the jump...

In my thoughts ,I had always imagined myself working while carrying a baby..I assumed it would keep me engaged , keep me less aware of the the ups and down in health during the course of pregnancy. But ....with this sort of work environment , so much stress  possibly would not be healthy..working here was stressful and exhausting when I was my normal self ... I chucked those thoughts saying to myself ...shall cross the bridge when it comes...

I diverted my thoughts once again to my wish list..there wasn't anything else on it except the one that I had failed to tick off..the skydive!

It was December ..the weather was mostly clear but very chilling not the ideal time for such acrobats...still I picked up a day in that week which as per the forecast was sunny. Suggested my hubby another try for the jump and bribed him that I can sponsor his jump too...(cheating cheating ..I just said but never paid , he was the one spent a fortune on it :P)

He wasn't sure about his jump but at-least agreed to accompany me to the field.

Stepped out in the dark at 6:30 in the morning , the morning was extra chilly the weather guys reported the temperature in London  -2 degree , the outskirts would be even more cold... reached the diving center around 8:30 ,when we reached there were another person waiting for the event.

check...check..all ok ?!?

We went to the registration desk..where I announced to the receptionist that I had made no booking for the day. I explained that I had come earlier when it got cancelled due to foul weather. He was surprised and then said since I didn't make a booking they will not be able to entertain me...my excitement dampened that very moment. The receptionist kept staring at me for a while and then burst out laughing saying he was just pulling my leg.
Next was my turn to give him a surprise....I told him , my hubby was also keen to jump and that even he also had not made any bookings.....the surprise was a pleasant one for him..as the business was very dry in the cold weather.

We were asked if we needed photographs? For the photographs, the photographer was to jump with us the very next second so that he could take picture of us floating in the air..which meant we were to pay for his jump as well..an expensive affair but I wanted the pictures..and also the video, someday when I am very old I would watch it perhaps with my grandchildren ...lol !!!!

We were given a briefing of 30 mins or so..sign languages and signals that we were to follow during the fall...verbal communication wasn't possible while the fall was in progress..We also practiced landing tactics for a smooth one to avoid any injury.

Lastly we signed a disclaimer that we took the entire responsibility of our actions and under no circumstances shall hold the school responsible for any mishap, accident , injury or death that was unlikely but might happen...we understood that skydive was a dangerous sports. As I signed it I casually asked if their were any records of any such incident..just a broken leg during landing I was told !

Moments before getting into the craft...with instructor

We changed into appropriate attires..we were asked to keep wearing our jackets and warm clothes underneath as it's gonna be much more than freezing up there..we even wore two hand gloves, one on top of the other.

It was time to get into the small craft...and then all of a sudden millions of butterflies started fluttering in my stomach...we all were assigned an instructor and were to be fastened to him just before the jump..each went inside with their respective instructors.

Once we were all inside, the craft started..still remember the craft creeping high steadily in a somewhat  slow fashion ...cause I could hear my heartbeats ticking like a clock even through the deafening roaring of the open craft... the land started growing less visible and the view more and more beautiful but breathtaking. After five minutes or so we reached the altitude of 12000 feet and were ready for the jump.

there goes my hubby !

My hubby was the first one to jump....I watched him being fastened to his instructor , glasses down .. perched on the door he tried to look down but the instructor raised his chin up..we were instructed not to look down while jumping..and then in seconds he went down...I saw him falling and was totally dumb struck!

I was next..too numb to feel anything not even the freezing gushing wind ..can't remember the sequence , just that  I closed my eyes...and jumped. I remember I had a couple of somersaults in the air ..and then felt the tap on my shoulder which meant I was to open my arms like a bird...the free fall was over and the parachute had been opened.


Now was the time to enjoy the view...to be frank it was happening too fast, I can't actually remember how beautiful was the view..just that it was beautiful and looked hazy..cause my eyes were watering, no I wasn't crying it was the wind ! I felt a bit in control and then my instructor let me control the parachute for couple of minutes..it was nice , a slight tuck on the left to turn right and vice- versa but  a lil extra pull and the fine balance was lost making me go round and round....and dizzy! I let the instructor handle it..couldn't care to bother myself with more dizziness! After some flying like a bird, it was landing time.

I can fly...

I thought of the guy ..the one who broke his leg while landing, he inspired me to lift my legs extra high while landing..phew landed safely..and voila I had done it..jumped off the craft ...and yet standing on my feet soundly..but where was my hubby?!?..no where to be seen...he still had not landed! Somehow he was in air for longer , jumped before me and landed after me ! To my relief he landed safely within seconds !

Next I realized my feet were numb with cold..gave me an idea of what frost bite must be like...kept hurting me for an hour after which I was all right!

Headed back home after our adventure ...it was evening. My hubby had his Christmas party the following day and needed to shop stuff. We went shopping and I did the honor of paying the bills..brought a nice black suit and shoes to go with them for him...that was the first time I spent my own pounds!!!

Clap clap...well done!

one more off the wish list..on 9th Dec 2010..that was a very exciting day of my life...very memorable..I pumped a lot of adrenaline, lil did I know that time that exactly one year after, on the very same day I was gonna pump not just adrenaline but also Oxytocin and Beta-endorphin ....my life would take a leap into a beautiful super duper hectic roller coaster ride far more exciting than this jump!