I Can Fly

So, after years of stating that I would love to go skydiving, I finally did it. It's one of those things I had to prove to myself that I could do it. I've had friends over the years who have done it and all of them have stated that it was one of the most amazing experiences they have ever had. When we were still in San Francisco, I tried a couple time to organize a jump, but the stars never aligned, so I gave up and shelved the idea. I figured I would eventually get around to doing it before I turned 50.

One evening about a year and a half ago, we were at a couple's house we know, Shayne and Craig and I noticed a photograph of Shayne in skydiving equipment and I asked him if he had enjoyed it. He immediately bubbled over with enthusiasm and stated he had done it twice and would do it again in a heartbeat. I told him I had always wanted to jump, so we should make it happen before David and I leave Australia. After that night, just about every time I saw Shayne he would ask, "Are we doing this or not?" I would reply, "Yes, yes, yes," but in the back of my mind I was thinking that this attempt would probably fall apart too.

I guess it was about 3 months ago, Shayne called me and said that he was organizing a jump for our friend Gary's birthday and he asked, "Are you in?" I was like, shit, I really need to put my money where my mouth is. I've been contemplating skydiving for years, so if I don't do it now I'll probably never do it. I said, "Let me speak to David and I'll get back to you ASAP." David and I discussed and we kept going back and forth. We were thinking it's kind of expensive, so was it really worth 5 minutes of fun? We both hate planning things, so were thinking what if we got up the morning we had scheduled and didn't feel like jumping? Finally, after a day or two, we decided we were in. We got our date and it was the first week in December. So when the day rolled around, it was absolutely the worst weather and the skydiving company cancelled and we got moved to the first week in January. I was like, fine, I had psyched myself up and now I'm going to have to wait!

Finally, the day arrived this past Saturday. I have to say the experience was everything everyone said it would be and more. The sensation of free falling at 200 km/h (approx 125 m/h) is absolutely incredible. I was the last one out, so it was great watching everyone else go before me. They would lean out of the plane and disappear. The adrenaline rush was unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. The wind against my face was so strong that it made it somewhat difficult to breath during the free fall (in the video below, I look like a fish out of water opening and closing my mouth to get air). I'm not sure if I ever want to do it again, not because of fear of falling or safety, but because I'm afraid that if I do it again I will be completely addicted and will never want to stop doing it.