Jump Jump Jump

Tatum & Corbin
Feb 10, 2020
3 min read

November arrived, and with it.... Tatum’s birthday. Throughout 2019 we made it a goal to do adrenaline filled activities that made us feel young and alive. Canyoneering in the Philippines, diving with manta rays in Indonesia, and sand boarding in Vietnam. So, Corbin thought it was only fitting to begin Tatum’s 26th year of life with a bang. BUNGEE JUMPING!

**See that small black dot on the sidewalk... that's Corbin. 165ft is really flippin' high!!

We arrived at the adventure park with butterfly’s in our stomachs. Since Tatum was more scared than Corbin was, we decided that she would go first. Up she went. She spent the next ten minutes thinking “this is the WORST birthday gift ever” and contemplating riding the crane back down. During that ten minutes the things that were coming out of Tatum's mouth would have made a sailor cringe. She asked the guide "Am I going to die?" He responded... "You die, but not today!" So... mustering all her courage she clasped shut her eyes, put her arms straight out to the side, started screaming, and after a nudge from the guide she started falling. The next 45 seconds were pure, unadulterated terror... just look at her face! Ahhhhhhh... 26 feels so good.

Corbin was up next. Without hesitation he dove with impeccable form off the 165 foot platform. He knew that if he didn’t do it right away, there was a chance he wouldn’t at all. And he didn’t want to look like a little bitch compared to his fiancé.

High on adrenaline, we spent the next half hour laughing and talking about what had gone through our minds during those moments. Tatum has declared she will NEVER bungee jump again. But hey, try everything at least once (except drugs... don’t worry mom.)

Our final week in Chiang Mai just so happened to also be the week of the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng festivals; also known as the Thai lantern festival. They are annual festivals which coincide with the lunar calendar. During the 3 day celebration, locals repent for their past sins and make wishes for the future. We were so excited to participate in the festivities....

We began the afternoon by getting a 2 hour couples massage, Tatum’s belated birthday present (since she hated her first gift). Then, we headed to Old City and enjoyed walking around while looking at the immense amount of lanterns that decorated the streets.

We had heard about a unique ceremony that was held at a small temple on the first night of the festival. We knew we needed to arrive early in order to have a spot with a decent view. After standing and waiting for two long hours, the ceremony began. A small Buddha sat under a sprawling tree and was surrounded by a small moat and over a hundred burning candles. Slowly, the music began and young monks (10-18 years old) walked out and sat amongst (aMONKst hehe) the candles. We aren’t 100% sure about what happened next, but a lot of chanting, bowing, and meditating ensued. It was a really cool experience to watch.

Next, we headed towards the river to light our lantern. The streets were filled with travelers and locals alike, all using lighters to ignite their wicks. In all honesty, what should have been a serene moment was complete chaos. You had to be careful you didn’t walk face first into a ball of fire. We found a small opening within the crowd and lit our lantern. A local guy helped us hold it steady and we all cheered as it flew into the air, barely clearing a bridge archway in the process.