Challenge Accepted

Have you ever had that feeling of being on top of the world? My Everest moment was climbing the Gloucester Tree near Pemberton in Western Australia. This 61 meter karri tree was a challenge that I was going to master. It was originally used for fire spotting, but is now a tourist attraction (read dare). Standing at the base of the tree looking up I had to pause. No wooden staircase with a comforting banister circles the tree , oh no, 30 inch metal spikes have been hammered into the trunk at random intervals so that at times you are hauling yourself up. Right hand, right foot, left hand, left foot, no less than two appendages touching the spikes at any one time. This climb is not for the faint of heart or weak of knees. To kerb the danger chicken wire has been attached to the outer edges of the spikes, an illusion of safety. On top of all this physical exertion is the added thrill factor of passing. While I’m climbing up others are climbing down and yes we are both clinging to the same spikes. Someone’s shoe appears mm from my face and I freeze as with murmured thank yous and nervous smiles a fellow climber or two slithers past me on the downward descent. I reach the first platform of horizontal boards and am flooded with relief, two narrow ladders later and I emerge onto the third and topmost level. As fate would have it I find myself alone at the top. Here I am! I am king of all I survey. The urge to break into dance is curtailed by the thought of rocking the tree and I settle for exuberant fist pumping. Nothing can beat this feeling of being on top of the world. From that top platform I am looking down on a sea of tree tops; all kowtowing to their acknowledged king. After the obligatory selfie I gingerly climb back down. Touching ground I give my adrenaline heightened muscles a rest and glup some water. As I’m sitting there I watch person after person (young and old) climb a few feet up the ‘ladder’, pose for a photo and then quite eagerly head back down. My pride at having conquered can’t be denied.