WOOHOOOOO!!!!

I have beaten my slight fear of heights!!! YAY!! I did some climbing, abseiling and tight rope walking activities today. Four hours and *phew* am I knackered?! But it was all worth it!

I did the scariest bit first, the tight rope walking :/ I screamed once and then started laughing at myself and carried on walking. I started finding it hard to breathe but, whilst attatched to an abseiling/rock climbing rope, I knew i was safe and I did it!! All 3 levels!! Woooo!! And that was just under 60ft!

Then, I did the climbing wall. There were a few loose grips, so I slipped a few times :/ but carried on! THEN came the scariest part!

There was a pole to climb up with little metal bars that you have to thread through the holes as you climv up, with an "eagle table" on top, about 1.5 ft by 1.5ft. That was the hardest part. Getting onto it was incredibly scary because the whole thing wobbled as you got nearer to the top! I got there and knelt, looking down (big mistake!) and Eeeeked, but then slowly stood up and spread my arms wide Then Andrew (a key worker here, who took us 3 - me, wayne and ollie) climbed up and we held hands and leaned of opposite edges! :/:/:/ Then abseiled down.

The worst part to come was after lunch. Dave, the instructor said "Mike, get the trapeze moving towards the pole a bit closer" uh-oh. Ollie said "Aha! We have to jump from THAT pole, to THAT trapeze!" I stood there and melted.. "WHAT?! No way!!!" but.. Andrew did it and he reached. I did it and fell. What a knock of my confidence, after spending about 5 minutes contemplating just not doing it. I almost cried, but just let myself abseil down. 2 attempts and fails later, I still wasn't giving up hope. I HAD to do it!! So, they moved the trapeze about 2cm closer to the pole (I was the shortest out of us all!! They were all between 5ft 8 plus!!). One more jump and... Everyone in the group next to us for buiding confidence against fear of heights, gasped as I took the 'Leap Of Faith' aaaaand... CLANG! My hands grabbed the bar and I screamed "YAYYYYY!!!" and got it all on video! :/ scary stuff, but it was immense. Definately something to be done before you die! My first attempt ruined my arm, though, because I grabbed the bar with my left hand and it slipped and I fell, pulling the muscle.. Possibly tearing it :/

But I DID IT!!! I Finally did it!!! So I am sooooo pleased with myself and I want to do it all again! I still have a tiny fear there, but.. It's better than ever! Woohoo! I beat it!

There are going to be videos up on youtube of all my attempts, fails and finally, my win It was so great to feel that bar between my fingers and to be swinging over 60ft in the air on a trapeze! It was funny, though, when the person who was in conrtol of my rope was stood saying "Come on, Kirst, you can do it, jump with all the strength you can muster!" and I said "I'm scared I won't reach it now! I'm shaking my butt off!" and then I jumped and everyone gasped as I jumped, then broke out in applause and "woohooo's!!!" Funny, too when I kept saying "are you ready? Sure you're ready? Really ready?" On that last one, Andrew started counting 3-2-1 and I jumped before Mike could even answer!

OhMyGod I'm sooooo excited and chuffed with myself! I just can't believe how determined I was to keep puffing up that 60ft pole and struggle onto the tiny platform, then jump with all the effort I had left and finally make it

*phew* I'm exhausted now, but just so full of adrenaline from all those jumps and balancing acts etc. I'm on such a high!

When i finally did it, I said to everyone "My job here is now DONE! Wicked! I did it!" and the confidence building group all came over and clapped again saying "that was great! Well done! Good on ya!" Teeheehee. I'm so exciteeeeeed! And proud