Challenged By An Eight Year Old

The only reason I went to Santa Elena was to do a canopy tour. I'd never done anything like it before and was keen to try it in one of the best places to do it in the world, Costa Rica. There were many operators, each offering different kinds of experiences like rappeling, abseiling down waterfalls, hanging bridges and whatnot. I went with 100% Aventura which was pretty good. We sailed over valleys and fast through the tree tops. There was also a rope bridge and 10m drop on the rappel which produced the best reaction from one of the Dakotan guys: "Gaaahh!" Classic. The features of the tour though, were the Tarzan Swing and the Superman cable.

The Superman cable was a superlong, superfast cable from mountain to mountain while suspended face down. Unfortunately, I wasn't heavy enough in the high winds and showers that day, so I had to tandem with someone else who was too light. It was still brilliant though. The pulleys screamed all the way down and the views from way up there were amazing.

Now, about that Tarzan Swing. It was a third storey drop in a harness, swinging from the branch of a massive tree through a gulley. I've had a long-term problem with that zero-gravity feeling, which gives other people a thrill. It scares me. I hate it. I don't like flume rides or Pirate Ship rides. I hate that first big drop on steel rollercoasters. I will ride them in amusement parks but there will be a definite sense of anxiety that is not associated with excitement. I'll even freak out a little if someone tries to push me on a park swing.

So you can imagine my feeling, looking up at that drop. I watched carefully as others did it without hesitation or fear. Out of all the woohoos and cheers, there was only one girl who screamed, "Putaaaaa!" I really didn't think I could it. I was ready to back out. Then the only child in the tour, a little girl of eight or so, scaled the tower and was happily strapped into her harness. There was nothing to it for her, off she fell and swung through the gulley while everyone marvelled at her fearlessness.

That was it. I had to do it. How would I look if I chickened out, honestly? If she could do it, so could I. I knew my fear was an irrational one. I knew it was safe and I was here to experience things now, so why not? In short, I just went and did it, and it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Some flume rides were even scarier, I thought in the end. So, thanks to a brave little girl who threatened to show me up, I finished the tour very proud of myself. That's what pride can do.