40 seconds of fun!

I was very fortunate to be asked to abseil down the ArcelorMittal Orbit at the Olympic Park by a good friend of mine. Having always been envious of those people in my life who go along with the 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' as the key to doing things in life, this time it proved to be me with the right contact to do something I loved!  The abseil was amazing and although it provided me with the most unbelievable rush, meaning I was still shaking as I reached the bottom after 4 minutes of rope pulling action, I still wanted to experience something I had never done before (as I had abseiled many times before) - go down the slide!

And so it was that Ali, Linda and I booked tickets many months before, for a Sunday in December. We certainly took a gamble with the weather, booking for December, but the thing that wasn't a gamble was booking it with two of my more-recently acquired friends. The three of us met and subsequently became great friends through a physically and mentally tough Kilimanjaro mountain-climbing expedition in the summer of 2012. Since then we have holidayed, partied and shared some awesome times together. It is encouraging to know that we share a similar love of fun and adventure, and also I know that if there is a crazy activity to try, then these girlies would be up for it!

Unfortunately the slide experience was not to be for Linda, who abandoned Ali and I for a weekend in Somerset! But, undeterred by losing one of the slide gang, we went ahead without her!  We were in luck with the weather - a cold frosty morning was soon followed by a clear and sunny sky come 12pm and views across London and from the top of the Orbit were amazing.

After a quick and easy check in, we went up in the lift to 115m and the viewing platform. Some photos and mirror posing first, then a 10min walk down in the metal stairwell that runs round the structure. With bags and coats deposited in the lockers we once again boarded the lift to the slide entrance this time.  We are given a skull cap and elbow pads (attractive) and joined the queue.

With a few nerves kicking in, the staff were great. I was sat down on my mat, given instructions about keeping elbows in and head up and pushed into the metal tube of the slide.  The ride down was quick and painless! With transparent sections which allowed you a little view of the sky and many more closed in sections which were dark with a few lights, I reached the bottom in approx 40 secs, with Ali following soon behind! 

An amazing experience. I just cannot wait to go again (and take Linda with me next time!)