Thrills and Chills

Credit to Flicker

I have to admit, I am not a thrill seeker. The idea of risking life and limb for a head rush is just not my idea of fun. There are others, however, that live for the thrill of danger or, at least, the illusion of danger. With this in mind, the French have, apparently, grown so bored with the conventional ways of getting their adrenalin pumping, that their more wealthy citizens have turned to a new sport.

According to Reuters, “For 900 euros ($1,226), clients of Ultime Realite (”Ultimate Reality”), a firm in eastern France, can buy a basic kidnap package where they’re bundled away, bound and gagged, and kept incarcerated for four hours.” Why? “After just a few weeks in business, Ultime Realite says it is already getting up to two requests a day, the majority from top-level executives seeking an extreme alternative to bungee jumping or skydiving.”

While this seems over the top, even for most thrill seekers, there are elements of this that sound fun like the fact that, for an extra cost, the “kidnapped” corporate adrenalin junkies can change things up and add in a chase or helicopter escape and, according to Ultime Realite, “anything is possible.” Best of all, the police are even fine with all of this as long as the company lets them know in advance.

Given all of this, while I do not consider myself much of a thrill seeker, I do think that the French might be on to something here. According to Reuters, while some people do this for the rush, others “are hoping to confront deep-rooted phobias, such as one potential client who says he wants to be buried alive.” It might be a little extravagant and, perhaps, a lot unorthodox, but at least those who participate in this form of wild entertainment are overcoming their fears in the process. As for me, I think I’ll stick to satisfying my danger lust with a trip to Busch Gardens.