First of all we would like to say a big thank you to everyone for their fantastic competition entries on our Facebook page. In just over a month we’ve had more than 300 of you telling us just how extreme you are. We’ve been busy reading some crazy stuff and have had the tough job narrowing them all down to our top 10. So here are our top 10 favourite extreme stories from all of you lovely people.
10. Tami Ritchie – “Went out on a 6 day bender. No sleep and work in between. Not good working drunk”.
9. Austin Phillip – “The most extreme thing I’ve done was to travel Europe on my own when I was 16. I was skint, exited, scared and sometimes very, very lost. I met many strange and wonderful people on my way and I loved every second of it. Truly cherished memories that I will never forget.”
8. Lindy Hine – “Most extreme thing I have ever done was fall over a cliff in Devon! I was admiring some primroses, stepped on a chunk of earth which gave way and landed many, many feet below on the beach. Surprisingly all that I needed was a couple of stitches in my head. I was obviously built to bounce.”
7. Phillip St – “In a three sided lift, getting my arm trapped in the open doorway as it was moving between floors. Then having to work out whether I had to press up or down to free it, where the wrong choice would have ripped it off at the shoulder.”
6. Andrew Halliwell – “While in the Territorial Army a few years ago, I was on a training exercise on mid-winter. The temperature was getting down to -10°c and I was lying in a dugout on watch for 5 hours. To make things even worse my watch ended after dark and no fires were allowed as they’d be seen. My considerate “partner” hadn’t even considered the fact I might want a hot cup of tea and meal when I got back.”
5. Louise Comb – “Went to Iceland for the best holiday of my life: Snowmobiled across a glacier; whale-watched; White water rafted; saw natural geysers and mud pools, and OMG the waterfalls – often shrouded in glimmering rainbows! And I’m not usually someone adventurous at all.”
4. Rachel Humphries – “Did the Birmingham Walkathon (26 miles) last year. To get myself ready I laid off curry for a couple of days. Yep that was my training. I didn’t even buy new trainers. I am really determined and refused to give up so completed it. Problems was when we got home we couldn’t get my shoes off, after a couple of alcoholic shots we managed it, unfortunately a lot of my feet where left in the shoes. My blisters were so bad I had to have a magic skin medical product stuck all other my feet so they could heal. The most extreme thing I did during that day I would say was forcing myself into the warm bath with feet the equivalent of raw sausage meat. Yes it really did hurt. Mind you I’m climbing a mountain this year in a couple of months. Have I started my training yet? Nope. But I will stop eating curry soon, maybe?”
3. Maria Reilly – “Refused to fly, and having spending my next month’s wage on coach, ferry, train and taxi fares to get home! Why? Because I was scared. I went to see Bon Jovi in Madrid as a special treat for me and my daughter. So it all started really well! We left, got on a plane and then the plane’s emergency lighting came on and engines went silent. It was only for a few moment and then things went back to normal. However I was panic stricken. I clung to my seat for the rest of the journey to Madrid. We arrived, enjoyed the sunshine and went to the best concert imaginable. Jon Bon Jovi certainly helped send temperatures rising. And me and my daughter sang “Livin’ on a Prayer” so loud we lost our voices. Then it came to home time! We went to the airport and I realised I just couldn’t get on a plane again. I was terrified! I phoned my husband who went crazy and demanded I got on that plane but I couldn’t. I had to go back to the hotel and with the help of the receptionist we booked a coach, ferry, train and taxi to get us home at a cost of over £450. Not clever and it got me banned from booking any more concerts abroad. I can now fly again, although it’s still not a good feeling.”
2. Cath Beckett – “I went to France on the back of my partner’s motorbike (Honda Fireblade) with friends, my first time abroad, stayed at centre parks and ate frogs legs, squid and other strange foods, drank loads of wine of course and did plenty of outdoor activities. On returning home i found out i was pregnant with twins. I was very lucky I had boys who are three year’s old now and both fine, no thanks to my exploits. “
1. Vicky-Louise Robinson – “When I was a child I lived in a mud hut in Kano Nigeria with my parents and two sisters. We spent several years out there while my dad taught in the state Polytechnic. More recently everyone thinks I’m extreme because I have 8 children.”
Congratulations Vicky-Louise. For going from one extreme lifestyle to another we salute you. As a reward for this you will receive the brand new Scroll Extreme.