This is probably the scariest thing on my list. A huge mental challenge to deal with my fears of heights, planes and doing something I'm just not comfortable with.
But I've done it and I've lived to tell the tale. An early start to drive up to Oxfordshire to Hinton Skydive centre. Great location, only a couple of hours drive from London. I couldn't have asked for better weather; clear blue skies, 27C temperature, amazing weather, the best we've had this year.
I felt quite lucky that in reality it all happened quite quickly, not really enough time for me to wait around long enough to get too nervous. On arrival, I did the usual signing away of my life and then had a short briefing with a couple of the other tandem divers about what to do. I was quickly put into a suit and unlike others, who I think had to wait around for quite a while, I was called to go up after just a short 10 minute wait.
My parachutist, whose name combined with mine created great hilarity...Long / Odds. Apparently he used to dive with two guys called Cox and Bent...which meant they were called as Long / Bent / Cox. Whether this was true or not, I don't know but it was keeping me distracted from what was about to happen.
Got loaded onto the plane along with the other tandem girl and a bunch of people jumping solo...a long slow climb up to the right height and really it all went so quickly I didn't have too much time to think or chicken out.
When our briefing instructor (who was also my parachutist) mentioned his way of leaving the plane was somersaulting backwards, I thought he was joking so when he told me that it wasn't a joke at 10,000ft in the air there was no turning back. I was scared scared scared, surprisingly not the height, just the fact that I'm about to willingly throw myself into freefall.
45 seconds of freefall felt like a very long time and although I closed my eyes at the very start, I 'relaxed' a little into it and started trying to take in the view; a very difficult thing to do when you're concentrating hard on keeping your head and legs in the right place. I did not like the chute opening up, but once it was open and we were gliding down, I can't describe the peacefulness of it! Totally amazing and for that part alone, I'd probably put myself through it all again.
A massive, massive thank you to Kate and Dave who came along, kept me distracted and entertained whilst waiting and for taking photos on my way down.
A massive thank you also to everyone out there who's sponsored me! You're money will be put to good use by MIND.
There is an official DVD and set of photos. Those of you who wish to see more than the two photos here can request to do so and I'll see what I can do to share more photos.
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