It’s been ages since I’ve posted, but things have been pretty hectic of late…I don’t even know where to begin!
I guess I’ll start with my most recent adventure, while it’s still fresh in my mind – and while it still makes me laugh so much a little bit of wee almost comes out. On Sunday Jack and I dipped into our excessive stockpile of Groupon vouchers and went on a High Ropes adventure in North Wales. Now, I’m not afraid of heights, so I thought I’d be OK with it, buy my God was I wrong! Even worse, Jack, who IS afraid of heights (God knows why he agreed to even go – some type of macho thing, I guess) must have felt like he’s stepped into his own personal hell!
I Rate the Facilities a Big, Fat Zero!
You know you’re in the back end of beyond when you park your car after a 2 hour drive and ask the guys in the little wooden shack reception if you can use the toilet before you start the ropes course and the response is: “We can give you toilet roll. Look around and pick a bush.” I haven’t dripped dried since my university days, and I wasn’t about to re-visit them then.
The Practice Course
We got kitted out, harnessed up, whatever they call it when you wear ropes and clips that make you feel like you’re in a giant nappy, and made out way over to the practice course, which had 3 separate types of ropes challenges that were designed to give us practice moving along them before we headed out – and up – to the real thing.
The practice course was about 2 foot off the ground, and everyone, including Jack, whizzed around it. The leaders asked anyone who felt confident to come to the front to go first, and anyone less confident to go at the back. I couldn’t get as far to the front as I’d have liked because Jack was dragging his feet, and, much to my dismay, 3 kids of about 11 years old managed to get ahead of us, so I thought we were going to get stuck and have to go slow and wait for them. Boy, was I wrong!
My Treetop Terror!
I honestly thought the high ropes course was going to be something that I loved. That notion died a speedy and tragic death the second I climbed the rope ladder and put my foot on to the first rope challenge. They say you’re never supposed to look down when you’re high up, but how the hell are you supposed to avoid it when you need to look at the ropes you’re placing your feet on?!
I’m quite proud of myself and the display of love and consideration I showed my husband that day. After calming my initial panic at being so high up and realising this experience was not going to be one I would enjoy in any way, my thoughts turned to Jack, who was climbing the rope ladder up to the first challenge that I was near to completing. I actually felt sick for him, because he HATES heights with a passion. It’s hard to be encouraging and not patronising, but I think, overall, I achieved a pretty good balance. I think he was possibly feeling too ill and focusing all his energy on not falling off the ropes to respond to anything I said. I may even have been blocked out totally.
Survived!
Needless-to-say, we both survived the experience. Falling to our deaths would have been a pretty big challenge as we were clipped on to safety ropes at all times but still, it was an achievement!
The only problem I have now is that Jack is plotting his revenge, and I think it’s going to take the form of some type of diving experience, as he is fully aware that I’m not totally confident in open water when you can’t a) see properly what’s around you and, b) can’t get away from it quickly!
To be continued!!!
Thanks for reading,
Ella xxx