Most Exciting moment at PGL

A couple of weeks ago, my school year went on a residential activity trip to Liddington. We had so much fun and I wrote about my favourite activity...Trapeze.

My stomach does a backflip as the instructor calls me from the safety shed to climb the towering pole, stand on the narrow platform and leap onto the swinging trapeze.

I force my legs to cooperate with my brain, and edge my way to the wooden pole. So many things are in my head, bellowing away: "What if my partner can't belay?"*

"What if my harness isn't attached properly?"

"Will I hit my head on the trapeze?"

As people are cheering me on, I've decided I have no choice.

Cautiously, I feel the first grip, which feels loose. Feeling unsure, I tell the instructor.

He shouts back 'That's just how they're made'.

"Just how they're made?!"

All right. If I break my back, it's all going to be blamed on the PGL staff.

Deciding, for the last time I will regret not trying it, I begin.

''First right hand, left hand, left foot, no, right, no-''.

As I am quietly mumbling to myself, someone shouts for me to hurry up.

Now, that's gotten me going.

I climb as quickly as I can. When I'm almost at the platform, I stop.

I see the rope that is attached to my harness has gotten caught in the platform. Once again, my stomach seems as though it has sensed the dilemma, and lurches. Immediately, I start to tug at the rope to get it out.

Despite knowing it's a stupid idea, I look down. Was I going to be stuck here until the next dawn?

Suddenly, I tug with all my strength and the rope free. I nearly drop with relief. I stand on the platform ...

... and before I can stop myself, I leap.

*Belaying is when (for example) you are abseiling and a friend is managing a rope attached to the top of the building (or whatever you just happen to be casually abseiling down) so that you don't fall as you're abseiling so that you don't fall.