Most Incredible Experience!
Seriously. Fucking amazing. It was almost better than sex (hell, with the way the plane was vibrating for the fifteen or so minutes it took us to go up, it almost *was* sex, but I digress).
I am so doing this again. As often as I can. Hell, if it weren't this expensive, I'd be doing it every weekend. From now on, skydiving is my thing.
Somehow I was declared a smartass even before I finished putting on my jumpsuit, but the instructors started it! Well, mine did. First, one of the guys did the whole what to do and not do thing. How to sit in the plane, how not to jerk the pilot's seat and not touch the panel (duh!), and how to deal with someone stuck to your back and not to grab instructors hands at any point (again, duh!) Then they gave us pretty jump suits and got introduced to our tandem instructors. Mine, let's call him M, started with how this is his first jump and that they promised to give him an actual certificate if he manages to bring me back alive. I told him that if he gets scared, not to grab my hands and not bother starting crying because once we're out of the plane, we're not turning around. He seemed to take that as a clue and haven't stopped joking since. Oh, and one of the instructors was trying to calm one of the girls by saying that he's been jumping constantly since his first jump in 1972. I managed to very innocently ask him "There were parachutes back then?", which for some reason cracked the rest of the guys up and they decided that they're getting a quotes board. *g* He kept mock glaring at me and threatening to kick me out of the plane as soon as we're high enough. Heh.
I understand the need for jokes. All of the guys were trying to make light of it to put us at ease. There were "Are you nervous about jumping? You should be, you don't have a parachute." "There's something wrong with your harness. Here, let me get some duct tape." "Hey, can you check my parachute? Is it upside down, because I can't find how you open it?" Personally? I kept waiting to be afraid and I wasn't. Don't know why. We got to the plane and it was possibly the tiniest plane I've ever seen. I've seen remote controlled toy planes bigger. I think my *car* is bigger. They barely fit four of us (plus the pilot) in. It was held by duct tape in a couple of places. I looked at that plane and decided right there that I'm definitely jumping because that will be safer than trying to land in this thing. I was jumping out first, so I was sitting between the pilot seat and the door, with my back pressed against the panel, and afraid to move because I was afraid of hitting one of the switches or something. Once we were high enough, the instructor had me turn around and he attached himself to my back, (yes, there were jokes about how he didn't know how to do that so I don't mind if he just hugs me very very tight, right? I told him sure, but only if *I* get to wear the parachute.)
And then he opened the door and rolled us out. Or rather stepped out and we got sucked out. And then we were falling. Fucking flying and falling. It's... I remember thinking at some point, "Oh fuck I can barely breathe! " and then "Are those tiny thing *buildings*? They are getting bigger awfully fast." But mostly? It's breathtaking and amazing and a *rush* like nothing I've ever done before. And over way way too quickly. And then the parachute was open and we were really flying. And finally, finally you can take a full breath of air and you have to do *something*. Scream, woop with joy. I started laughing like crazy. The instructor tapped me on the shoulder, told me to grab to the handles and stir because he wanted to take a nap. Heh. He was holding to the second set of handles but the stirring, even for a few moments, was also amazing (yes, I'm abusing the word. I don't care. It fits.) The landing was a lot softer than I expected. Probably because we landed on our asses. *g* They don't do standing landing until you do a couple of jumps. Again, I think I understand why. When I got up, I could feel my legs considering to fold back nicely and have me hit the ground ass first once more, just for giggles.
We walked back, and after a quick exchange of "After you take off the jumpsuit, move a little to the left and continue to undress, slowly... oops, did I say that outloud?" "Yes, you did..*pause* will it get me a discount for the next jump?" I got my certificate, which proudly states that I jumped out of a "perfectly-good-airplane" and a $10 off coupon for next jump (no, I didn't have to undress for it. Get you minds out of the gutter).
It took me hours to stop smiling. I think I still am. Did I mention that I'm doing this again? I think it'll be better second time, because you know what to expect. And if I still have a job next year, I think I'll consider taking the classes and actually trying this on my own. There's certain safety in doing it with an experienced jumper (M said he did 3,400 jumps!) but I think it might be even better doing it yourself.
I am so doing this again. As often as I can. Hell, if it weren't this expensive, I'd be doing it every weekend. From now on, skydiving is my thing.
Somehow I was declared a smartass even before I finished putting on my jumpsuit, but the instructors started it! Well, mine did. First, one of the guys did the whole what to do and not do thing. How to sit in the plane, how not to jerk the pilot's seat and not touch the panel (duh!), and how to deal with someone stuck to your back and not to grab instructors hands at any point (again, duh!) Then they gave us pretty jump suits and got introduced to our tandem instructors. Mine, let's call him M, started with how this is his first jump and that they promised to give him an actual certificate if he manages to bring me back alive. I told him that if he gets scared, not to grab my hands and not bother starting crying because once we're out of the plane, we're not turning around. He seemed to take that as a clue and haven't stopped joking since. Oh, and one of the instructors was trying to calm one of the girls by saying that he's been jumping constantly since his first jump in 1972. I managed to very innocently ask him "There were parachutes back then?", which for some reason cracked the rest of the guys up and they decided that they're getting a quotes board. *g* He kept mock glaring at me and threatening to kick me out of the plane as soon as we're high enough. Heh.
I understand the need for jokes. All of the guys were trying to make light of it to put us at ease. There were "Are you nervous about jumping? You should be, you don't have a parachute." "There's something wrong with your harness. Here, let me get some duct tape." "Hey, can you check my parachute? Is it upside down, because I can't find how you open it?" Personally? I kept waiting to be afraid and I wasn't. Don't know why. We got to the plane and it was possibly the tiniest plane I've ever seen. I've seen remote controlled toy planes bigger. I think my *car* is bigger. They barely fit four of us (plus the pilot) in. It was held by duct tape in a couple of places. I looked at that plane and decided right there that I'm definitely jumping because that will be safer than trying to land in this thing. I was jumping out first, so I was sitting between the pilot seat and the door, with my back pressed against the panel, and afraid to move because I was afraid of hitting one of the switches or something. Once we were high enough, the instructor had me turn around and he attached himself to my back, (yes, there were jokes about how he didn't know how to do that so I don't mind if he just hugs me very very tight, right? I told him sure, but only if *I* get to wear the parachute.)
And then he opened the door and rolled us out. Or rather stepped out and we got sucked out. And then we were falling. Fucking flying and falling. It's... I remember thinking at some point, "Oh fuck I can barely breathe! " and then "Are those tiny thing *buildings*? They are getting bigger awfully fast." But mostly? It's breathtaking and amazing and a *rush* like nothing I've ever done before. And over way way too quickly. And then the parachute was open and we were really flying. And finally, finally you can take a full breath of air and you have to do *something*. Scream, woop with joy. I started laughing like crazy. The instructor tapped me on the shoulder, told me to grab to the handles and stir because he wanted to take a nap. Heh. He was holding to the second set of handles but the stirring, even for a few moments, was also amazing (yes, I'm abusing the word. I don't care. It fits.) The landing was a lot softer than I expected. Probably because we landed on our asses. *g* They don't do standing landing until you do a couple of jumps. Again, I think I understand why. When I got up, I could feel my legs considering to fold back nicely and have me hit the ground ass first once more, just for giggles.
We walked back, and after a quick exchange of "After you take off the jumpsuit, move a little to the left and continue to undress, slowly... oops, did I say that outloud?" "Yes, you did..*pause* will it get me a discount for the next jump?" I got my certificate, which proudly states that I jumped out of a "perfectly-good-airplane" and a $10 off coupon for next jump (no, I didn't have to undress for it. Get you minds out of the gutter).
It took me hours to stop smiling. I think I still am. Did I mention that I'm doing this again? I think it'll be better second time, because you know what to expect. And if I still have a job next year, I think I'll consider taking the classes and actually trying this on my own. There's certain safety in doing it with an experienced jumper (M said he did 3,400 jumps!) but I think it might be even better doing it yourself.