Mnemonic

Living literally within the shadow of the Blue Mountains you may be tempted to try your hand at rugged adventure sports, like walking down the side of a cliff attached to a rope.

But before you even think of learning to abseil be sure to double-check the bona fides of your instructor.

He or she should know about mountains and ropes, and have a working knowledge of gravity.

Remarkable thing gravity. Dangerous! (If you don't think so, click on PLOP! in the menu at left of screen.)

From an abseiling point of view gravity ensures that if you leap off the cliff without hooking up your carabiner you're in for a big first step.

Falling won't actually kill you—it's the landing that causes the trouble, so you need to keep your mind on what you're doing.

As any old wife can tell you, familiarity breeds contempt, and I sometimes worry that instructors have abseiled so many times and are so certain about everything, that they might occasionally overlook the basic needs of a student.

Should you decide to learn from such a person there's a precaution you can take. Take a red shoelace with you (those extra-wide laces from jogging shoes or football boots are best) and tie two of his fingers together to remind him.

The important part of the process is to tie them with a very bulky knot that gets in his way all the time and forces him to remember you.

It's a forget-me-knot.

And while we're thinking about old wives tales, you should know that there's no scientific basis for acrophobia.

It's an irrational fear that haunts people who think falling from cliff tops is unlucky.