Well today was the day I've been waiting for, after a false start last week, the weather had turned and it was all go....
So I suited up, boarded a small plane and took to the skies in what easily is the scariest flight of my life.. There was no peanuts, no toilet and just two benches with me sat in a lap of my instructor (Jason). Then as everybody else leaped, it was just me left (well and Jason, oh and the Camera girl Keri and another camera man!).
Looking over the edge of the doorway with the wind making an incredible noise, looking straight down, was a terrifying thought, but it didn't last long as soon I was plummeting to the ground, from a height of 15,000 feet (the highest you can go with Tandem!)....
The feeling was that of complete adrenaline and of complete sheer terror and fear. Posing for photos wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do (but I was a pro), My head throbbing due to the attitude and pressure. Then suddenly it goes all quiet as the parachute opens and we come to a Holt.
The freefall was fantastic as it was so weird but fast, the paragliding in after was just strange, my legs just dangling with the world below me. Then having to adjust my leg strap (man did I do that slowly!). The pressure on my arms and legs was intense, causing them to go rather numb. With my throbbing head (its still aching now, a few hours later!), numb legs and arms I thought I was having a heart attack! Then just before we came in for the landing, I started to feel rather sick in my stomach (but I manned up and kept it down!).
Then with a slight bump, it was down onto the ground. The most exciting event in my life had just happened and was over. And I was glad....it was fantastic but never again!
After boarding the school bus back to the centre, I slumped into the couch, only for the receptionist to come over as I looked "a little pale" and got me to have a look at the photos.. Well I hadn't intended on purchasing the photos and video, but I had too. They were fantastic (Keri certainly was a lively girl!) but I knew I was never going to do that again and would regret not getting them... Sure my credit card wasn't happy, but I certainly was.
So there it is, after months of planning, the big jump is now done and boy was it great...its going to take days to come down from the high! Now I just have to collect the last of the sponsorship and try just to drum up that last bit of sponsorship. At the moment I have raised over £1050 for Shelterbox, it might have cost me over £400 for the jump (with the video and photos!), but it certainly was worth every penny...
For more pictures see my facebook album http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133889&l=5d850&id=851990250
