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!)

Ziplining in Snowdonia

Now I know that not all phrases or superstitions or the like will always ring true but in this case it certainly was 3rd time lucky!


Having booked the ziplining experience for February, it got called off due to the weather, and then again in May the Welsh weather got the better of us. So after 3 weekends wasted in Wales I was so glad that this time there was sunshine and no wind!


Going back 3 weeks previously I had also ziplined in Costa Rica, however this hadn't gone as smoothly as I had imagined it would. The normal ziplining technique of sitting in your harness and admiring the view as you went down was fine, but when it came to the forward-facing 'Superman' technique for the final 1km ride I freaked. I mean freaked!  My nerves overcame me, I had visions of breaking the wire, breaking bones, falling out of the harness.... plus being the kind person that I am, I had let others go before me as I was feeling guilty about holding them up! So I was left, almost stranded, up a 20m tower in Costa Rica with the staff there getting annoyed at me slowing down the flow of people and I was getting more and more upset because I didn't know what to do - would I find my way back if I walked to the centre? Would the others even still be there waiting for me? As it was, on the start of my walk back I was met by one of the employees at the centre who talked me round and offered to ride the zipline with me. His calm nature and patience helped me to change my mind and after a wait of 30mins or so I did it!


The above ziplining issue was playing in my head. Over, and over, and over again this past weekend before the big day.  Had I managed to ride the Welsh zipline in February or May things in Costa Rica may well have been different! But this was not the case. Come the Friday night and I got very little sleep. The Saturday morning was no better as I almost passed out in the kitchen. My head was reliving the Costa Rica moments again. But this time I realised this was my weekend, this was my ziplining goal and I had to do it!


So off to Zip World we went. Suits on, Go-Pro hired and instructions given. It was the little zipper first....


Then a 10min truck drive up the quarry. The Big Zipper was in sight. Convinced that the Welsh took safety much more seriously than the Costa Ricans I had complete trust in the people and the equipment and knew as soon as I stood on the platform that I would do it.  Speed calculating app on, phone tucked away, all strapped in and 3,2,1...


http://www.ustargroup.com/Hybrid/2016/08/27/129634_459218/MainVideos.mp4






Over 100mph and a mile later I touched down at the other side. Laughing uncontrollably I was heard to repeat 'amazing' and 'best thing I have ever done' over and over.


Now if we could just rewind the clock and take me back to Costa Rica, I think I would like to try that one again.....

Feed those monkeys!

Morocco. May 2016. Monkeys galore!


It was during our trip to Morocco that we stayed at Riad Cascades d'Ouzoud, near to the Ouzoud Cascades, not too far from Marrakech in Morocco.  As with our Oman road trip, Ali and I had pinpointed those places that were a little more out of the way yet equally as fascinating to visit as the major cities that most tourists visited this amazing country for.  The Ouzoud Cascades were at the top of our list having seen the amazing pictures on Trip Advisor and the like!


Our morning walk in the heat took us along a well-made path, past the top of the waterfalls, down to the base. We were certainly not expecting to see monkeys of any sort, though in hindsight the pictures on the walls at the riad should have given us a clue!


There were many, many Barbary apes along the path. Some were just minding their own business, others were getting up to mischief with their siblings and another group were intent on causing havoc with passing tourists!


It was one such havoc causing ape that I ended up feeding. With a handful of nuts from the man who we met on the path I had an ape eating out of my hand, climbing up on my shoulders and also stealing my sunglasses!


Cute, with powerful hands - a little claw like - they dug into my head with a vice-like grip! Thought of rabies or losing my Ray Bans to this little monkey aside, he took the nuts from my hands and made himself at home whilst feeding!

 

 

 

40 before 40: A change of direction or the direction to change? Take 2.

Change: it happens. Sometimes catching us unaware, sometimes under our full, conscious control and decision to make things better. It has now been around 2 years since I first began my blog, 2 whole years in which I have ticked off 17 and a half of the 40 challenges/experiences I am aiming to complete before 8th November 2019.

Things have changed, things have moved on - time, people, opportunities and things I regard as important or not so now.  Work has sadly remained the same, a constant incessant focus on pupils as numbers, as targets and our role in churning out the best data to make the school look good. A very sad state of affairs, mirrored in not just Secondary education across the country, but also in Primaries with pupils denied the joy of play and learning for enjoyment with the focus on SATS. My attitude towards having a balance in life has, however, changed.  Maybe it is the increased pressure within education to make teachers work miracles and the increased accountability for pupil results or maybe it is just the fact that I am getting older and realise that now I am a mature adult with a house over my head and in a financially stable position that I should prioritise things which make me happy.  But the outcome is that I shall be working (slightly) part time next year in order to regain control over my spare time and not spend ever waking hour focused on tasks to do with work. I would like to find a hobby, one that this extra day a fortnight can be spent on. Maybe photography, maybe art, maybe even some additional volunteering for those less fortunate than myself. With this shift in mind, I feel it also necessary to evaluate my goals and change them if necessary. No one said that the things I chose to complete by my 40th birthday were set in stone! So, amendments are below:

Before I am 40 I want to...

1. Go in a hot air balloon
2. Get two more tattoos - After getting my second tattoo (first additional one), I actually think I am happy with the two that I have. Both are discrete, will not annoy me when older, are personal and have meaning to me, plus part of me is now wondering if I got a third whether I would be getting one just for the sake of it! So I think I'll stick with two! 
3. Go husky sledding
4. Snowboard down a blue run without falling!
5. Try microdermabrasion  - to see if it is as good as others say!
6. Go down the slide at the Orbit in the Olympic Park.  Originally I wanted to go busking and make enough money for a meal - but actually how much would this stress me out, rather than add value to my life?
7. Wild camp and watch the sunrise
8. Visit Jerusalem as it is one place that features so prominently in my religion.
9. Go rally driving
10. Do the three peaks challenge
11. Camp at a festival
12. Zip wire in Snowdonia
13. See the Northern Lights
14. Stand under a waterfall
15. Feed a penguin - Or monkey or any other cute animal for that matter!
16. Do a triathlon
17. Give blood - something I always mean to do but have never got round to it.
18. Try mushrooms ;)
19. Camp in a tipi
20. Go up the shard.
21. Sit in a hot tub, looking out at snowy mountains whilst drinking cocktails!
22. Go to Vegas
23. Create a piece of artwork that I am proud to have on display in my house
24. Visit a psychic - a definite skeptic, I just want to see what happens!
25. Go zorbing
26. Write a blog
27. Eat at Dans le Noir - a massive challenge for me, the World's fussiest eater.
28. Fly first/business class - even better if I get an upgrade!
29. Visit Venice
30. Buy a DSLR camera and learn how to use it
31. Learn to knit - and actually produce something useful!
32. Go punting
33. Drive a jet ski
34. Cycle in the Velodrome at the Olympic Park
35. See baby turtles on a golden sand beach
36. See a film at the rooftop cinema
37. Visit the Great Wall of China
38. Visit Auschwitz
39. Run another marathon. Gatecrashing an extravagant wedding - great fun and great idea but so few and far between!
40. Have visited 40 countries by the time I’m 40 - currently on 36, 37, 38, 39 I believe, so achievable in 5 years!

And one additional one that is not a 'fun' one, but a necessity!

41.  To not smoke another cigarette from summer 2014 onwards -  especially when out drinking or stressed at work. 5 years smoke-free is certainly achievable if I stick at it from now :)

Now, number 41 has already been broken. Too many rums whilst watching the Rugby World Cup in October 15 and a train that was repeatedly delayed led to my downfall, however 4 years are still very much achievable!

Auschwitz

Auschwitz. A word which conjures up quite possibly the most horrific thoughts and images known to mankind. So then, why was this most infamous of places on my 40 before 40 list of places to visit?

I guess it goes back to my time at school. As a geeky 14 year old I had a couple of passions, my first being sport. I am also a massive fan of History, so much so that when choosing my options to study for GCSE I practically had my History teacher in tears, begging me to do History over PE! Luckily for my career path I chose the latter, however my interest in the historical events which have shaped our country and in a small way I guess, my life, has always been there. So I wanted to see for myself the place which has witnessed the horrors of the Second World War.

With an old school friend we flew to Krakow over the August bank holiday weekend.

Auschwitz itself is formed of two main sites open to the public for tours. Auschwitz I with its small visitor centre and guide book shop was the first stop on our journey. Armed with headsets and a small map we followed a guide around the edge of the site to the famous gates seen in films such as Schindler's List. Despite the number of visitors the site was eerily quiet, there was a distinct lack of birds singing and the sky seemed permanently grey. The buildings housed a range of people - men and women - and also were utilised for different purposes. The cells were unbelievably small, even for people of the time who didn't have the volume of food and the unhealthy lifestyles of today. Seeing the wall where people were shot, the vast quantities of belongings behind glass panels and indeed the human hair. Tears were in my eyes and whilst I held it together, many didn't. One woman in particular was quite overcome by the horrific scenes.

The gas chambers. One could see how those being led into them may not question that they were not showers. The original pipework remained. The sheer quantity of people that were killed here is still incomprehensible.

Silently we were led to a bus stop where we caught the bus to Auschwitz II (Birkenhau).  A 5 minute drive brought us to another recognisable scene - the railway leading through the main arch into the camp.  Again we were led around by a guide. Again we were silent. The bunks that housed 10 members of a family, the gas chambers in ruins and the railway line complete with an original carriage. All of these things added to our understanding of the events that happened there. Auschwitz II was vast, the buildings laid out in regimental rows and again surrounded by barbed wire fences over which the birds didn't fly.

Throughout our morning we felt sad yet at the same time respectful towards those that had died under this terrible regime. At times I felt angered by others who did not share this level of respect. Taking photos in the gas chambers, zooming in on the personal belongings and talking on mobile phones when in a room that evoked such sad reactions amongst most were all behaviours that others felt it acceptable to display. One wonders why they were actually there visiting in the first place!

Auschwitz has left its mark on me. Upon returning home I've read the books I bought and made it my mission to develop an even greater understanding of this period of European history. Although sad and sombre, it was one of the most interesting trips I have even taken.

What does failure really mean?

Failure - good or bad? For many, the word failure has a very negative connotation.  Indeed, as someone who seemingly breezed through school with a handful of excellent grades followed by university with a top degree, failure seems to have eluded me. Even in more recent years achieving a Postgraduate Diploma followed shortly by a Masters, failure in Academia certainly has been, thankfully, a distant threat.

So where have I failed, or indeed not achieved as I had hoped? Well at 18 I thought that by 30 I would be married and settled down with kids. However after a string of short- and one very long - term disastrous relationships, this has not occurred. Am I upset/worried/concerned/horrified at this? Selfishly yes, a little....

In my career I might not have progressed as I had hoped.  My friends and family have always seen me as driven, determined and striving to better myself. Why then, am I not aspiring to the ranks of SLT?

In education the recent trend has been to promote growth mindsets within the children we teach. "I cannot do it YET" is the phrase we want to hear our charges mutter, instead of trying something once then jacking it in for something more easily achieved to acquired the instant gratification the youth of today seem to always want. Yet as worthy as Carol Dweck's philosophy is in nurturing resilience, and it is wholeheartedly one I subscribe to in learning new 'things', there comes a time when people have to learn that failure is inevitable in some disciplines.  Not everyone can be good at everything. Take one of the sports I teach for example - athletics - and look at the different skills, body shapes, heights and weights required to succeed in different disciplines. In life we all have things we find easy and we all have things we find hard and may have to admit defeat in.

So why break up my string of positive 40 before 40 posts with some thoughts on failure? Well, my single status and lack of career ambition aside, I have done something today which I have not done for a long time. I failed. After 3 days of sea kayaking I had to admit it was not for me. I could kind of deal with the pain my back was causing, or the queasy feeling in my stomach as the boat overcame another 2m high wave but what really got to me was the fact that I was constantly at the back, always drifting behind. My arm strength was no match for the boys, nor the rough seas and I realised I was not enjoying it.  Me: an adventurous soul, a PE teacher, always up for a challenge. I had meet my match.

For the past 3 years I've struggled in my personal life with a number of issues, one of which has been anxiety which has brought about panic attacks in various situations, not always anticipated either! Today, I recognised those feelings, feelings which 18 months ago would have sent me cowering inside - afraid to admit weaknesses, afraid of the black dog chasing me down once more and afraid of how my inability to do something made me look to others. But today was different. Yes I cried. A little. Yes I felt stupid for enlisting the help of the support boat but most of all I didn't feel ashamed to say "I can't do it". 

In the past there would big things, big and small, that I would beat myself up about if I went anywhere near failure of a goal or task. I am actually smiling as I type at the times I have gotten angry with my lack of willpower for sneaking a sly smoke at a party or for having a walking break during a half marathon! What I've come to realise, and as today illustrates, it doesn't matter!

The support I've had from various people and the reading and practices I've done on things such as mindfulness have helped me immensely to get to where I am today. 18 months ago, or even before then, I would have soldiered on, in pain, tearful and hating every moment only to have a massive meltdown at the end of the day. Instead I got a lift in the boat and through the training I have done, managed to tell my brain and myself that it is OK to fail and when you've paid a small fortune for a holiday you are meant to enjoy it. We only have one life and if you don't enjoy something, change it.

Although a very small thing and I know people will scoff at its insignificance, today taught me a lot.  Whilst in my career I might never want to scale the heights of SLT, nor may I ever have children, it is OK to admit your faults and fail. So long as you give things a good shot! Precisely the message I put across to the kids I teach everyday. It has just taken me till now to realise that self - compassion is needed here, towards myself, too.

Bradley Wiggins eat your heart out...

'I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike....'

Well, I did until I saw this.....

Watching the London 2012 Olympics on tv and live (though not the cycling, unfortunately) was one of the most amazing highlights of my life. Seeing the guys and girls on their bikes whizz round the track at ridiculous speeds and win all those medals, many gold, inspired me. I'd always liked cycling, though on a heavy mountain bike with chunky tyres and more off road than on, and certainly not on a wooden velodrome track.

So 3 years, almost to the day, after London 2012, Lyndsay and I arrived on a cold, wet and windy Sunday morning to meet our instructor, Paul.  We were kitted out with bikes, had our clothing checked (nothing in pockets, no jewellery, no watches) and shown how to ride on the flat 'cote d'azur' blue section at the base of the track. Looking over my shoulder, pulling myself along on the safety rail and pushing my feet down hard into the pedals allowed me to get started, all be it with a wobble.

Remembering that your feet are fixed, there are no brakes or gears and you are riding a fixie are thoughts that went through my head and literally terrified me! But after a couple of goes we were ready to try riding on the track - firstly the black line, then the red line, then above the red line..... This was where I really found it hard. On the curve I would end up riding off the track about 2/3 of the way round. Apparently my speed was too slow! So, with 'push down on your left' resonating through my ears I set off in the last 15mins of free time riding. I did it - 3 whole laps on or above the blue line, which incidentally is at 45 degrees and approx 2.5m up the track. It was scary stuff and my quads were burning but at last I could say I had ridden the Olympic Velodrome properly!