Before we moved to New Zealand, we had a couple of months touring the country in a camper van. My favourite memory of that whole tour was the Canyon Swing in Queenstown.
The Canyon Swing was essentially a bungee jump, but you wore a harness at your waist rather than at your feet. Its the highest cliff jump in the world, falling 109m, looking down at a river and rocks. It was so weird because I thought I would be the type of person to not be scared of something like that, but as I stood at the top begging the two guys controlling it to check the ropes so I didn't fall to my death, I was absolutely terrified. The first jump was simply me running off the cliff. But that was nothing compared to the second.
I was hung upside down over the cliff, my head pointing at the ground, and they said to put my arm up when I was ready for them to drop me. I can't remember whether I did or not, even at the time I wasn't positive, but I'm pretty sure they just dropped me anyway. I didn't breathe for so long in that jump. Even thinking about it now makes my stomach go mental. But it was totally one of the coolest things I've ever done.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Stephen Hawkings II
Last summer, we went to the waterfalls somewhere up North where we lived (think it was High Force maybe? Irrelevant anyway). Just as we had started walking towards it I saw a little rabbit lying on the ground in the middle of a big grassy patch. I think its legs were broken or something cause it could only move in a circle and I was pretty sure I had to be a hero and take it home with us or it would be eaten by something.
We'd only just set off though, so for the rest of the walk I wrapped it in my jacket and carried it with me. And FULL ON bonded with it, it was my favourite pet ever (minus ugly Maisie and hottie Connie). Like no kidding, I was talking to it and telling it I would get it to a vets and everything would be fine.
Except it wasn't. Because we sat down to have lunch at the top of the waterfall and everyone was getting grossed out having a crippled rabbit (aptly named Stephen Hawkings The Second by my brother) staring at them eating. So I laid it down behind us on a rock to eat my sandwich.
When I turned around little Stevie Hawks had disappeared. I was getting really happy there had been a miracle and he had been cured and bounded off into the distance...when I saw a hole in the ground.
My rabbit had rolled down the hole. I tried to reach him and save him AND I COULD FEEL HIM but couldn't grab him. In the end he rolled down further into the hole.
Worst day of my life. I actually cried.
We'd only just set off though, so for the rest of the walk I wrapped it in my jacket and carried it with me. And FULL ON bonded with it, it was my favourite pet ever (minus ugly Maisie and hottie Connie). Like no kidding, I was talking to it and telling it I would get it to a vets and everything would be fine.
Except it wasn't. Because we sat down to have lunch at the top of the waterfall and everyone was getting grossed out having a crippled rabbit (aptly named Stephen Hawkings The Second by my brother) staring at them eating. So I laid it down behind us on a rock to eat my sandwich.
When I turned around little Stevie Hawks had disappeared. I was getting really happy there had been a miracle and he had been cured and bounded off into the distance...when I saw a hole in the ground.
My rabbit had rolled down the hole. I tried to reach him and save him AND I COULD FEEL HIM but couldn't grab him. In the end he rolled down further into the hole.
Worst day of my life. I actually cried.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Mt Troodos
I can't remember how old I was, or where we were living at the time when we went to Cyprus. In fact theres not much I really do remember about that holiday other than my mum getting electrocuted whilst making the fridge work, spending quite a few nights in the Red Rum (I think was its name..?) Restaurant (where they thought cheese pizza meant literally cheese on a pizza base, no tomato puree or anything - clearly the worst moment of my life, or why on earth else would I remember that) and Mt Troodos.
We drove up pretty much to the top of this mountain, and had a wander and a snowball fight because there was just snow everywhere up there. I must have been relatively young, because I know my little brother John made me cry by throwing a snowball in my face and while I writhed around on the floor, continued to so for quite a while. But its chilled, cause after that his hands and feet turned all blue because he had some kind of circulation problem or something at the time. So ha!
On the way down, as luck would have it, the sky started going mental and a storm was going full blow. I remember seeing the lightening going right close to our car, and my mum was panicking as my dad was trying to dodge the ice that was all down the road. It was dark by this time too, which only added to the lovely journey down. We could see car sliding out of control down the ice next to us.
When we eventually got to the bottom, pretty relieved, we went to the Red Rum Restaurant where they actually got my cheese pizza right. By that time, with the best thing of my life in front of me waiting to be demolished, I'd forgotten all about skidding down the mountain dodging lightening.
We drove up pretty much to the top of this mountain, and had a wander and a snowball fight because there was just snow everywhere up there. I must have been relatively young, because I know my little brother John made me cry by throwing a snowball in my face and while I writhed around on the floor, continued to so for quite a while. But its chilled, cause after that his hands and feet turned all blue because he had some kind of circulation problem or something at the time. So ha!
On the way down, as luck would have it, the sky started going mental and a storm was going full blow. I remember seeing the lightening going right close to our car, and my mum was panicking as my dad was trying to dodge the ice that was all down the road. It was dark by this time too, which only added to the lovely journey down. We could see car sliding out of control down the ice next to us.
When we eventually got to the bottom, pretty relieved, we went to the Red Rum Restaurant where they actually got my cheese pizza right. By that time, with the best thing of my life in front of me waiting to be demolished, I'd forgotten all about skidding down the mountain dodging lightening.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Wasps
My Nan and Grandad's house was the coolest place to go, it was pretty old and all the rooms were massive with all old fashioned bedrooms and furniture. I think I genuinely used to think there were ghosts there because my Grandad used to terrify us at night into believing there was a little ghost girl in the top of the cupboard.
The best thing about his house was the enormous garden. It was absolutely huge with little fountains and archways and massive trees. In the garden in the summer I used to go out and save all the wasps that flew into the massive pots of water and fountains using a piece of string. I thought I was some kind of wasp hero, and used to get all emotionally attached to each one and name them.
I think partly I did it because ironically I was terrified of being stung by a wasp and it was like if I saved them they'd all be nice enough not to sting me in the future.
It didn't really work out cause a few years later in Christchurch I got stung between my fingers and the little bugger blatantly refused to get off me. So whatever, haven't saved any since.
The best thing about his house was the enormous garden. It was absolutely huge with little fountains and archways and massive trees. In the garden in the summer I used to go out and save all the wasps that flew into the massive pots of water and fountains using a piece of string. I thought I was some kind of wasp hero, and used to get all emotionally attached to each one and name them.
I think partly I did it because ironically I was terrified of being stung by a wasp and it was like if I saved them they'd all be nice enough not to sting me in the future.
It didn't really work out cause a few years later in Christchurch I got stung between my fingers and the little bugger blatantly refused to get off me. So whatever, haven't saved any since.
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
My Harry Potter World
Last time we went to Florida they had done up Universal Studios (or Adventure Island.. one or the other) to look exactly like Harry Potter world. I love Harry Potter, I wish I was at Hogwarts and I know without a doubt that I would have been in Gryffindor. And married to Ron Weasley, or either of the twins. Anyway, this place was my favourite place EVER and it was totally amazing. We went so many times...
Anyway, the ride was the best part of all of it. Obviously, I can't say what its about, because anyone that goes in the future would kill me. I went with no idea what the ride was going to be like and that probably helped as to why it was so so so good.
So I was looking at the photo on my wall, and it made me laugh, like every time I look at it. Not only because my parents legs are ridiculously small, but also because I can swear down that my expression is absolutely genuine. I nearly died on the spot.
Anyway, the ride was the best part of all of it. Obviously, I can't say what its about, because anyone that goes in the future would kill me. I went with no idea what the ride was going to be like and that probably helped as to why it was so so so good.
So I was looking at the photo on my wall, and it made me laugh, like every time I look at it. Not only because my parents legs are ridiculously small, but also because I can swear down that my expression is absolutely genuine. I nearly died on the spot.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Army men and Pornography
· Being the children of servicemen and women meant me and my three brothers travelled to strange places like the Falkland Islands.It was amazing for wildlife, we would walk amongst thousands of penguins and nearly have a heart attack over enormous elephant seals in the absolutely freezing conditions. We went there a few times when I was younger, but there is one little episode that I seem to remember better than all of that.
When I was about seven, my little brother was four and my older brothers were eight and nine, we stayed with a few army guys on a heli replen - a little island in the Falklands with refuelling pads for the helicopters. I remember us kids chilling in the lounge whilst my parents were having a drink with the army men in the kitchen.
We found a load of magazines under the coffee table and started having a read and a look at the pictures.. but these weren't exactly the type of pictures we'd seen in our books and my Puppies and Kittens magazines. I think we realised by my dad nearly dying laughing, and my mum having a panic attack rushing around picking them all up that we clearly weren't meant to be looking at them.
The army guys just thought it was hilarious, and slightly awkward, that us children had unknowingly spread their considerably large porn stash all over the lounge floor.
When I was about seven, my little brother was four and my older brothers were eight and nine, we stayed with a few army guys on a heli replen - a little island in the Falklands with refuelling pads for the helicopters. I remember us kids chilling in the lounge whilst my parents were having a drink with the army men in the kitchen.
We found a load of magazines under the coffee table and started having a read and a look at the pictures.. but these weren't exactly the type of pictures we'd seen in our books and my Puppies and Kittens magazines. I think we realised by my dad nearly dying laughing, and my mum having a panic attack rushing around picking them all up that we clearly weren't meant to be looking at them.
The army guys just thought it was hilarious, and slightly awkward, that us children had unknowingly spread their considerably large porn stash all over the lounge floor.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Manhunt
When we lived in Riyadh in Saudi we used to play Manhunt around the compound. It was pretty simple rules, you obviously couldn't leave the compound, there were two teams, one team hid the other team had to get you. It sounds pretty unexciting, but at night, on the sand, around the pools and the tennis courts, in the backs of people gardens and down streets it was pretty scary to be honest..
Saudi was already a pretty creepy place to be at night, especially when the Saudi prayers Salah was being sung/shouted out of speakers all around the country. And we took this game pretty seriously. There would have been at least ten of us on each team, and we used to scare ourselves to death playing it, crouching behind walls and under rocks watching the other teams run past.
I remember this truck which used to pile out thick which went all around the compound, I don't even know why it used to go round, but it did every morning and late every night. One time when I was walking down one of the empty back roads, thinking of somewhere decent to run to, I saw black silhouettes coming out of the smoke, three guys, one with a gun. Now, admittedly us kids didn't fully understand the risks of being on a British compound, but we knew what terrorists were. I don't know what made me more terrified to be honest though, the fact that three strangers were going through the smoke with a gun, or the realisation that it was some of the other team, one with a BB gun, and I had no where to run.
That's how I have scar on my left leg just above my knee, from climbing over a wall with wire on top into one of the empty houses' back garden. It was pretty intense for a dramatized version of Hide and Seek.
Saudi was already a pretty creepy place to be at night, especially when the Saudi prayers Salah was being sung/shouted out of speakers all around the country. And we took this game pretty seriously. There would have been at least ten of us on each team, and we used to scare ourselves to death playing it, crouching behind walls and under rocks watching the other teams run past.
I remember this truck which used to pile out thick which went all around the compound, I don't even know why it used to go round, but it did every morning and late every night. One time when I was walking down one of the empty back roads, thinking of somewhere decent to run to, I saw black silhouettes coming out of the smoke, three guys, one with a gun. Now, admittedly us kids didn't fully understand the risks of being on a British compound, but we knew what terrorists were. I don't know what made me more terrified to be honest though, the fact that three strangers were going through the smoke with a gun, or the realisation that it was some of the other team, one with a BB gun, and I had no where to run.
That's how I have scar on my left leg just above my knee, from climbing over a wall with wire on top into one of the empty houses' back garden. It was pretty intense for a dramatized version of Hide and Seek.
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