How to confront your fear of flying head-on

The following is an extract from Lonely Planet’s book You Only Live Once and is republished with permission.

Grab it! That thing you fear the most – grab it by the horns and crush it. Board a plane, settle into a saddle or step up onto that stage. Learn how to take pleasure in that thing your body has associated with anxiety, once you’ve tamed its power over you. There’s nothing more exhilarating. First comes panic. Then comes adrenaline. Then comes the ease that you weren’t expecting. This is pure exposure: there’s no greater way to conquer a fear than to face it head-on.

Horseback safari

South Africa

Being taught to ride by a horse-whispering rancher is the best way to overcome equine nervousness. Triple B is a working ranch in the Waterberg Mountains, South Africa’s borderlands with Botswana.

A wilderness once beloved of Mandela, it’s home to big game, bigger mountain ranges and hardy herds of Anglo-Arabs, Thoroughbreds and Boerperds. Activities include yoga-in-the-saddle and game viewing. There’s nothing like catching up with a herd of giraffes to make you forget about your rising trot.

Essential information: Stay at simple but upscale Horizon Lodge, based at Triple B Ranch.

A head for heights

Italy

Head to the peaks, pinnacles and rock towers of Italy’s eastern Dolomites – since the 15th century, when French army captain Antoine de Ville scaled the peak of Mont Aiguille with a ladder, climbers have been ad about this corner of the Alps. Follow in the footsteps of WWI soldiers via the Vie Ferrate (Iron Ways), a skyscraping series of mountainside cables, metal rungs, rope ladders and chain bridges that allow access to some of Europe’s most heart-stopping views.

Essential information: Always check the weather in advance: ‘easy’ routes can become difficult when there is snow, ice, fog or rain.

Public speaking

Netherlands

One of the world’s leading improv groups, Amsterdam-based Boom Chicago are responsible for helping launch the careers of Seth Meyers, Jason Sudeikis and Jordan Peele. The American troupe perform

English-language stand-up and burlesque performances, and run classes and workshops in which you can master acting techniques that will transform your public-speaking presence.

Learn about body language, breaking down the wall between speaker and audience, and refine that awe-inspiring finale.

Essential information: Boom Chicago’s performances take place in Amsterdam’s Rozentheater.

Fear of flying

Many large airlines and private companies host courses designed to help aviophobes bring down their fear of taking flight. Most introductory flying lessons include a ‘walk-around’, where the pilot explains the basics of the instruments, plus the chance to take off, cruise and sometimes land a dual-control plane.

Other courses use relaxation techniques and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to aid neutralising the fear of take-off, turbulence and everything in between.

Essential information: Consider Virgin Atlantic’s ‘Flying Without Fear’ course or the SOAR ‘Conquer Fear of Flying’ programme.