The 'Australians'

HAVEN’T I mentioned in an earlier blog post that rappelling is a lesson in letting go? Once you learned to let go, rappelling stops to be frightening and starts to be fun.

The Australian Rappel forced me to revisit that generalization.

Australian Rappel is how outdoor enthusiasts call that type of rappelling wherein your front instead of your back is facing the ground… way down under. Perhaps that is why it is called the Australian — because you face and stare down under.

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Aussie Bong

January 18, 2009; Coogenick Youth Camp, Batangas. I did my very first Australian Rappel together with some colleagues in Delbros and Anton Delgado, the 10-year old son of my boss, Ed Delgado. It was the second day of our first AB Normal activity for the year.

I was looking forward to it actually. It’s one of the milestones I have set myself to accomplish in 2008 so I was already quite behind schedule. That’s why I jumped at the first opportunity that presented itself. Of course in rappelling lingo, jumping should always be taken figuratively.

I was scared like s–t, but of course I kept it to myself. I was the first to go so I had nobody to observe and learn from. I just relied on the reassuring words of Jermie (Trasga) who was in charge of checking that I was properly and securely fitted. Somehow I sensed that he wasn’t too sure yet of what he was doing. I can only guess when was the last time he supervised an Australian Rappel. But it was too late for me do anything about it. It will be a big embarrassment if I chickened out at that point.

The moment I let go of the rappelling tower’s railing my knees trembled and I was ready to faint. But I didn’t and a few seconds later I was already down on the ground. A quick check and I was satisfied that nothing was broken. All my bones were where they were supposed to be. Yippee! I successfully completed my first Australian Rappel.

In that split second of jubilation I immediately knew that I have to do it again. My fear consumed me the first time, so much so that I could hardly remember how it went. It’s like my fear blocked my senses and my brain stopped recording the memory of the moment.

I promptly went back up the tower and did it again. Was it less frightening the second time around? I didn’t think so. In fact the reverse may be true, with my senses already in full operation and my brain recording every moment of the experience.

I thought maybe the fear will be gone the third time so I again went up and did it yet again. It was much easier and faster to let go the third time around but the fear factor was far from being substantially diminished. I even managed to run down the wall and discovered that it helps a lot in diminishing my fear (because the task gets over and done with much faster, that’s why).

I could have done the Australian Rappel a hundred times that day but I could swear that the fear would not have completely gone.

Which brings me back to the rappelling lesson and generalization I started with earlier…

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Fear Factor

That rappelling is a lesson in letting go still holds true, regardless if it’s the standard rappel (aka Alpine) or if it’s the Australian Rappel.

That rappelling stops to be frightening and starts to be fun as soon as you let go needs to be rehashed.

It’s fun alright. The more you do the Australian, the more fun it becomes.

It is the frightening part that misses its mark. I seriously do not think it stops to be frightening as soon as you learn to let go. In fact, I think the trepidation increases as you let go. It’s just that by letting go earlier the challenge is completed earlier, too. So letting go neither reduces nor eliminates the fear. It just stops prolonging it.

Don’t get me wrong. There are very good and valid reasons for being afraid when doing the Australian. It’s one thing to rappel down a 40-50 foot wall with your back to the ground (at least you do not see how high you may fall from). It’s completely a different story when you are staring down below. It’s as if the ground is inviting you to fall down and break every bone in your body.

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“Why am I doing this?”

And then of course there are also the hecklers down below. Again, it is one thing to just hear them from behind. Some may even sound like they’re giving you encouraging words. Mind you, when you are facing the ground you will see all your spectators. You get a sort of heightened sensory perception that you seem to be clearly aware of your surrounding, 180 degrees from left to right and up to within 50 meters away. You will see that some of those who are supposed to boost your morale are actually grinning ear to ear, obviously amused by the fool hanging precariously on the wall. Others are laughing out loud at every awkward step you make. Still others are rolling on their bellies while egging you on, half hoping that you will fall flat on your face for that would be even more amusing. And then you hear yourself saying, “Why the heck am I doing this?”

Those who have already successfully done the Australian (like me!) know exactly why they are doing it and keep on doing it. But I am not telling. Find out for yourself.

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