DaysInOz

I tried doing a skydive in Rotorua before mom and dad came to NZ, I had it booked for after we’d done the whitewater rafting but it got cancelled due to bad weather.

So I booked it in Wanaka to do after the wine tasting. Andrew, mom and I got to the airport, I filled out all the paperwork and then they told me that unfortunately the weather conditions had changed and I wouldn’t be able to do the jump! I was starting to think someone was telling me not to do it (besides Andrew and dad) considering it had been a very nice day all day. But as we say in Sweden “skam den som ger sig” (“shame on the one who gives up”) so I rescheduled to do it the morning after.

So Saturday morning at 8.45 we got to the airport and they were waiting for me (even though I was 15 min early) so I had to quickly get ready, well, they would have waited but I don’t want people to have to wait for me, so I got changed as quickly as I could, I got my harness and got strapped in, it got double and triple checked and then I got to meet Bernard who I’d be jumping with. I checked that he wasn’t suicidal and then we went to the plane.

The plane ride was really nice, the views are gorgeous! I got to see the lakes, snowy mountains, vineyards, Mt Cook and more. Then I started to think, who is gonna take my pictures? Everyone else seemed to have a cameraman so I asked and he told me that I hadn’t booked pictures. What!? Of course I had, it’s taken a lot to do this jump and of course I want proof! Crap! That really put a damper on my spirit. But Bernard was great and called down and spoke to his colleagues and assured me that all would work out. Then he asked if I still wanted to do the jump or go down with the plane and go up later with a cameraman, I said that of course I want the pictures and he said I would be able to go back up on the next plane so everyone else jumped but we stayed in the plane. We went up to 15,000 feet cause someone was doing that jump and I got some oxygen cause the air was really thin. Then we went back down to the ground. Needless to say mom, dad and Andrew looked a bit surprised when I got out of the plane, well I think they were more surprised when they noticed that I didn’t get out of the plane in the air, but then they had explained it to them what had happened. Dad was so nervous he had to have a swig of whiskey :)

Then I met my cameraman and then we went back up in the plane. This time I jumped! I was the first one out and that jump out of the plane was terrifying! I hadn’t been nervous about the jump at all, not even a little , not even when the others jumped, but when we left the plane I could feel the fear. It was so scary! I was so high up (12,000 ft)! Then there was 45 seconds freefalling which was so cool. It was awesome, truly awesome! I was flying! Well, technically falling, but still.

When he pulled the parachute I got a little bit freaked out for a nano second, cause when he pulled the chute it almost felt like he had released me, it was so weird and scary, but as I said it was only for a very very short while. Then we were properly flying. It was soooooo cool, what else can I say? It was just so cool.

It took me 4 attempts to do it but I did it!

Ironically the CD with the pictures doesn’t work! I called them though as soon as I noticed and they will send me a new CD, so I will get it in a couple of days when we get to Christchurch. They did e-mail me a couple of pictures though so at least I got to see something :)

Getting on the plane (I'm last)

I did it!

I'm flying!

and I survived and still smiling