. Well done you!

  11. thanks for editing that, make feel like a heroe and dont like a… ( my jump take a lot of time jjajaja) hugs guys and good winds!!! šŸ™‚ pst. sorry for my poor english :S

  12. @Sebastian: I think it is just technically bungee jumping with a normal rope (and you swing around the bridge so you don’t need the snap back to not break your neck). I look back and I still can’t believe I did this.

  13. @Pete: I’m sure horror stories have happened but I’m in the mindset that if it is my time to go, I’m going. šŸ˜›

  14. @C&C: I still need to try the skydiving thing but I’m not in a hurry to do it after my adrenaline filled month. Go you lady! You are my hero for doing them though!

  15. @Abby: Doing it backwards is actually MUCH easier than facing the fear forwards and looking at yourself plunging. It was the ONLY way I could have. I can’t believe I screamed so much.

  16. @Abi: The funny thing is that I didn’t even know about that girl (that happened 2 days prior) until after I did it. To be honest I think I would have done it anyway!

  17. Nice vid. Been there before, I’d point out how scary is the moment before jumping: with the lower bridge looking awfully close, and the trucks passing by so fast on your back… I almost didn’t make it.
    But then… it was so awesome, I’d do it again.

  18. @Rustle: The moment before jumping is terrifying but worse for me was the freefalling feeling lol. I couldn’t do it again. Major kudos to you!

  19. That’s an awesome video! I think if I would do this i would jump but then I’d try to use my hands to keep hanging safely while I’m falling, just in case. You never know! haha

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