Rock Climbing

so pretty much anyone of my friends back in Australia could tell you i tend not to do so well with heights. and anyone who has been rock climbing with me will be able to tell you that i'm the one whose usually down belaying people who do like to climb. and when ever i do mange to climb up somewhere high, i can't usually get back down. i distinctly remember climbing up a tree when i was about 5 and freaking out and not being able to come back down. someone had to come up and climb down with me showing me where to put my feet and everything. and yes that begs the question how did i manage to climb up if i can't find a way back down...? i can't even answer that one myself.

any way back to rock climbing, heres a bit of trivia, i have never gotten up to the top of a rock climbing wall before. i get about half way, 3/4 of the way, freak out and i'm done. then it takes a while before i can actually let go of the wall and come back down again. also it doesn't help that a couple of years ago, i was abseiling (much better than rock climbing if i had to choose) down the outside of the rock climbing center in Darwin and every time i slipped, i would hear this massive gasp, from all the people below me. not the best way to build confidence if anyone was wondering.

so the prospect of going rock climbing for one of my Au Pair meetings was a little daunting, but i was up for it. if worse came to worse i would belay anyone who wanted me too. we split into groups and was taught how to do things the way this particular center does them. then each of us got to climb and test things out. now, the first time i climbed, it was as i thought it was gonna be, i got about half way up, freaked out and came back down. i belayed for people after that, then i was asked if i wanted to climb again... i contemplated... and contemplated... then thought, as long as i try who can say that i didn't. yeah, doesn't quite make sense to me either. but, the point is i tried again. climbing an easy wall, but baby steps people, baby steps. i got half way up, started to freak out then realised i could put my foot in another position (part of the reason i freak out is because i'm sure that i'm gonna fall to my death! dramatic, but its what goes through my mind). i then got 3/4 of the way up, again started freaking out, stopped, took- several- deep breaths, found more stable positions, and kept going. finally i got to the top!!!! yay!!!!

then i had to come down, this had been the major problem for me in the past, letting go of the wall, putting my life in someone else's hands and walking down the wall. my heart started going at a million miles an hour, just taking one hand off the wall, two hands was gonna be interesting. i cheated a bit and sort of climbed down the first couple of steps. then i took a leap (metaphorically) and completely let go of the wall. oh my gosh!! i think my heart just about jumped out of my chest after that happened. but i got down nice and safe, and i cannot tell you how good the ground feels after. but i had done it! i had gone to the top of a wall for the first time!!! i was so excited and so proud of myself for being able to control my fear enough to achieve my goal!!

i might do it again, and i think next time will be slightly easier, maybe... but now that i know that i can actually do it. i'm very happy!!!!


(our whole group after rock climbing, Me, Anna (Russia), Chloe (France), Stephanie (Sweden), Brenda (my LCC), Fine (Germany- pronounced Fina), Alma (Bosnia), Iva (a friend of mine from USA- pronounced Eva)

till next time
Katie
xo
:)