12,000 ft. and Falling Fast

PHWOOOOOOOOOOMP!  That’s the sound I heard as Dave exited the plane and within half a second disappeared into the atmosphere.  “Oh Shit” involuntarily escaped my lips. The plan was for me to do the same 30 seconds later.

Queenstown is known as THE ADVENTURE SPORTS CAPITAL of THE WORLD  (home of bungee jumping, jetboating, whitewater rafting, frogging, parasailing, hand-gliding. .  . you name it.).  The adrenaline flowing through the city is truly palpable.  The city is swamped with adventure seekers gabbing about the adrenaline boosts they recently received or the adventures they plan to undertake.  Our adventure of choice. . .  might have been (that’s for any parental units reading along) SKYDIVING! (something Dave  had done once before (15 years ago) and I was completely new to)

It all happened very fast. We found NZONE, Queenstown’s skydiving company (thanks for the tip, TK :), and the next thing I knew we had paid a whole lot of money to jump out of a plane. . . we were headed in a van to a drop zone. . . suited up in a jumper,  a soft helmet , gloves, and some goggles. . . and I was introduced to some guy, Chris, who would soon be strapped to my back and hold my life in his hands.  YIKES!  WHAT IS GOING ON?  Through all of this, I was quiet. . . very quiet. Dave?  Quiet too.  No laughing this time, friends.

We piled into the smallest plane I’ve ever seen.  No rows, no seats, nothing.  A piece of translucent hard plastic served as a door which Dave sat disconcertingly close to. My new best friend, the one who would soon be strapped to my back, made sure I knew how far we climbed.  “4, 000 FEET” (Are you attached to me yet?),  HALF WAY THERE (Now, are you attached to me?),  10,000 FEET (CLICK. Relief.), and WE’RE HERE 12,000 FEET!. . .  Awkward smurk from Dave.  “I LOVE YOU” or was it “I LOVED YOU”? !?! PHWOOOOOOOOOOOMP!  “Oh Shit!”

Force pushing me to the door. . . legs bent and tucked. . . chin up and head tucked back. . . PHWOOOOOOOOMP!. . . SCREAM (just a short one)!. . .  CLOUDS!. . . Tap. Tap. . .  Arms out.  . .  Flying on stomach. . . Not feeling like I’m falling at all. . . Somehow cradled by the air?. . . all. . . WOWWWWWW!  The Remarkables (Queenstown’s Mountain Range). . . Lake Waikatipo. . . SKY! SKY! DAVE!?!!  Chris’s commentary,  . .  Chris’s commentary . . . PARACHUTE!. . .   Slight disappointment the free fall is over but feeling good about the parachute opening.  .  . Peace.  Calm.  Ahhhhhh.  Chris’s commentary.  .  . Chris’s commentary.  Feet up. Feet down.  DAVE!  THAT WAS SO FUN!!!

Like nothing else I’ve ever done. 

*NOTE:THIS ADVENTURE SUBSIDIZED BY THE WEDDING GIFTS OF DAN & KAT AND TK & BEAGAN.  THANKS GUYS!*