Challenge Clarke pt 1

During a recent correspondence with my good friend Polly Williams, I was reminded by her of a series of tasks that were outlined during my brief tenure in Dorset prior to my departure. I was challenged to complete the following tasks:

- ride something not of the equine world (i.e. no horses allowed)
- find out about Mexicans before the Mexicans, as it were
- purchase, and enjoy parading in, some handmade footwear

I have, and continue to, endeavour to meet these challenges, and am delighted to say that one is complete, the other in progress and the last still awaiting my attention but with increasing urgency as the heat of the day is making my current choice of footwear progressively more anti-social.

And so to my first challenge; riding something not of an equine nature. After much deliberation I chose to utilise the nearby fairground in the central plaza of the town, choosing a ride from the gut churning spinning-ride-of-death family. My animal of choice was the Cyber Loop, displayed below in its full glory:


To counteract any voices of disbelief, I have taken the liberty of providing some on-board footage of my encounter. To spare you three minutes of my high pitched screams, I have obliged you with the latter half of the ride, from the point at which I am hanging upside down.

Chiapa de Corzo 12th January 2009