23

I know, I turned 23 awhile ago. But I think I said I'd relate the events of the day. And so I will. Under separate headings, and clearly numbered like the drafting exercises I am currently doing for my profs course. =/

Skydiving!

I headed off early in the morning with about 4 hours sleep. I had no idea what was happening, but I was guessing somewhere along the lines of nice brekky in the forest with my significant other? 

I had brekky, but this was in the car. Mmm, salmon bagels with cream cheese :D. We drove and drove and drove. And yes, my sense of direction is that bad. I knew we were heading somewhere North East, by looking at the signs we passed. 

To be honest, I wasn't feeling particularly adventury that morning. I would have been happy with the bagels in the forest but nooo. We were happily chatting until....he pulled into a driveway with the sign labeled "Pudding Hill". I was like ":D eee! Puddinggggg", cause I thought it was such a cute name! The name seemed familiar to me. I wondered why. And then I read "skydiving" underneath the sign.

I think I brought this on myself. I did say how I had wanted to go skydiving for a very long time, and how Bear Grylls jumping from planes was freaking awesome x 10000, but I didn't expect it to be  this soon, I was broke, and so was the SF (not that I expected him to pay for me >_>). Turns out he saved all that from his work in the hols T-T. It was a strange feeling of dread that settled upon me when I realised. But like I said, I brought it upon myself.

We reached the area, signed in etc. I got to wear a child's jumpsuit (I'm assuming most Asians do), and was introduced to my dive instructor and video dude*. 

We all climbed into the tiny plane, all 8 of us. Then we took off. There was just enough space in the tiny place, with barely enough room to seat 3 abreast. And unlike normal commercial flights, we didn't have seats. We sat on a rubber floor while our instructors sat behind us, clipping on our shared harness. The "jumping hatch" was just a simple clear sheet of retractable plastic. You could see points of reference on the ground shrinking as we climbed steeply upwards. 

Self preservation is a very strong instinct. I learned that bungy jumping the year before. It kinda goes like this "WHY ARE YOU SO CLOSE TO THE EDGE, YOU'RE LIKE GONNA DIE WHY ARE YOU JUMPING YOU WILL DIE etcetcetc". They weren't actually coherent thoughts, rather irrational (as I was strapped in and was pretty sure that I wasn't going to die) feelings and emotions pieced together from rational instincts. I'm sure you've felt that unease as well, even for a minute. Standing on the 8th floor (or whatever), looking down off a building, where there was a tall fence/railing/glass walls. Even though you knew you were safe. Uneasiness, bordering on fear.

So when I saw the ground from that height, I felt uneasy. I was so close to the hatch. I could fall out. But no, I realised that I HAD to fall out. No turning back. Unless I kick, scream, wail, bite, threaten, punch, gouge....and consequently waste my SF's money. I calmed myself down. It didn't help  that my dive instructor kept looking at and showing me the altitude meter he had on his wrist. The meter climbed upwards like a countdown to death or destruction 10,000ft - 10,200ft and onward. 

Then it hit 12,000ft. I was first up. 

That unease is actually flooding back now (interestingly!). The feel of the chilly morning winds streaming in through the gaps in the hatch. The way I sidled to the edge, with my instructor behind me. The way I sat on the edge, knowing I was going to fall. The blue tint the ground had acquired, so high up. The small, wispy clouds that sat beneath us. The way...the wind roared past - so clean, so clear, so cold. 

I sat at the edge with my instructor as I was told to in an earlier tutorial. I declined to look down lest I embarrass myself and ask to be let off. It must be done! I stared upwards at the clouds and the  instead. 

The way it works is this: the instructor grabs onto the railings on either sides of the door, and swings back and forward in a controlled motion 2 times. On the third time, he will let go, and we will tumble through the sky, towards the ground.

"One!" gasp, ok this wasn't so bad.

"Two!" Ooo, three is next.

"Three!"

Yup, that was how small the plane hatch was. That was where I sat. That dude in yellow has his mouth open,  possibly in a scream. Similar to the way I probably looked.
This scene actually looks a lot like the photo that got taken of me o_o.
You could barely see the ground from up there...

I screamed as we fell. I'm not sure if you've experienced the feeling of pure falling (weird term) for more than  a meter or two. There is this amazing pull (yes I know, it's gravity), and you're going faster and faster. Instinct says it'll be over soon, but you accelerate like mad. The moment of fear lasts for maybe the first 20m, but that's what, 2s? The fear ends then, but it generates an adrenalin rush that lasts for the next 30 minutes. 

Down at base, my SF and others were looking for our plane. It was hard to spot amidst the blue sky, the rising sun and the fact the plane was sooo small. But then. They heard my scream. Apparently my scream was clearly audible from 3.7km away. Hebat! And they were able to pinpoint my plane's exact place in the sky. Aren't I useful? :D

Meanwhile we were busy reaching terminal velocity in the sky. I became quite aware that my fingers were well and truly numb. I had earlier refused the gloves they offered earlier on my instructor's advice. No ground rush like bungy, so that was good :D. I had a good look around, it was beautiful. The sun was low on the horizon, so the lights were a lot softer. Pretty. Cold, but pretty.

After we reach a certain point, the instructor pulls a cord, releasing the parachute. So we paraglide around for the next 10(?) minutes, at which point my ears pop, painfully. Really painfully. It gets warmer, and feels more humid as we make our way down slowly.

Reached the ground, landed, and was glad that I could cross something else off my bucket list (and didn't die while doing it). 

Adrenalin Forest

As per it's name, that's what it was. Organised by the awesome SF again :), me and friends traversed rope bridges and jumped off flying foxes in swaying trees...about 2-4 stories off the ground. Awesome! Until you look down.

Tada! Adrenalin forest. That dude (in the trees) was probably at level 4...  There are 6 levels of difficulty in total.  As we reached late we only managed to complete level 2,3,4 and 6. 

Ah, I remember this one on level 6. It doesn't look that high...but you essentially jump off the edge of a platform, freefall for a meter on that rope before hurtling into the spider's web. Which was difficult as heck to climb, being very loose and all.

Thank you SF you made my day!

*I read in the paper that the video dude was going to shave his hair in mid air to raise funds for CanTeen (kids' cancer society). He had long beautiful hair (I wanted it). Apparently on his first attempt they lost the scissors - as in it slipped from their hands and hurtled towards the ground. Imagine scissors at terminal velocity? Ouch. XD

Conclusion:

It was an...adrenalin filled day.

SF is awesome.

I might not actually pursue a diploma in skydiving. Despite the awesomeness that Bear Grylls is.

I highly recommend sky diving. Blahblahblah not for the faint hearted, but I don't think your heart will fail from 2s of intense fear. :D do it~~~