Does fear ever hold you back?

If you asked what my biggest fear is, the response would most likely be jellyfish. I came across a bloom of them while swimming in Antigua. Although perfectly harmless, somehow being out of my depth and at eye level with these squidgy pulsating bells didn’t especially appeal.

That said, photographing them really does and behind glass, they’re utterly fascinating. Whilst I didn’t swim in the sea for the remainder of that holiday, a later trip saw me venture in the water with sharks and manta rays.

So the question is does fear ever hold you back?

When we headed to Venezuela before POD was born, I remember feeling particularly uneasy at Caracas airport. Rightly so, the guide book I studied before leaving wasn’t particularly positive. The black market is rife too so changing money in the car park didn’t do much to put my mind at ease. Nor did the armed guards outside the hotel although it was wonderful inside.

The next morning we headed to Canaima National Park, home to Angel Falls, where our base for a few days was the jungle. The park is pretty remote but the plateaus of rock and waterfalls make for the most spectacular landscape. The Pemon Indians took our all our suitcases when we arrived as they were too heavy for the canoes. Each of us was allowed a rucksack that had to last the duration of our stay in the jungle.

Although somewhat unnerving, I was happy to go with the flow. It was quite exciting. But before long, I suddenly I found myself behind a waterfall with a stranger holding all our belongings (including passports) in a black bin bag. Two days earlier I’d been sitting behind a desk in London. The contrast between the two was so extreme, panic began to set in. We were standing on a ledge no more than two feet wide which was slippery under foot. One wrong move and we’d be brown bread. It was terrifying yet exhilarating at the same time.

Little did I know what was to come! It is thought Salto El Sapo is the, or one of, the waterfalls that featured in Last of the Mohicans. You can walk from one end of the waterfall to the other. The noise of the water was immense and whilst also wet and slippery, the path was wider so we were able to appreciate the wonder of nature. The wall of water was just incredible and our group got a bit silly trying to take it all in.

When the path became narrower and the water started lashing my face, fear began set in. The terrain became uneven after that and at one point we had to jump from one slippery ledge to another. You could barely see but in-between the two ledges was a sheer drop so you couldn’t miss. It was utterly petrifying. But when we reached the bottom of the waterfall and looked back at what we’d just achieved, it was quite remarkable. Would we do it again if we got the chance? Of course we would!

Linking up with Mum Turned Mom for #ThePrompt where the theme is fear.