Rio - Skydiving

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Our first task upon arriving was to sort out the skydiving! we had arranged a provisional booking with one particular company .. but the hostel allowed us to make a concrete booking with another company through them and it was even cheaper .. result!!

Surprisingly neither Silke or I were in the slightest bit nervous the night before ... we just tried to resist the temptation to get too drunk on Caipirinhas at the hostel bar! Even in the morning, when we were on our way to the airport, it hadn't quite sunk in that we were about to jump out of a plane 10,000 feet in the air!!! The plane was tiny .. and in order to get our takehome DVDs they needed to send 2 cameramen up on it with us ... which unfortunately meant that we had to go up and jump separately. The nerves finally started to kick in a little during the hour I was thumb twiddling waiting for Silke to come back!

The flight was really cool ... it was a pretty clear day and the views over Rio as we circled ever higher were amazing. It was around this point that i started to question myself; 'what the hell are you doing this for?!' When the instructor started to attach himself to my harness, and explain to me in broken English over the noise of the engines where I should put my feet prior to the jump ... I really started bricking it!! The adrenaline started pumping when the door opened, and the 2 camera guys edged past to climb out and hang on the outside of the plane .. then my instructor edged us out of the door. I was hanging face down, with him supporting my weight for a few seconds .. before he let go (good job I wasn't in charge of that part or we would have stayed where we were!) and we started the free-fall ... with a backwards somersault nonetheless!!! A split second after leaving the plane I lost all my nerves and started to completely enjoy it! The noise and feeling of air rushing past my ears was incredible!! I would have liked to look down more than I was able to .. as you're supposed to keep your head up in order to keep your body in the arched position that keeps you stable in the air, but the glimpses I did get of the ground accelerating towards me were pretty exhilarating.

As soon as the chute opened it felt like being dragged upwards, we jolted around for a second or two and then there was complete peace and warm air! I think the free fall probably lasted 20 seconds or so .. and then the descent with the parachute another 4 or 5 minutes. Floating down on the parachute was as enjoyable as the free falling, but in a different way. With my arms out, when we banked and span I could have imagined I was flying, and the spins really made my stomach lurch. Also the views were stunning .. not as much visibility as higher up of course .. but I've always loved the way that roads, buildings, parks etc look from above .. and this must be the perfect way to enjoy that perspective!

We both are definitely going to do it again ... but next time I think it will be worth doing the course to give us the skills needed for a solo jump. The idea of being the one in control is as terrifying as it is exciting .. I can only imagine that it will make the experience even more addictive!

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Photos

Just after jumping
Look at the terror on my face ...

Comments

[KristinaDee]

Keen!!!!
So you have totally inspired me to go skydiving! So descriptive!! sounds amazing, glad you loved it! Enjoy Rio!