Taupo - Like a Lead Balloon

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I always thought that skydiving was one of those things that crazy people do... Why would somebody voluntarily jump out of a perfectly good aeroplane? That was the question running through my mind whilst I sat looking at the clouds outside my window, waiting for the inevitable opening of the aeroplane door.

The build up to this point seemed a bit of a blur I don’t actually remember feeling at all nervous or scarred until I sat in the flimsy little plane. First looking at the female pilot and cracking a bad joke about women drivers... then I realised It didn’t matter who was flying the plane as I would soon be abandoning it anyway!

Alan I think was quite the opposite he was looking for any excuse to get out of doing this sky dive until he boarded the plane, where he sat looking rather calm and relaxed, that was until his guide amusingly ‘noticed’ his jump suit wasn’t on properly but it was ‘too late to adjust now anyway’ and the look of panic returned to his face.

The guy strapped to my back who I was jumping with, strangely was keen on discussing the amount of active serial killers still at large in England. Declaring he wouldn’t like to live in England as it was too dangerous... this coming from a man who jumps from planes ten times a day five days a week!

With the Alan the first jumper away we were next inching our way over to the door, being told to hang my legs out and under the plane then bend back in a banana shape. Hanging there outside the plane a few things went through my mind such as what was I going to have for dinner, did I lock the door before I left and why the hell was I about to do back flips out of a plane at 12,000 feet.

Sat at the door 3...2...whooosh came the rush of air, and probably the same from my pants as we exited the plane with the first 3 seconds wondering why the heck I was doing this to then turn into the biggest rush ever. Accelerating to 200kph through clouds some say it is almost like flying. No. You are definitely falling, fast, savouring every 1 of the 45 seconds before the parachute was deployed and being yanked up by the crouch and simultaneously ending any chance of kids.

The free fall rush was replaced by a huge feeling of relief as we floated down taking in the scenery from the lake, volcanos and to the distance Tongariro mountains before gracefully sliding on my ass to land with a big smile on my face.

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Comments

[Whitney]

i wish i were you i wanan do that too.... your traveblog is really interesting and wow! wonderful