Swinging from vines

This is an email I wrote to my Mom a while back and I thought I would share it!

Today clinic was pretty busy and I got out late again. I ran into Hannah (10 yo) on the road and she wanted me to come over and swim in their water hole. So, I but on my suit and went over. They have dug out a huge hole in the middle of their stream and dammed it up so they can swim in it. Its pretty cool, out in the jungle, completely covered over by trees and lotsa vines hanging down that the kids swing on and drop into the water. The last two times I've been there I just swam a little and watched them climb the trees and swing from vines. This time they really wanted me to drop into the water but I hate jumping into water from that high, so I kept making excuses. Usually 5 feet is about my limit! Then they got the main vine all stuck up in a tree and I was relieved. Unfortunately, we somehow ended up making the deal that if they got the vine out of the tree, I would swing on it. So, with renewed vigor, Gabe and Hannah spent 20 minutes throwing things up into the tree and then finally climbing up on a very precarious branch to rescue the swinging vine. I was very sad. :(

I had to keep my end of the bargain, so I climbed up the muddy embankment, over the tree roots and grabbed onto the vine. I stood there for a while looking way down at the water thinking I had lost my mind. Then sudddenly a push from behind and I was flying through the air, screaming at the top of my lungs. The water loomed below and I had no idea where the deep part was to let go! So, I just let go and landed in a quite shallow spot, hitting my butt on the rocks! It didn't really hurt, just shocked me a little. So apparently this fall dislodged the sense from my brain because I promptly climbed back up the muddy hill and swung again and again until I finally landed in the deeper part. I swear, these kids are a bad influence on me! I felt like I was in a Tarzan and Jane movie, very fun!