MY BIG FLOP ON THE BIG SWING

Weirdly, I’d been far more intimidated by the prospect of climbing 352 steps than I was by the notion of jumping off a platform 87m above the pitch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Big Rush operations’ Big Swing is the world’s only stadium swing and, according to Guinness, the largest swing of any kind in the world. One does not simply say “no thank you” when invited to try such groundbreaking things. But would it be bone-breaking? Confidence-crushing? I hadn’t given it much thought, until the climb up those stairs — actually in the iconic arch — was over.

From that majestic height, as tiny Durban snoozed and the beautiful sea slumbered, I was to climb down a small ladder onto the platform and edge out to its middle. There, directly over the pitch centre, I was to jump.

I was safety-clipped to the gills, to be fair, but as I edged out to the two men who would

set me up with the right ropes, some primal and totally unexpected panic possessed me.

Eee-liz-hu-baaaath, I wept-slashhyperventilated as one asked my name. Are you crying? He said. Yeeeeees, said I. Don’t worry, he said, lots of people do.

Big Rush’s Dale Hendricks had told me that “lots of people” also chicken out when they get to this part. Maybe I’m a crier, but

I’m no chicken. And in five-four-three-twoone … the rope was dropped and I went with it, freefalling for eight ungodly seconds, close on the heels of a strange shriek that, turns out, was coming from my mouth.

But as the rope picked up the slack and I started soaring up into the pendulum’s 220m arc, the terror did surrender to the rush.

As I flew like an inelegant bird, one lone, tiny figure watching from a seat in the stadium whooped encouragingly. I’d done it, and I was alive. In the relief and adrenaline and exhilaration, I felt more alive than I’d ever been. I bet lots of people do.