Blowing S**t Up

The first time that you ignite the safety fuse on an explosive charge the instructors insist that you turn and slowly walk away from imminent explosion.

They say that this is to give you confidence in the safety fuse. I say it is so they can look with glee on the expression of fear upon your face.

You have been taught that safety fuse burns at so many inches per minute but that doesn't help. You have just set in motion something that is going to end in an explosion. There is something in that that just makes you slightly worried.

Some of the students walked away with stupid grins on their faces. I'm convinced they were bricking it as much as the rest of us.

Needless to say the safety fuses burnt at the correct speed and we were all safely esconced in a safe area when the detonations occured. There was nothing Hollywood in it at all. A dull thud and a compression wave were all we experienced.

Over the next couple of days we experienced all the joys of 'blowing sh*t up' and learnt how to blow up everything from trees to bridges. By the end the fear had gone and the childlike enjoyment of destruction was everpresent.