Oh my god.
When I was 16, a classmate decided she was going to do a sponsored skydive and I couldn't decide whether it was something I had no desire to do (like bungee jumping), or whether I actually did want to do it but was just scared. Then, a few years ago I remember watching two YouTube videos of people skydiving: one was of Brooklyn & Bailey and the other Will Smith, and I suddenly felt the urge to add it to my Bucket List. If you do anything today, watch Will Smith's video and get inspired.
I was still unsure of whether I would actually enjoy skydiving, as the main reason I don't want to bungee jump is simply because I don't think I'd enjoy being upside down with my legs tied together for only a few seconds of free fall. The difference with skydiving was that the free fall was long enough to be worth the fear, and there was a nice view to appreciate on the way down. At least, this was what I told myself. And so, in 2018 I went paragliding to see how I felt attached to a parachute in the sky and I found that it was actually very relaxing and that the adrenaline was limited to running off the cliff face. This was the deciding factor for me; after that any time I was on an airplane I imagined myself skydiving at that height and I knew I wouldn't rest until I did it.
There were only four places in which I wanted to skydive: Dubai, Australia, New Zealand or Hawaii, and I decided that whichever I visited first would be the skydive location. In December 2019, I went to Australia and New Zealand with my mum, with a booking for me to skydive in New Zealand over Mount Maunganui in January.
During the trip, we spent a few days in Uluru, Australia, however due to the 42°C heat, our activity options were fairly limited. That was when we saw a skydiving leaflet. At 8am we called Skydive Uluru, and by 11am we were on our way to the airfield. At this point my mother decided to do the skydive with me. This may not seem noteworthy to some people, however my mum is terrified of any adrenaline, including rollercoasters and swimming in the sea, and so I was shocked. Even more surprisingly, from 8-11am she was in the lobby (apparently) relaxed! I, on the other hand, had watched a YouTube video of a skydive and could feel my palms sweating just watching the ascent in the plane.
In Brooklyn & Bailey's video, Brooklyn is extremely calm and is surprised by her own excitement in the plane, whereas Bailey is very nervous and talks constantly. I remember thinking how I wish I could be Brooklyn, but the fact that I got nervous watching a video of someone else skydiving suggested that I'd be more like Bailey. In this time I kept thinking of all the people I knew of who'd skydived (and were still around to tell the tale) to relax. Next thing I know, we're getting kitted up with our instructors (Steve and Steve) and I'm chatting away, ignoring the fact that I am about to jump out of a plane and praying that the parachute opens.
We get into the tiny plane with both Steves and the pilot, and as we ascend I suddenly feel completely peaceful, as if I am in an airplane just looking out of the window at the view. As the door opened, I thought that I'd be panicking and seeing my life flash before my eyes, but I was just so excited to jump out and experience adrenaline like never before. There's no way to describe the sensation of free falling, the relief as the parachute opens, and the exhilaration on landing. As soon as we landed I wanted to do it again.
For my mum however, the experience was slightly different. She felt sick on the descent and was told that if she was going to vomit, to do it inside her blouse. Thankfully she didn't, but it meant that her face was tucked into her blouse throughout. Although this led to very entertaining photos, the experience wasn't as enjoyable as she didn't control the parachute. It's important to add that the instructors are truly what made the experience unforgettable, as they made us feel at ease and safe from the get-go, and I would strongly recommend both Steves at Skydive Uluru if you want to skydive!
As a young teenager, I never would've thought that I would jump out of a plane, however I have learnt that life is very short and it's worth having incredible experiences and making unforgettable memories, and for me skydiving was literally one of those few once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
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