ACROPHOBIA AND ABSEILING

Having a fear of heights is debilitating to say the least.  My fear is so bad I can’t stand on a chair without feeling dizzy and terrified and if I am up hills with steep declines, or cliffs, taking photographs, I nearly freak out if anyone comes anywhere near where I am standing (never near the cliff edge I might add) in case they brush against me and I tumble over.  My head literally swims and my legs go stone cold and useless and I feel the need to get down on my bum to make my way back down the hill.  Backwards.  Even open staircases are terrifying to me.  I was in Donegal Castle one time and wanted photographs of the upstairs room.  All well and good until I was coming down the open staircase: I had to wait until there were no tourists about to see me and walk down them backwards!

So, being so terrified of heights, why not abseil down a building?

Mad?  Yes, possibly, or more likely, probably.  A friend from my Slimming World group was telling me about a charity abseil which is taking place down the front of the Europa Hotel in Belfast and a voice in my head yelled: DO IT! 

If only the voice had stayed in my head!  Instead it popped out of my mouth and I, along with said friend and my husband, heard it!

My husband, who has no fear of heights but knows how I am with heights was somewhat taken aback to say the least and said “I will too”.  Trapped! 

Being Ms. Organised, I decided to ring the charity that operate the abseiling events in Belfast.  The woman I spoke to was fabulous in helping to (slightly) ease my terror at the idea of it.  Apparently only 2 people have baulked ~ and I really don’t want to be No.3! 

I also found out that in January this year I would have been just short of the upper weight allowed to do the abseil!  (Which is driving me on as I type).

So I decided to check out the videos which I knew would inevitably be on youtube, of folks who have abseiled down the Europa.  This action I have to say was totally against the advice the woman had just given me on the phone.  And no wonder she advised against watching them!  My eyes were popping out of my head watching them I can tell you!  However, instructive they were not.  So I watched a video by the America army training squad for abseiling and that was much more helpful.  I learned, for instance, not to “bounce” my way down as all good action films had taught me.  Not that I watch action films but we’ve all see adverts and excerpts.  Apparently “bouncing” can put too much pressure on whatever you call the yoke that holds you from the top of the building and it could break.  Needless to say bouncing will not be done by me.  Thank goodness. 

A glutton for punishment, I googled facts about the Europa Hotel, Belfast and:

1.       It is 51 meters high which is 167 feet. *faints*

2.       It is the second tallest building in Belfast (the Hilton being the tallest).

3.       During ‘The Troubles’ it was the most bombed hotel in the world.

4.       It has 13 storeys.  THIRTEEN.  I thought the descent would be from the 13^th floor until my son pointed out that it would actually be from the roof making it the fourteenth level of the building.

5.       The Europa opened in July 1971 on the site of the former Great Northern Railway Station.

6.       Bill and Hilary Clinton and Michael Portillo stayed in the same suite there.  At different times I hasten to add.

These facts might distract me when I am hovering at the top, with the instructor in a death grip.  I doubt it though.

NOTE: Any sponsorship money raised goes to bringing reflexology to children with autism in Donegal.  If you can sponsor please go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/catherine-mcglynn 

My blog post on how reflexology helps the children with autism and a previous fundraiser for them: 
http://www.welovedonegal.com/blog/reflexology-for-children-with-autism