02 November 2011

Vacation: Go Ape Adventure

I've been sidetracked from the vacation posts while I was editing my young adult novel. But I need to finish these, so here goes!

As I said in my last post, before we went to Inchmahome Priory and Doune Castle, I spent the morning climbing trees and swinging on zip lines.

In the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park, the Go Ape Adventure has five sites set up amongst the trees.



Those sites involve climbing up into the trees - a good 30 feet off the ground and moving from tree to tree through various methods. After a brief training and safety lesson, you're off on your own.




Yes, those are my tiny feet.

Some of the ladders were rope, and some were wood. Both required using the safety equipment to climb. By the time I hit the last site, I didn't think I had the strength to climb any more blasted ladders! My arms felt like they were going to fall off, and my hands had no more grip left. And the rain in the middle of my experience didn't help!

But I struggled through the last site and made it to the final zip line - 426 meters long (which is almost 466 yards).


The safety equipment that was all there was between me and certain death. I clung to this (the blue line, per the safety instructions!) for dear life.

The zip lines were my favorite parts. I had always seen people using them on The Amazing Race, and they looked like such fun. Turns out, they're even more fun than they appear on TV. I would go on another zip line in a heartbeat.

I spent all my time in the park playing in the trees and swinging on zip lines. What I did see of the park was glorious. A beautiful spot for a day out from Edinburgh or a short holiday.

And this was me at the end of the day. Exhausted, but exhilarated. Filthy and fabulous.

No comments: