Questionable constitution

This blog is for all out there who have jumped at a sight of an insect or a rodent, all who have flown to egypt and not walked through the pyramid tunnels, all out there who went numb when a micrphone was put in front of you on stage. Phobia-a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding despite the fear, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational.

A trip was planned by the international students association last week to bring together the Erasmus students from parts of Europe other than Sweden, for one bash. The place was Grona Lund, an amusement park set by the bay on the outskirts of Stokholm. 28 signed up as soon as they saw the event posted on Facebook. Truly a place to be on a day like on the 7th, bright and warm with not a cloud to veil the sun for an instant. The crowd showed up on time and the bus galloped with its horsepower to Stockholm at 12 noon sharp. The damage was 250 sek a head including bus ride (privately organised), entrance fee to the park and an all day valid pass for the rides. Large groups of student command a very decent rebate on the entry fee, I was later told.

Excited about the rides and jacked up on surplus Vitamin D every one scattered in groups. A kid comes to me and hands me these coupons- one for a free ice cream serving, coupon for the carnival like games and a popcorn/cotton candy ticket. The family was on the way out and he thought he will donate away his unused coupons valid only on that day. Too good to be true? Well, thats what I told myself.

I am Acrophobic, atleast, I was. Thought I ll describe all the good things and bad things that you experience when you are on crazy rides. We warmed up with carousel swings behind us in the picture above. That was just to get a tingle down us to face the bigger and bad ones after.

The first ride was a rollercoaster called Jetline. I love speed but scared shitless at heights. This was so fast and furious that I didn't have my chance to react to fear. Thats when I had this epiphany- all that fear was irrational and it was powerful based on my subconscious suggestions that its impossible for me. Thats when I began to like the feeling of fear.

My favourite one was this one called 'Extreme'. This one looks harmless as the seats dont reach a great height. Its a Ferris wheel with more degrees of freedom than one can imagine. Bravely standing in line I could hear the screams of people on it. I thought to myself, it is called Extreme for a reason. With three star rating on the brochure, this ride seemed inviting till we sat on it.
Imagine you are in a washing machine ten folds greater than the greatest one you have seen. Minus the water and imagine what clothes go through during the wash cycle, and thats close to what your body feels. You literally dont know which side is up. The torque on your body is stupendous. Sometimes the blood rushes to the back of your body and sometime to every other extremities.

This one was called 'Tilt'. Three sets of seats go to a great height like a building lift. The red sets of seats stay parallel to the ground. The purple set of seats tilt once you are at the summit, right before you drop at terminal velocity to a gradual standstill. I was on the purple one. Yes. I wanted to face it in style.

The cocktail of emotions that one might expect an Acrophobe to have are of a very wide spectrum. Personally, I tried not to think at all. That was hard. When I was strapped to the seat, I began to question the safety of the seat. A quick check on the faces of the fellow passengers would either make me confident or scared as shit.

The rides didnt break and for some reason I cant help but admit that I have now developed a taste for heights. I questioned my constitution, my instincts and fear to realise fears are irrational mostly.
Face yours.