Approaching 30's- Part 2: Hair-raising twenties!

If you missed part 1 of my 'Approaching 30's saga', this will help you to catch up.

I had a bucket list of sorts when I turned 21. I titled it "Things to do before 30". Now with this big milestone approaching, I have been thinking a lot about what I've achieved and what I've experienced; most importantly its gotten me thinking about what I'd like the next 30 years of my life to look like. So in order to do the later, I'm taking a trip down memory lane.

In case you are wondering what hair-raising twenties is all about, the explanation is simple. It is all the things I did in my twenties that gave me goosebumps and literally made my hair stand up. 

Growing up I remember my friends always saying that I had white tendencies because my bucket list included items such as sky dive with a loved one and jump on stage at a rock concert. Mind you I got to do both, but with a nice twist. The first time I went for a tandem sky-dive I got to jump out of the airplane with members of my favourite local rock band- The Parlotones. To say those boys are a good mixture of fun and crazy would be an understatement. My day got even better later when I got to literally jump on to the stage and jam with them at one of their concerts at the Dome. Two items checked off my bucket list in one day, it was a great day.

Shark diving was next. When one hears shark diving, naturally you assume that it will be in a relatively controlled environment and safely behind a steel cage. That is not what my experience was like. In fact my so-called 'cage' looked more like a flimsy little basketball-hoop looking net contraption. I have no idea what still made me get into the water after I saw it.

Setting: Beautiful day, Umkomaas, KZN. We road out into the wide open sea, they dropped a barrel of sardines soaked in oil into the sea to call the sharks. Then we waited. First we saw a school of Dolphins and then things got real for me. I swear I could hear the music from the movie 'Jaws' playing. There were over 15 fins circling the boat, and even more approaching. It was in this moment that I was suddenly glad that I didn't explain to my Mom what I was actually going to do, and boy was I glad that I could pray!

Needless to say, I got out of the boat and dangling there in the water with my 'cage-thingy' not even tied to the boat, I put on my snorkeling gear and looked beneath the waters surface. What I saw defies any logic. There were sharks everywhere, and oh what majestic and awe-inspiring creatures they are. I've never felt closer to God than I did in those moments. Now seeing as the other crazy boys I was with were swimming in amongst the sharks, and being one to never shy away from a challenge, I eventually got out of the little cage, and joined them. I will admit, everytime a shark brushed past my leg, I would hold my breath in fear. I still get goosebumps thinking about it now.

Yes, I played russian roulette with my life...and even convinced my sensible husband to do the same. We went bungee jumping for our first wedding anniversary and then river rafting and sky-diving for our second anniversary. Good times!!

Part 3...Name-dropping twenties, dont miss it!