Sat next to a stranger on a delayed flight to Denver and it led to a new hobby

So my flight got stuck on the tarmac for like two hours last month, and I was just scrolling my phone, super annoyed. The guy next to me was reading a book about rock climbing and I made some dumb joke about hoping our plane wasn't as tricky as a cliff face. We ended up talking the whole delay. He told me about this beginner-friendly indoor gym near me, and I mean, I'd never even thought about it. I went the next week, just to try it, and now I'm there every Tuesday. It's been a solid six weeks and I'm actually getting better. It's wild how a random chat when you're just stuck somewhere can point you toward something you end up really liking. Has anyone else picked up a new interest from a total stranger like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

juliashah12d agoMost Upvoted

My local gym has a quiet corner with auto-belays, so you can practice alone without asking for a spotter. That privacy made my first visit way less scary.

the_stella4d ago

Honestly, that auto-belay tip from @juliashah is a lifesaver, and my pottery class started from a chat in a grocery line.

wendyk5612d ago

That's a cool story... I'm stuck on the "beginner-friendly indoor gym" part. What made it actually feel okay to start? Like, was it the staff, or the way the walls are set up, or something else? I always picture those places as being full of experts who would just stare at a new person.