This is our last day in Taupo, our bus is schelded for around 2.30pm . We thought we might called up the skydive company and see if we are in luck. There’s a few clouds around but definitely less windy. YAY!!!! We are in!! they are jumpin g today. We are booked for 11am but got picked up at 10.30am.
After the 17 km Tongariro Crossing , i was totally knackered. Every muscle and joint in my legs ache. Although i had a restful sleep, my cold has reached the congested stage where every orifice linked to my sinius is blocked. GREAT! I thought to myself. How am i suppose to scream and breath at the same time as i jump out of a plane at 12,000ft strap to a man with a parachute on his back ?!
Finally , today is the day i do my tandem skydive by lake taupo. What possess me and laura to sign up for it in the first place was a mystery . It seems like a good idea at the time. Now that i have arrived at the site, watching all these people taking off in the plane. Skydivers slowly descend down in a spiral pattern on to the landing site. All these sights and sounds are making me reconsider, ‘Are you mad? Why oh why did i sigh up?’ Fear has its grip tightly on me and refused to let go. The same lines kept running thro’ my head as the skydie people try to put me in a harness. i was still struggling with my inner tumoil when a blonde, surfer type suddenly appeared in front of me.’Hi, I’m Pete, i will be doing the tandem skydive with you today. Nice to meet you.’ I smiled weakly and quickly mumbled a ‘Hi’ as we shook hands. I didnt want to appear rude to this man because my life would be in his hands for the next hour or so.
The briefing was… brief. He told me to hold on to the harness as we jump, he will then tap my shoulder which is the signal for letting go and enjoy the free fall. LET GO?! Yeah Right.
Just as we make our way to the tiny plane on the edge of the field to complete this death defying feat. A tiny voice pops into my head and reminds me that this is my last chance to call the whole thing off. The next thing i knew, i was sitting in front of Pete , packed like sardines in the tiny plane with 16 other people (including the pilot and the camera man) . The ting engine of the plane roars at full blast. We gather speed along the runway and it’s off the ground. THERE’S NO TURNING BACK. As the plane gains altitude , my heart beats increasingly faster and the silence in the plane grew heavier. Perhaps they are not as nervous as i’m, they were simply busy looking out of the window because the view was simply breath-taking!
It didn’t help that the cameraman was trying to capture everyone’s nervous expression by shulffing a camcorder in their faces. I was furthest from the ‘door’ so i gathered that i would be the last one to take the leap of faith. The term ‘door’ is applied very loosely in this context , it’s actually more like a filmsy piece of plastic .
Suddenly , the ‘door’ was wiped aside, strong wind came rushing in hitting hard on my face like a cold slap from my arch enemy. It’s time to wake up and focus! Pete set about to strap my harness onto his. I was grateful for the fact that i wasn’t on my own as my comarades slowly disappeared through the doorway. One by one, they varnished out of sight.The plane now looks cold and empty . Pete begun to shift his weight towards the door signalling that it’s time to face my doom-!
Strangly enough, there was no countdown. I gently lean forward to take a peek at the tiny houses and the lake down below, pete thought i was ready to go so he practically carried me and launched forward.
OMG!!! Did i scream? Or did I SCREAM? From the moment i left the plane, experienced the breathless sensation of the sudden drop, spinning cartwheels in the air and catching glimpses of the disappearing plane; all the way through the free fall. I started off screaming with fright, quickly followed by delight and finally screaming loudly with estacy! Woohoo! The sensation of the free fall totally consumes me. 100% pure adrenalin. I’m totally pumped and I was flying!
This is quite embarassing , I was so scared to let go that pete had to physically remove my firm grip on the harness to assume th freefall posture.The flying sensation didn’t last very long (supposed to last for 45 sec from 12,000ft) , the parachute was enabled and we were pulled to the heavens. Everything went still and quiet except for the beating of my heart. There was nothing else to do but to enjoy the awe-inspiring view and the over whelming tranquility. Lake Taupo was calm like a mirror and it relfected like a giant piece of newly polished black marble. The volcanic peaks of Tongariro can easily be taken in with a simple turn of the head. Still desperately trying to take it all in, i’ve come to realised that this wonderful journey has come to an end and we were about to land. I think i’ve managed the landing quite gracefully .
Can you guess what I said right after i landed? “That was so cool, i want to do it again!”
I couldn’t wipe that big, fat, satisfactory smile on my face for a whole day . I believe i’ve joined the rank of adrenaline junkie and possibly becoming a gravity ’s slave, hooked on plummeting through the air at speed up to 180 kph!!!
here’s the company http://www.freefly.co.nz/ i did my tandem with in case if you are interested.
