Oct 10, 2014

Ticking One Off the Bucket List with Sue MacKay

In August I flew to Sydney to attend the Australian Romance Writers conference. I blogged about how excited I was but what I didn't mention was that I going to push my boundaries and hopefully knock off one of the things on my bucket list.

I arrived there early in the morning and my roomies weren't arriving until late afternoon so no excuses about having to wait for them. I had a whole day to do what I liked. So I caught the train downtown and fronted up at the office for the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb.

No big deal, right? But I'm always a bit nervous about heights. I think I'm better than I used to be, but there's always that 'what if?' thing going on in my head when I get to the top of a ladder, and this bridge is a ton of ladders high.

So, is there a vacancy on one of the climbs? I asked after explaining I'd just flown in that morning and hadn't made a booking. I was told: 'The next one leaves in twenty five minutes. You can go on that as long as you didn't have a glass of wine with your airline breakfast and have eaten plenty.' Right. So no backing out. I paid quick fast and ate a muffin.

The whole outing took more than three hours. First we had an alcohol breath test and then our group was kitted out in overalls and everything from hat to hankie was hooked onto us. Nothing would be falling off to crash into a vehicle way below. Shudder. Way below. Now there's a thought. Then we had to practise climbing while attached to the railing.

At last we were off. It was a long haul to the top and worth every muscle shaking step. The view was to die for - okay, maybe not quite - and we stopped often to feast our eyes on one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Yes, Aussies, it is. At the very top, when our legs were shaking like semi soft jelly, we had our photos taken. Unfortunately for safety reasons we weren't allowed to take our own cameras. But hey, I've got fabulous memories. The weather was perfect and I could see all the way to the Blue Mountains.

 
Did I worry about being so high up? No, it barely registered, I was enjoying the view so much.
I did take a deep breath a couple of times and look directly down at the traffic buzzing past way below, and strangely it didn't make me nervous. Must be getting over this foible now.
 
What about you? Do you have a fear that you might like to overcome so you can tick something off your list of things you'd like to do?
 

19 comments:

  1. Sue

    Good on you I could never do the bridge climb I am not fit enough and I don't think I would manage being that high up LOL my daughter did it and loved it one thing that I would love to do is take a long flight to England or America I have been on short plane trips but not sure if I could do a long one but yep that is something that I would love to do

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Hi Helen, yep, the legs certainly knew they'd done a workout. I could feel the muscles for the next couple of days. But well worth it. I was buzzing and then the conference just added to that.

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    2. And Helen, go on that trip. It will be wonderful.

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  2. HI Sue, what a magnificent experience! So glad you made it. What a view!

    I've thought about paragliding but now it's not so much fear keeping me back as the need not to exacerbate an old injury. Maybe I'll just have to settle instead for taking my first helicopter flight. Not sure when but I so want to do it.

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  3. Annie, you've got to do the helicopter ride. That would be so awesome. Paragliding would be too, but you can't guarantee a bump free landing, can you?
    And yes, the view was superb, showing Sydney at its best.

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  4. Good on you, Sue, for doing the climb. I've done a few, at different times of the day, with different visitors, and they're always breath-taking.

    I've not yet done hang-gliding. We had a booking once, but it was raining and got cancelled. So I've yet to do that.

    I've been doing crazy things like that all my life, slowly working my way through them. My hubby has done a few too. I think it's good to get that adrenalin surge every now and again!

    So, what's next on your list, Sue?
    Cath xo

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    1. Ouch, Catherine, I don't know about next. I want to go to Queenstown in winter, attend an American Romance Writers conference, return to France, and cycle from home to Christchurch which is nearly 400 kms on a main but narrow highway used by large trucks. I did train for that ride five years ago and then life got in the way so have to do it some time soon. Unfortunately when I had to cancel planned ride my best friend and some family members said they were glad as they were worried sick. Watch this space. :)
      Hang gliding would be awesome - I think.

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  5. Wow, what an adventure, Sue! Good on you for ignoring your fear and doing the climb. Heaven's that view is to die for! You're right, Sydney Harbour is one of the world's great sights. :-)

    You know, think it'd be lovely to hang-glide…except… well, you know, what if one fell? ;-)

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    1. Yeah, Michelle, that's the problem, isn't it? Maybe our next goal should be taking up knitting. Nah, hang gliding wins. You first. :)

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  6. Well done, Sue! What an excellent achievement.

    For many years I've been intending to go for a hot air balloon ride over the Barossa Valley. As time goes by I feel more nervous about it. I MUST do it one day.

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    1. Hi Claire. I took a balloon ride out of Brisbane years back. It was fun. You don't know exactly where you're going to land, but it was different. So yes, you MUST do it.

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  7. Sounds like such a great adventure, Sue. I love the way you just rocked up.

    Fears. I have so many fears I'm surprised I get out of bed in the morning. One of my greatest fears is flying, but I love travel, so I just have be brave and get on those planes even though I shake almost the entire time I'm on board.

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    1. Hi Jennifer, yes, it is a problem when you like to travel and hate how you have to get there. Thankfully I don't mind flying. But then I'm not keen on boating if we go beyond the horizon. I have to be able to see land, even tough I can't swim five metres, let alone to shore.

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  8. Oh, Sue. I can barely look at that photo of you up on the bridge without getting shivers down my legs. Well done on overcoming your fears and making it to the top!

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    1. Thanks, Rachel. Coming down was harder really, because you look down to see where tp put your feet on the ladder thingies. But well worth it.

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  9. What a great experience! I must admit I'm not a fan of heights, but I think it would be worth a little fear for that incredible view :)

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  10. I keep saying I'm not a fan of heights too, but really I'm just being a 'fraidy cat. You have inspired me to suck it up and do this, Sue. I know I'll be all kinds of nervous. I know if I book ahead, I'll probably make an excuse and back out. So I might just take a leaf from your book and just front up and book on the spot. I know it will be worth it.

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  11. Sue, my palms are sweating as I look at that pic! Well done on being so brave. I'm not a heights person either, but I'd love to go hot air ballooning. Maybe next year in Canberra...

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  12. Well done, Sue! What an amazing experience and a fab photo to prove you did it! Something on my bucket list is to swim with the whale sharks in WA. We signed up for a trip to do this when we were in Exmouth but when we arrived at the place the boats depart from, the seas were too dangerous. And we needed to travel on the next day to meet up with someone so... but one day, I have every intention of getting back there to do this.

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