How does one describe the feeling of free falling from 14,000ft (abt 4.3 km) up in the air? The heart racing sense of anticipation as you pause at the open door of the plane looking down onto a blanket of clouds. The exhilaration and immense rush of adrenaline as you push off and begin free falling through the air.
To skydive have been something I’ve always wanted to do and I was not disappointed. My first jump was everything I had imagined it to be and more!
I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel nervous at all. Yes I felt the nerves a little when the jump door opened and I felt the rush of cold air. But as my tandem instructor and I moved nearer to the door for our turn the nerves very quickly turned to incredible excitement.
The moment when we jumped out of the plane felt a little like jumping off the 10-meter diving board at the swimming pool. But that was only for a split second. The sense that you are actually falling is very quickly replaced by one of floating. I think that’s described as reaching terminal velocity although I can’t be sure. But whatever it was that 60 seconds when we were spinning and flying through the air must be THE MOST incredible time of my life!
This may sound strange but I felt a greater sense of fear after we deployed the parachute. I saw the ground very far below us and there was nothing inbetween that and my dangling feet. I felt a knot in stomach most acutely in the last few seconds as the ground rushed up at us when we came in for our landing. I suppose it would not be proper if I didn’t feel any fear throughout this whole experience since skydiving is considered an extreme sport.
It is also interesting to note that during the few days after my first skydive nothing was interesting or exciting to me anymore. Whatever activity I did seemed so bland and boring. I think I was suffering from a mild case of adrenaline rush withdrawal syndrome. :)
Looking at the images and writing about it now really makes me want to do it again. This time I would like to go for some training to that I don’t have to go tandem and can fly solo.
This activity is definitely not for the faint hearted but if you can find the courage to leap out a plane and fly through the clouds, I can guarantee that you will never forget the experience! I know I won't.
