Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

I took part in an abseil, down the front of the Europa Hotel in Belfast, last Sunday (16/03/08) to raise money for "The Stroke Association". And the idea was great in theory, for one thing it was on my "bucket list", so it was nice to cross it off, and for another I have a fear of heights, so it felt like even more of an achievement. I am a great believer in pussing yourself beyond your limits when possible, in retrospect, it may possible have been a better idea to do this without a hangover :)



But while climbing down, my hand ached from holding on so tight to the rope which was in control of whether I plumitted to the ground below (ok so there's also a "safety line", but that meant NOTHING to me at the time!). While waiting in line to do the abseil at the top of the building, one of my workmates who was doing the abseil with me, continued to heckle me throughout the whole process, saying things like "don't worry, you're gonna die anyway, you may as well enjoy the ride!" and singing Monty Python to me "always look on the bright side of life". I ended up singing the song on the way down the building, which was all well and good until you get to the last verse;

"So always look on the bright side of death
Just before you draw your terminal breath
Life's a piece of s**t
When you look at it
Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
You'll see it's all a show
Keep 'em laughing as you go
Just remember that the last laugh is on you."

It was around this verse (in between shouting to another workmate on the building "ARE WE NEARLY AT THE BOTTOM YET!!!") that the bloomin rope I was gripping onto for dear life, started to slide through my hand of it's own accord! THAT was when I began to freak out, and think to myself... WHY would anyone intentionally put themselves through this? towards the bottom I remember screaming "i can't stop! somebody catch me! F**K!" at that point I heard a voice below me shout "I'VE GOT YOU!" and I was on the ground. I remember looking at the guy and saying thank you ALOT, and explained my fear of heights to him, and he said with a metre-wide smile "well thats a double achievement for you then!" CHUCKLE CHUCKLE... God I love chirpy types :O