Do Something Everyday That Scares You

Happy Summer!

The season I’ve been waiting for is here! Carefree days of less layers, the early morning buzz of a hot day, hazy afternoons, peaches, for now still longish days, people a little happier and of course beach season! 

The heat arrived last week. No warning of a few in-between days, it’s like someone switched up the thermostat. Which was perfect as this past weekend was kinda action packed with an afternoon at PortAventura World Caribe Aquatic Park and Sunday’s Maori Race’s 7km obstacle run through shaded woods.

After the Isla Fantasia the week before and knowing we had a car for the weekend for the Maori Race I asked if P was game for another water park, PortAventura Caribe Aquatic Park. We’d been last year and enjoyed it way more than the Isla Fantasia. We decided to go Friday instead of Saturday as after the Isla Fantasia we were both kinda knackered afterwards like little kids who’ve been playing out all day and we had the Maori Race on Sunday, which actually worked out better. Less kids and crowds. After a beach run, it was time to leave for PortAventura with me feeling out of sorts. I always leave with my hair in a plait and a cap as I cycle everywhere. Leaving with my hair down didn’t feel right! As it was I forgot my cap as my hair wasn’t in a plait. Thankfully I didn’t get any sun induced migraine.

We had a blast at the park. The rio loco was worth the day dreams I’d been having about it. Sitting a donut float in cool water while dodging waterfalls and islands. Last year I was too chicken on a few rides. The Rapids, where you go head first holding onto a mat I lost my nerve first go. My courage came back 2nd attempt and I went back for more. I didn’t have bottle for 3 other rides. El Tifons, spiralled covered and shoot people out with a WFT look, El Ciclon Tropical a 19.64m high 100m with 2 sudden drops ride and the King Khajuna, 31m high, 55 degree free fall descent (photo here if you want to see a birds eye view of the drop). This year I brought my big girl pants.

While I went to the bathroom, P took up the Ciclon Tropical and loved it. Nearly everybody else who took it up complained their backs hurt coming of the ride. P was it does hurt a little, mostly you have a face full of water. I was okay, my turn. P later said he kept talking to me climbing the stairs so I wouldn’t think about it. His plan backfired as I wasn’t listening anyway. I was too busy calming myself, psyching myself up, telling myself just do it! P went first, knowing what to expect. I didn’t enjoy it that much, but it was over before I knew it with no friction marked back as I raised my head and shoulders slightly going down.

It really was a big girl pants day as while I didn’t enjoy the Ciclon Tropical it wasn’t that bad. I kept looking at King Khajuna thinking I can do that. P was surprised and started asking where all this bravery came from. My response, don’t question it, take it up while I’m still game!

King Khajuna, yellow ride in the background. 

As the flights of stairs increased the more my legs were turning to jelly, the more I got quiet. I decided to go first as I’d probably chickened out if P had gone first. It took me a moment sitting at the top with the water running down to go. The monitors like go, go and I’m, I need a moment! Sitting in the water, racing through my mind there’s no going back now. If I try and get out, I’ll probably end up going the wrong way down or fall off. Just do it! What seemed like forever, probably less than 20 seconds I told myself breathe it’ll all be over soon as I literally dropped off the edge. The guy in front had screamed which didn’t help! The slide doesn’t take you down, you have to push off. Do something that scares you every day right? I lost my tummy for a moment as I fell 6m per second thinking it’s nearly over! Before I knew it I was sitting in water at the bottom with a major wedgie! I felt it go on the way down! I think I would have done it again if I didn’t get a massive bruise immediately on my calf. I was still shaking a little as P went for his turn! I think he was just as nervous taking a few moments to go. He said later, I was zen like as I went down. That’s my way of dealing with the scariness, go quiet and I think I used a week’s worth of do something everyday that scares you. And trust the water particles. Studies have been done showing water has feeling. If it does, that park is full of happy water particles!

El Tifons hiding behind the palm trees. 

Like big kids not wanting to leave making sure we had last go rides as the park announced they were closing in 20 minutes. I even took up one of the Tifons. They took some zen of just enjoy it before sitting in a pool of water. They’re fast and completely unknown as you can’t see anything apart from some LED lights every now and then. I would have loved to have taken up the other Tifon and a few more rides on the barracudas to make up for going down backwards on my last ride on the donut. I didn’t mean to and couldn’t turn myself around being flung around bends! Insert see no evil monkey emoji.

Last to leave hence no people

What’s the most recent badass do something that scares everyday you’ve done? Have you  been on the King Khajuna or another free fall water rides?