In the woods behind our neighborhood there was the mother of all rope swings.  At least that’s how it felt when we found it.

The rope itself was slightly decayed, and lashed to a tree at the top of a gully so that when you used it, you sailed at least fifty feet in the air over a ravine.  Even now, the experience would be wonderfully terrifying (more so because of the frayed rope than the height), but back in the day, the moment of weightlessness while soaring over the forest void was nothing short of exhilarating.

A rope swing is similar to tree houses and Brady Bunch reruns.  All of them instantly transport us back to happier times.  So it’s no wonder that clever entrepreneurs around the world have developed adult-sized rope swings to remind us what it’s like to have our hearts in our throats.

Here are a few swings that are guaranteed to make you feel like a kid again.

The Gorge Swing. Near Victoria Falls, Zambia: A cable spans a large canyon, with one end of your rope affixed to the middle and the other affixed to you harness.  Step off the cliff, and hang on for dear life.

The Bridge Swing. Banos, Ecuador: For a mere $15 you can toss yourself off a bridge.  Cheap!

Here’s an amazing swing put together by some dare devils in Arches National Park, Utah 

Here’s a homemade swing in Russia