When I was a young lad, I didn’t seem to have a fear of heights, not that I got many chances to test it but a couple of things springs to mind. As a ‘feral youth’ I once climbed to the top of a factory building without fear. I won’t divulge any further detail, just setting the scene….. In the military, I was in the rock climbing club. Prior to that I was moved from ‘boxing’ as it was considered too dangerous for me (military logic!). Following that, I did take part in annual adventure training, participating a few times in abseiling, where I seemed to be happy to lean back into space and then propel myself down a rockface with some gusto. In my early 20s, that changed, I lost my confidence and no longer felt comfortable with heights and so avoided it going forward.
Fast forward to 2025 as we prepared for our recent holiday to Australia/New Zealand. Chris suggested we climb Sydney Harbour Bridge, emphasising the once in a lifetime chance. I was painted into a corner 🙂 At the time, I remembered a visit to the O2 in London and noticed they had a facility to walk over that dome and I felt confident that I could do it. At the time we parked the idea. Mention of the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb brought back that idea and we went on a London trip and booked in to walk the dome. Not as high has Sydney Harbour Bridge but it would be a good opportunity to provide confidence for the holiday. We both completed the O2 dome climb and it was a physical challenge but no real issues with the height – the views were really nice and so was the fish and chips on the banks of River Thames after! Click the picture below to read about that wonderful day.

January 2026. We arrived in Sydney late January and our bridge climb was all booked. In the end, I had no real issues. In terms of height, I didn’t have any issues. It was high and the views were tremendous – Sydney is known for it’s iconic look and the bridge is part of that. It was not as physical as the O2 but on a totally different surface.
I am pleased to provide some pictures from that event below. In the end Chris was right (as usual) – it would have been a shame to miss this challenge.
Yours
Thanks for reading and supporting my sites when travelling – it means a lot!
If the “Sometimes you gotta ………” series of posts are of interest you can read more below:

- Fat‑Soluble Vitamins in Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs): Why Deficiency Happens and Who Is Most at Risk
This blog provides general educational information only. It does not offer medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Patients should always consult their clinical team for personalised guidance. Introduction: What Are Fat‑Soluble Vitamins? Fat‑soluble vitamins — A, D, E and K — are nutrients that can only be absorbed when dietary fat is digested properly. They… Read more: Fat‑Soluble Vitamins in Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs): Why Deficiency Happens and Who Is Most at Risk - Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) – A Spotlight on Vitamin B9 (Folate)
Before you read thisThis information is designed to help you understand how vitamins work in the body and how certain NET-related factors might affect them. It is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Every NET patient is different — tumour type, treatments, surgery, symptoms, and nutritional needs can vary widely. If you have concerns… Read more: Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) – A Spotlight on Vitamin B9 (Folate) - Neuroendocrine Tumours – A Spotlight on Vitamin E (Tocopherols & Tocotrienols)
🟧A general‑population overview with NET‑specific considerations where relevant. Disclaimer: This Spotlight provides general educational information about Vitamin E. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Individual needs vary, particularly for those with conditions affecting digestion or absorption. Always consult your medical team before making changes to supplements or nutrition. What is Vitamin E? Vitamin… Read more: Neuroendocrine Tumours – A Spotlight on Vitamin E (Tocopherols & Tocotrienols) - Neuroendocrine Tumours – A Spotlight on Vitamin A (Retinol)
Disclaimer: This Spotlight provides general educational information about Vitamin A. It is not a substitute for medical advice. Individual needs vary, particularly for those with conditions affecting digestion, absorption, or liver function. Always consult your medical team before making changes to supplements or nutrition. 🟧A general‑population overview with NET‑specific considerations where relevant. What is Vitamin… Read more: Neuroendocrine Tumours – A Spotlight on Vitamin A (Retinol) - 200 Lanreotide Injections: A Milestone in Long‑Term Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) Management
Disclaimer: Educational and advocacy content only. Not a substitute for medical advice. Two hundred injections. It’s a milestone that carries weight — not because of the number itself, but because of what it represents: continuity, stability, and the lived reality of managing Neuroendocrine Cancer over the long term. Lanreotide has been part of my life… Read more: 200 Lanreotide Injections: A Milestone in Long‑Term Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) Management - Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) – A Spotlight on Vitamin K (Phylloquinone / Menaquinones)
Before you read thisThis information is designed to help you understand how vitamins work in the body and how certain NET-related factors might affect them. It is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Every NET patient is different — tumour type, treatments, surgery, symptoms, and nutritional needs can vary widely. If you have concerns… Read more: Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) – A Spotlight on Vitamin K (Phylloquinone / Menaquinones) - A spotlight on Colon Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
Disclaimer: This Spotlight is for general information only and should not be used as a substitute for personalised medical advice. Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are diverse, and individual cases vary. Always discuss your specific situation, test results, and treatment options with your own specialist team. Content reflects current evidence and classifications at the time of writing… Read more: A spotlight on Colon Neuroendocrine Neoplasms - Spotlight on Thymic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (Thymic NENs)
Disclaimer:The information in this Spotlight is for general education and awareness. It does not replace personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Thymic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs) are complex and highly variable, and individual cases may differ significantly from the patterns described here. Always discuss your own situation, test results, and treatment options with your specialist team,… Read more: Spotlight on Thymic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (Thymic NENs) - An unmissable update from Ronny Allan covering April 2026
A monthly update not to miss……..Summary of April 2026 on RonnyAllan.NET I think the main story of April is similar to March which was a strong blog performance. Some of March was so popular that it has rolled into April and I have tried to beat those figures but failed due to external pressures. Nonetheless, the… Read more: An unmissable update from Ronny Allan covering April 2026 - Spotlight on Small intestine Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (siNENs)
DisclaimerThis Spotlight is for general education and reassurance only. It cannot replace personalised advice from your own medical team, who understand your individual history, imaging, pathology, and treatment needs. Neuroendocrine tumours vary widely in behaviour, presentation, and management, and guidance may evolve as new evidence emerges. If you have questions about your diagnosis, symptoms, or… Read more: Spotlight on Small intestine Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (siNENs) - A Spotlight on Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms
DisclaimerThe information in this Spotlight is for general education only. It cannot replace advice from your own medical team, who know your individual situation, test results, and treatment options. Neuroendocrine Neoplasms and related conditions are complex and research is evolving; guidance, classifications, and statistics may change over time. Always discuss any questions or concerns with… Read more: A Spotlight on Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms - Neuroendocrine Cancer in UK – a growing crisis?
I was delighted to read about the efforts of Dr Arthur Scott, a Member of the UK Parliament (MP). He is a great advocate for cancer patients and recently introduced a rare cancer bill in the UK Parliament which will hopefully make a difference. The content was very interesting and I was drawn to several… Read more: Neuroendocrine Cancer in UK – a growing crisis?
Discover more from Ronny Allan - Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer
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