Monday 30 December 2013

Static line parachute jump

Yesterday, I rolled out of an aeroplane on my own...


I look cool don't I?! All suited up and raring to go (I'm on the left with my eyes closed - typical). It was the single greatest experience of my life and I want to do it again!

The strangest part was that I didn't even feel nervous. I love adrenaline-rush activities. I love roller coasters and I even loved Summit Plummet, the 120ft water slide in Blizzard Beach, Florida. However, I did presume that I'd feel some nerves when perched on the edge of the plane, strapped to no one and a few miles up from the safety of the ground - but it was all so surreal and I was just 100% excited. As the instructor tapped my shoulder and shouted "GO", I made the error of looking down as I pushed myself out of the plane. Instead of forming the perfect arch as I plummeted towards the ground, I dribbled out of the plane, rolling around, flying upside down, worrying my glasses were going to fall off and struggling to get back into the arch. If I had kept my head up, my centre of gravity would have been at my hips and not my head and I wouldn't have fallen out of the plane like a limp fish (very embarrassing when the plane is full of people with thousands of jumps under their belts). The wind was incredibly strong that I didn't quite get into the arch. Luckily, my parachute pulled and was undamaged. PHEW. 

I had a couple of nuisances but they were easy enough to get out of. I pulled on the toggles to move the slider down and open up the end cells on the parachute. From this point, I just enjoyed the view! My hands were absolutely freezing. I honestly thought my fingers were going to fall off. Eventually, I landed in the field, inches from the feathers, skeleton and blood of a dead bird, which made me feel a little nauseas. Landing was incredibly easy though!

Sorry this is a bit of a messy post. I am trying to re-watch Game of Thrones whilst typing. 

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