Fly fly away, then fall to the ground...


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Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Taupo
July 13th 2006
Published: July 20th 2006
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Coming in to land...Coming in to land...Coming in to land...

The rush, the feeling is so immense that it's difficult to put it into words...
On the 12th of July I did two things that I knew would change my life (for the better of course)...I stopped eating meat and booked to jump out of a plane...
That night I was so nervous (about the skydive that is) and couldn't stop thinking about it, so I was glad when I finally got to sleep and woke up without having any scary nightmares!

I had to ring the skydive company the next morning at 11am to make sure that it was all still going on, recently alot of people's skydives had been postponed due to bad weather. He told me that it was all go and that Ian and I would be picked up in about half an hour. It was actually a limo that picked us up which was fun and there was another guy in there already who would later go up in the same plane as us. During the journey to the airport we had to of course sign our life away which I am pretty used to by now!

When we arrived I wasn't sure whether to jump from 12,000ft or 15,000...so I went for 15,000...ahaha...I've been told it is a
Final thoughts...Final thoughts...Final thoughts...

The suspense is unreal, especially when the guy on your back is kind of crazy, in a good way...
completely different experience and totally worth it. So that means, a whole 60 seconds plummetting towards the ground!
Some of my nerves had now morphed into excitement, although stepping into the little plane and just watching the ground move further and further away was rather scary!
The guy who was strapped to my back was really funny, which made the whole experience even better. I just kept looking at his watch which shows you the altitude...15,000 isn't even on there!

We finally reached 12,000ft where I had to watch Ian and the other guy fall out the door. That got my heart racing as I knew I still had 3000 more feet to climb!

We were finally there, high above the clouds and ready to fall...my breath making smoke in the icy cold air. I was told to take some deep breaths in and out (which actually made me feel more nervous!), to put my head back and to bend my legs behind like a 'smiley banana' during the freefall. The door was open, the wind sounded like a maniac, a bit like the girl who had just sat on the edge of a plane. My head had barely gone back into the guy's shoulder and we were off...no going back now, all you could do was enjoy the rush of the fall which you seriously cannot put into words, other than amazing.

The minute freefall went so fast, before you know it the parachute cord has been pulled and you feel a slight tug as it opens...relief! I was still alive! My ears finally stopped popping and squeaking too!

It was at this moment when I really appreaciated the gorgeous scenery around me. Lake Taupo is 616 square kilometres and is just beautiful, I could just about make the snowcapped mountains in the distance too. The guy then asked me to hold onto these two handles, and then to pull down really hard on the left one and up on the right...because I was so disorientated after what I'd just been through, it didn't register that doing this would steer the parachute! So off we went spinning round and round in circles, not a good move!

To land I had to lift up my legs in front of me and slide along the ground. I couldn't and still can't believe that I skydived, the experience is just so surreal and over so fast. I am so glad that I decided to do it. I made it, I'd survived and was very much alive and it felt wonderful...

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20th July 2006

Is that it now!
Well Lucy Samara one again another daring stunt by you! it looked and sounds amazing, even if I WOULD NOT dream of doing it! Hope you dont have to sign your life away much more! DRIVE SAFELY ! God Bless mum xxx We need you back now........preferably alive and whole!!!cant wait to see you we MISS YOU SO MUCH X
20th July 2006

!
You are braver than me sis!!!! Nice one, cant believe you are chucking yourself out of planes..is it a bird is it a plane...its a vegetarian student falling from the sky. Did you get Joshuas balloon back while you was up there? Looking forward to have you come home Love you Sis xx PIB
20th July 2006

You lucky...
I cant believe they let you steer the parachute, thats not fair!! Im getting right back on a plane and neading to Taupo!
20th July 2006

FLYING GIRL
I did not realise how brave you were ,if only they handed out pharacutes for normal flights i think even i would go on planes again.Thanks for your kind letter yousent me its nice to know you still think of us here back in old blighty.
20th July 2006

Can't quite beleive you did this!! You are putting your bro's to shame with the Daredevil stuff!! After all this, SWF is going to be REALLY boring when you come back.........!:)
21st July 2006

Very brave!!!
Hey Lucy! You are sooo brave I would never do anything to do with jumping out of planes!!! Iv been reading lots of your travelblogs, sounds like your having the time of your life!! Can't wait to see you when your back! x x
23rd July 2006

Wow
Lucy Hewes WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO NEXT, its just like reading a book and you you can't wait to read the next chapter to see what the heroine gonna do next, You could be the first female J Bond lol, go safely xx

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