8:49 p.m. - 2002-03-06
I've fallen and I can't get up!
Today, I flew.
Well, more specifically, I fell, but it felt like flying. I went skydiving, and it was absolutely incredible.
I had to wake up at about 5:30 this morning to make the pick up at 6. I didn't mind this so much, because I was getting to go skydiving. It kind of got annoying, though, when I had to wait for the three other girls to go first, and I didn't end up jumping until about 9. However, at nine, I got strapped up in my gear, climbed into a tiny plane, was strapped up nice and tightly to an experienced skydiver and, at a very, very, very high distance above the earth, I jumped.
I don't think I could possibly describe to you the look on my face when it happened. It was part shock, part amazement, part ecstacy. We freefell (is that a word?) for about 20 or 30 seconds. I kept looking down towards the ground to see how fast it was coming towards me, but still so far away. But guy kept pulling my head up to see the scenery, which was incredible. I did it at a place called Fox Glacier, appropriately named for the Glacier that is near the town. There were mountains all around, the sky was a clear blue with very few clouds and the ground below was a rich green. I can't say it enough, it was absolutely amazing.
Once the freefall was over, we lurched to a slightly slower speed and cruised down to the ground. It was really interesting to be up so high in the sky and not be in any kind of craft, just strapped to a guy hanging from a piece of cloth. You could see for miles, and it was amazingly quiet and serene. The guy I was strapped to let me control the chute for a little while, and we did some funky turns. Then, we hit the ground and it was all over.
I think you will appreciate this little bit. Apparently, the people on the ground watching me land heard me say "this is awesome!!!" from very, very high up. They were quite surprised that they could hear me....I'm sure none of you are, though. =)
And that was my adventure for the day. It was, I will say it again, absolutely awesome. I totally want to do it again...it's just so freakin expensive. All told, I spent $300. (It would have been about half of that, but I splurged and got a video made, which meant another jumper had to go with us and film us falling, and some pictures from the wing). But that does mean that when I get home, you will all be able to witness my flight. The video is pretty cool, and you can all laugh at my flapping cheeks.
So, to those of you that I chatted with on MSN earlier today, it was really great to hear from you and not just through e-mail. And to everyone who has sent me an e-mail in the past few days, thanks for filling me in on what's going on. I totally miss everyone, and wish that I could just go home for a few days. However, that probably isn't going to happen, so we'll just have to wait until December, or possibly sooner if I chicken out and pack it in early.
Take care everyone, and keep on writing! Have a beer for me (although I'm sure I wouldn't have to try to hard to convince many of you to do so).
Cheers!
xxx ooo
