TIPTOEING into the Santus Circus big tent, I thought I'd exhausted the general hit list of things to do in the name of journalism.
I've gone undercover, pulled an all-nighter to observe Chelmsford's nightlife and I've chased convicted criminals down the street.
But that was nothing, for I hadn't had knives thrown at me.
Well not thrown at me, that's the point, but a monster from the Czech Republic resembling nothing short of a Viking warrior did throw a stack of metal blades in my general direction.
Pinning myself with fear to a piece of wood, I couldn't help mull over what Tony Novotny had said just seconds before.
The 24-year-old's knife once went astray while performing his "Spartacus" routine with wife Nicole, piercing her arm.
"It just bled a little bit, not too much… she was a little bit angry…no not angry, it was scary for her…she did it again yes, she has to, it's our job."
Right. Reassuring story mate. Cheers.
But in case you hadn't guessed yet, I survived two rounds of knife throwing in one piece to tell the tale.
Tony, who first started practising his routine on his sister aged eight, really is mind-blowingly accurate.
In fact I survived to try trapezing with gymnasts Walter Tocco and Suffolk lad Craig Attmere, foot juggling and also hula hooping to celebrate the return of the circus to Braintree and then Heybridge this week.
Le Cirque de France, founded in the 1800s and now run by the Santus family's seventh generation, knows Essex well.
Part-Russian, Italian, French, German and Swiss girl Ruby Santus, 19, daughter of co-owner Roger, has been coming to the county as long as she can remember.
One of her dearest friends, Heybridge girl Sian Hussain, ran away with the circus and its 30-strong team last year.
"If I wasn't in the circus I'd be a show girl. Circus is just my life and I have friends who come here but can never leave," said Ruby.
"I don't remember ever being afraid at all growing up performing because you have your family, your uncle and auntie, in the ring – it's natural."
Ruby, who was christened in the ring with an elephant, first starred in the show aged just four to help direct a host of donkeys, horses and geese.
Now that animal performances have been widely scrapped in the industry, she specialises in foot-juggling and hula hooping.
Asked what separates Santus and its giant 42 metre-round tent from its rivals, Ruby said: "Santus has kept it traditional. Some circuses are making it more theatrical and are putting the acts all together with the music which brings a story to it.
"But with Santus the ring master still introduces the acts one by one, saying 'from Switzerland, Ruby Santus' and after he will introduce another."
Driving back from the circus experience struggling to calm a slight adrenaline rush, I too felt I'd been given a glimpse into a family tradition.
Despite a couple of aches the next day after using muscles I never knew existed, I returned to the big tent in Braintree's Meadowside field, in Coldnailhurst Avenue, on Saturday for the show itself.
