Sunday 20 September 2009

I climbed, I soared, I conquered!!

Well, can you believe it?   I had an absolutely fabulous time at Go Ape this afternoon.  Who would have thought it?  Not me, that's for sure.  I was totally and utterly petrified.  I barely slept a wink last night, so afraid was I of the zip wires and the other scary obstacles that lay head.  Things like this:





But it was a blast and I would recommend it to anyone, even the most scaredy-of-scaredy-cats out there.  It was (and I never, ever thought I would say this)... GREAT FUN.  I LOVED IT!!!

There's a lot to be said  (in the words of Susan Jeffers) for 'Feeling the Fear and Doing It Anyway' and an awful lot to be said for 'doing it'  in the company of an Ex-Husband, a Much Younger Fiancee and a bunch of entirely fearless fourteen year-olds.  Wimping out was not an option.

So, this is me attempting a graceful landing (at the end of a 100ft zip wire).  I think I look pretty good.  I did slam into the green buffer thingummy seconds after this photo was taken and ended up in a bit of a tangle but who cares?  No one took a photo of that.





Needless to say, I'm now feeling absolutely exhausted.  It's bloody tiring being brave all afternoon.  So I'm off to bed.  But before I go, a few pics of Ex-Husband who (as I predicted in my earlier post) was much much much more terrified than I was.

Illustration One: Ex-Husband mid-air, travelling at speed, and screaming.




Illustration Two: Ex-Husband slamming into net, and screaming.




Illustration Three: Ex-Husband showing how not to land at the end of a 100ft zip wire, and screaming.




Seconds after this photo was taken, it became apparent that Ex-Husband had, in fact, pulled a thigh muscle which required immediate and urgent intervention by the lovely Go Ape medical staff.  Which also meant he didn't get a certificate for successfully completing the course, as I did.





So, hooray for me, and hooray for all the other girls who were so very, very  brave today.  And (to give credit where credit is due) hooray for Ex-Husband, who was brave despite his fear of heights and even braver after his idiotic and extremely painful crash-landing.

(With heartfelt and grateful thanks to Elaine for her kind explanation re. how to post and order multiple photos, a talent which had previously eluded me.)

17 comments:

  1. Why is it called 'Go Ape'? We apes do not indulge in the activities depicted in your pictures. I find this 'Go Ape' term offensive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, well done! It looks bloody scary and mind-fizzlingly fun. Clever girl x

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have made it sound like so much fun. Good on you for getting out there and having a ball. I am very impressed that you overcame your fears. Linda

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well done to all of you! Looks brilliant I have to day and you get such a rush from facing down your fears and doing it anyway!

    next stop sky diving?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi mumplustwo

    Great post. Very funny pictures of Ex-husband.Glad you had a good day.
    We're called Go Ape becasue you swing around in the trees like monkeys. Sorry to offend anyone. It's meant to describe the activity.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Gorilla Bananas: you are clearly a deep-thinking kind of primate and you raise an interesting question. There were absolutely NO gorillas/chimps/vervet monkeys/orangutans
    etc. in Swinley Forest on Saturday. Ba-Nada. I am going to ring them up asap and ask why not.

    Fab: It SO was. There's life in us 40-somethings yet!

    Shiny: Thanks for the congrats. I do feel ridiculously proud of myself (and I hope you're feeling better.

    Goldcoast Linda: Thanks for visiting from over there! Fun indeed and if you have any such thing in your neck of the woods (see what I did there?) I'd recommended giving it a whirl ....

    Mud: I just know you're the kind of girl who would love it. Sky diving??!! You're 'avin a larf ...!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I couldn't help but pick up on your descriptions...screaming, slamming and screaming and screaming and I smiled. Sorry!! ;0)

    We live near two Go Apes, I wonder if you live near me :0)

    And you are one brave woman! Wouldn't get me up there for anything.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Chic Mama: I dare you to try it(esp. since you live near not one but two)... x

    Go Ape Tribe: thanks for commenting. Yes, I think we all know why it's called Go Ape!?! Gorilla Bananas was dabbling in a little bit of gorilla irony, I suspect ...(see original comment, above). If you visit his brilliant blog I think you'll understand....

    ReplyDelete
  9. Aha...we see. You'll get up close and personal with your inner monkey but not an actual real one. Maybe that's something we need to look into?

    Go bananas everybody!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Go Ape Tribe: Exactly! I really like the idea of an inner monkey.

    ReplyDelete
  11. "We're called Go Ape because you swing around in the trees like monkeys."

    Then I suggest you change the name to "Go Monkey", because apes are not monkeys. If you want to carry the monkey theme further, piss on the onlookers below while you're swinging about.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Gorilla Bananas: Eeeuwwww. Do monkeys really DO that??!

    Thanks v.much for pointing out the monkey vs ape thing. Very important distinction and will surely have Go Ape Tribe scratching his/her/their head/s.

    PS. You are clearly a fairly pedantic gorilla.

    ReplyDelete
  13. WELL DONE!!!! I am SO not brave!

    ReplyDelete
  14. There is an award for you at mine.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Well done! I'm glad you had fun :)

    You asked how to comment on my blog. Go to:
    www.liebfraumilchandlipstick.com
    The comments are at the top of the post, not at the bottom. Juct click 'comments' then scroll down to the bottom and write away! (As it's your first time you'll have to fill out a bit of stuff, but after that it's easy peasy.)

    Hope that wasn't too obvious, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Can't believe I have missed so many of your posts! Have clearly been a little distracted of late...with the boy's birthdays of course ;-)

    How fantastic that you had such a fun day! Good that you could show that Olympian a thing or two. I had a day out with my sis doing this 3 years ago and it was the most terrifying and exhilerating thing I have ever done. Would love to do it again.

    (Oh and the pix of ex are hilarious...thanks for the giggle, I needed it after your Oh Shit post). xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. Nic: glad it made you smile (and so happy for you that you've been... ummmm.... distracted of late! x

    ReplyDelete