My bucket list

A “bucket list”, it is a list of all the goals you want to achieve, dreams you want to fulfill and life experiences you wish to experience before you... well.... kick the bucket.

Life is short. You need to live it to the maximum.  You don't want to reach the end of your life and look back and sigh at what could've been.

I'm an earth sign and like my feet firmly on the ground, but there's a few items on my "bucket list" that I just have to do...

I have surprised myself in the past by doing a few unexpected things - decision sometimes made at the last second to "just do it"!!

One of those experiences was a micro-light flight a number of years back.  I was at a very dark point in my marriage and went away to make the final decision.  While I was away the opportunity arose to go on a micro-light flight.  I declined at first, but went with my sister and her boyfriend and then decided, "what the heck" and I went.  I was terrified.  Terrified and exhilarated at the same time.  I had never been so scared - I was in the air, with nothing surrounding me - just a seat below me, the pilot in front of me and wings above me.  Around me, just open air... and lots of it.  I'm not sure if it was the adrenaline, or if I actually enjoyed it, or perhaps it was the feeling of excitement after so much pain... but I can admit to going back the very next day to experience it again.

Earlier this year the family booked to go away for a weekend to a game park in Limpopo.  Waterberg Zipline (waterbergzip.co.za) is a little drive from where we stayed so I made a reservation for me and the kids.  My son - the one I thought would be bravest, backed out at the last minute.  I'm the one who has a fear of heights (or mostly falling from heights) but he was adamant he would not go.  I had nobody to leave him with so he had to come with us.  I somehow managed to (eventually) convince (bribe) him to do the first one - and if he really didn't like it he could get off and stay behind.  His clever little mind looked at the first one (a very short one) and realized there was no way to go back once he was there.  I told him not to worry, somebody will help get him back to safety.  He went "tandem" with our petite female guide, and as suspected, he loved it and proceeded to do a few ziplines entirely on his own!  I had to be the brave mommy that day to convince him it was fun - and don't get me wrong, it was a load of fun, but another exciting, terrifying experience.  Maybe I felt safer knowing I was safely hooked up to the thick cables with 2 safety harnesses.... but what if one happens to break....

I am not a fan of water - and even less of a fan of being underwater.  But I have a yearning to go shark diving (cage diving specifically).  I don't fear sharks, I think they're beautiful, very misunderstood animals.  The biggest fear for me will be the water.  But the thought of being in the water up close to these majestic creatures is certainly a once in a lifetime opportunity for me.

Once again, feet firmly on the ground is where I feel safe, but something I've always wanted to do is go on a helicopter flip.  It doesn't have to be a long flight - just a quick flip - just to experience the thrill of the air with the sound of the rotors.

Lastly (well, for this blog post anyway) is a Hot Air Balloon ride.  Again, the thrill of the air (although it’s a scary thought that I'd be in a basket relying on hot air to keep us in the air), but it looks so tranquil... peaceful... romantic.

I'm beginning to think I may a bit of an adrenaline junkie because as I've been writing this the thought of racing cars and drifting (with an experienced driver of course) has been going through my mind.... bungee jumping, maybe...but I'm not keen on the feeling of free-falling.  Perhaps I should test my nerves and take a visit to Gold Reef City and see how I fare against the rollercoasters.