I have the weirdest phobia, a fear of heights. Whenever I get on an open cliff face, a high balcony with only a rail to separate me from a fall, or similar heights where there is a risk that I could jump off, I get a giddy feeling in the pit of my stomach and have to grip onto the railing for dear life. It's odd, too, because it's also almost a pleasing feeling, kind of like being 'high', if that makes any sense.
In any photo of me in such places, you will always see me gripping onto something (usually with both hands) with either a giddy look or a look of concentration. It's a fact.
Yet, despite this phobia, I've managed to abseil and sky dive. I get the wickedest high when I do things like this and usually laugh like a maniac all the way down. It's a wonderful feeling.
Unfortunately, it's also stopped from doing things I would have liked to
have done. Namely, in the south part of Western Australia, there are still giant Tingle Trees left that reach heights of almost 100 meters. They're the second or third largest trees in the world - simply enormous. Until just recently these giants were used as fire lookouts. These are now open to the public - anyone can climb up to the fire lookout on the bicentennial tree (the highest fire lookout of them all) at a whopping 70 meters up. Nicole and I made it to the first platform at 25 meters. At that height I found myself gripping the railing and quite unwilling to go any higher.Give me a harness, a parachute, a bungee cord, something, anything mechanical, as a support system and, dammit, I would have made it!
For shame.
