Friday, August 04, 2006
my triumph over the Standard Australian Lizard
I had been internalizing since I received Angie's mail and saw the horrifying pictures. I even had trouble sleeping. but no amount of internalizing could have prepared me for that...5 floors up. and 5 floors down. 3 techniques. all designed to give you a heart attack, one for each! and that rope was tied to a very suspicious, rusty, old gate. now tell me, would you have just smiled and said "bring it on!" hmmm...maybe some of them did say that. but not me. no no no. people were looking at me expectantly. I guess they were waiting for the "waterworks". but I was still smiling... no tears in sight, yet. but my mind went " " the moment we stepped into that building. I was telling myself, no way in hell will I do that. you can drag my feet and tie me to the rope, but I will never step on to the ledge. I will kick. I will scream. I will bite anyone who tries to make me.the first chapter: Standard rappelling
the anticipation was building up with every step I took. I was having enough trouble with climbing up to do anymore thinking. and when i reached the 5th floor "oh oh". they started strapping the harness and i just couldn't keep it in anymore, tears everywhere. tear after tear after tear. i was grasping for breath. even Paulo's "nanginginig" na paa wasn't even enough to make me smile (bumawi ako after) but jay's frantic shout for his mommy did. it was too hilarious not to. before I knew it, my turn already. and the tears were at it again. i guess the Makati rescue people saw my fear (everybody did) so one of them volunteered to accompany me on my way down...at some point he was the one pulling my rope. and everybody was running to catch up with me on every floor. but i could pretty much see and hear only one person: my sister. the rest was a blur. after a couple more thug and whole lot of sweating..finally "thump". my feet on the ground. i did it!!!!!! i finally heard the cheering of my fellow trainees and other members. i called my dad during lunch...his voice was enough to make me brave for the last two.
chapter 2: the not so slimy Lizard
this i have to say was the worst of them all. when you step off the ledge, first you sit on the rope. slowly you lean back...and then you flip. you actually flip. you are upside down. you actually feel like you're falling...the worst position of all. i kept my eyes close. they were shouting at me to open them so that i could see any obstacle but i couldn't. i knew that if i did, i would have given up right then and there. no questions asked i would have jst quit. so as much as i'd rather have done it with a little more dignity, i opted to just keep 'em shut and just pull pull pull. they say i did it faster than some but how could i not when all i was thinking was "i would have a heart attack or panic attack if i didn't pull that freakin' rope." never mind the bumps or cuts that i could incur, i would live. the important thing is my feet hitting that slippery muddy green plank. and it did. chapter 3: do it the aussie way
again..i shut my eyes and hoped for the best. this is like plunging to the unknown... except i did knew where i'll end up. the key here was BALANCE, something i never gained/learned. and u had to open your arms wide. even the hand holding the rope has to be kept away from the body. so imagine me dangling on a rope and twirling. i tried not to panic but you're twirling 3 floors up, how was i suppose to stay calm??? but the more you panic the more u twirl so again i just kept pulling and pulling. it did feel like i was floating especially with my eyes close. i tell you, it was not a very good feeling. all i wanted to hear where the words "stop". in all honesty, i think have begun to form an attachment to that still muddy, very hard, solid, green board. though it did not serve any comfy purposes, it always always signified my safe return. (hahaha...parang galing moon) when my feet finally thumps that piece of wood, only then can i smile again. more like rejoice actually.
again..i shut my eyes and hoped for the best. this is like plunging to the unknown... except i did knew where i'll end up. the key here was BALANCE, something i never gained/learned. and u had to open your arms wide. even the hand holding the rope has to be kept away from the body. so imagine me dangling on a rope and twirling. i tried not to panic but you're twirling 3 floors up, how was i suppose to stay calm??? but the more you panic the more u twirl so again i just kept pulling and pulling. it did feel like i was floating especially with my eyes close. i tell you, it was not a very good feeling. all i wanted to hear where the words "stop". in all honesty, i think have begun to form an attachment to that still muddy, very hard, solid, green board. though it did not serve any comfy purposes, it always always signified my safe return. (hahaha...parang galing moon) when my feet finally thumps that piece of wood, only then can i smile again. more like rejoice actually. so there you go. i did it. not with much dignity as i would have preferred but that would do. i can finally give myself that pat on the back. i had overcome my fear even for just a few seconds. i wonder...can i know use that "shangri-la escalator"? hmmm..we'll see.
12:07 AM
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