Not Your Average Tuesday

Last summer, on a Daily Candy-inspired whim, I had a go on a flying trapeze in Regent's Park. Three goes in fact. It was pretty scary but very fun and highly exhilarating and I was very keen to have another go but they were all booked up for the rest of the summer so I had to wait until this year.

Somehow, I was more nervous today than I was last year; maybe because although I felt no nerves walking up the ladder or standing on the platform, as soon as I had to do the counter-intuitive lean out over the edge, my heart started beating a lot faster. The same thing happened this year, of course, although I think my swings were more successful. This might be because as well as a few n00bs, there were quite a few people who had swung before, either on the "big rig" (like me) or as regulars on a lower rig as part of a circus skills class. It was certainly inspiring to watch the pros and I did indeed manage to be caught on my final swing, even if it wasn't the most elegant or ladylike of swings. I did it!

I still don't remember very much of the aerial bits, other than seeing the catcher dude's chalked-up wrists and almost forgetting to grab back (last time, my problem was that--untrusting person that I am--I tried to grab first). But it was such fun--maybe even the best fun you can have in Regent's Park with your clothes on? I'm now very tempted to sign up for circus classes. Or maybe just run away and join the circus...