I knew that when I asked for challenges someone out there was going to put sky diving on the table. I’ve never really felt the need to jump out of a plane, but in the nature of the situation… Challenge accepted!!
I had it all planned, I’d combine this with another challenge of epicness and make a two challenge weekend. What challenge goes hand in hand with skydiving you may ask… In my head walking 100 kms of course… Do you see the connection?
Well it’s a stretch, even for me, or is it… They’re two events that can happen one of New Zealand’s adrenaline adventure regions, Taupo.
A month before heading to Taupo, I locked in the dive, and was chatting about it mate, next thing I know she has plans to jump with me. Could this challenge be any more awesome, it’s meant so much more when mates have come in on my challenges to support me in various ways. This double hitter weekend had two of my good friends together with me, so quality memories were definitely on the cards.
All of a sudden the weekend is upon us, my good friend Kate has arrived from Aussie and we’ve road tripped our way to Taupo, in my new set of wheels. We’ve spent a day cruising around the lake district, finding our way around the small town, and one aussie getting right into the swing of it.
I woke on the Friday morning to a phone call from Lynette sounding a little panicked that she’d not left yet, and we were meant to be jumping in 90 minutes… Reassurances were said and preparations were made. On stepping out of what had become our second home for the weekend, not a cloud was in sight, it was a perfectly calm and sunny Friday morning, even the aussie wasn’t complaining that she was cold, so win! I got on the phone to check with the Skydive Taupo that we were all go, and yes we were. Enter ThisIsReallyHappening mode.
Time seemed to have jumped and before I knew it Lynette was on the phone again to say she was at the airport ready to go.WTF, how did that happen, we were still at the hotel fluffing around… enter MoveLikeANinjaAtSpeedGinga mode. Plans were made to meet at the hotel, get Lynette checked in and then head back to the airport in the one vehicle.
We got the Taupo airport with moments to spare. We were ushered into a corner, nervous banter was afoot as was the laughter. This got weird, especially when people don’t really get my sense of humour at the best of time. The safety briefing was done, the soundtrack selected, the weigh in done and the signing away of my life was complete. Enter InwardlyFreakedOutButCalmOnTheOutsideGinga mode and to think two years ago I wouldn’t have even been able to jump due to my size.
Once my inappropriate footwear was removed, we were moved into the hanger to await our skilled professional and to get kitted up. GingaSaboteur took this time to freak me out a little, as we were standing in front of the overalls, I couldn’t believe it when I was handed a medium pair, I mean what the…. I’ve never been in that boat before. Last time I had to get clothing given to me off I was lucky to squeeze into the XXL. I massive part of me just smiled and took the overalls, thinking and congratulating myself just how far I’ve come.
I was introduced to my skill professional who then proceeded in adding me to a harness, moving some straps around and then making me film some of how I was feeling at the moment in time. As the other tourists were being placed delicately into the plane, Lynette seemed to have gone awol, and I wasn’t allowed to get into the plane yet. At this point I wasn’t really sure what was happening, so decided it was the right time to enter GetMyGingaGrooveOn mode…
Lynette appeared and followed her skilled professional into the plane, at this point, I was a little confused as there were no seats left in the plane for me. Um… do they not know that I’m notorious for hurting myself, where was I meant to be sitting?!? Enter WhatTheHellI’mWellConfused mode.
My skilled professional sits in the plane facing the tourists and motions for me to get in, and off we go taxiing toward the runway. I’m not strapped into anything, except my skilled professional, the plane is moving and I’m facing everyone or are they all facing me. My legs attach themselves to the bench leg in front of me, and I’m continually thinking, lean in, lean in, you can’t fall out here, you’ve not even left the ground yet.
As we turn onto the runway the roller door is lowered, and I’m safely secured into the plane, or at least I think I am. It takes us around 30 minutes to get to altitude, during which time the gopro is continually shoved in my face and I start to enter HolyCrapWhatTheHellAmIDoing mode.
Next thing I know the roller door is up, and if you hadn’t figured it out yet, I’m hanging out the edge of the plane, with my head going: right, I was told to hook my legs under the plane, wait, why can’t a hook my legs, is it too late to back out, no wait I’m failing, holy cow I’m failing, it’s too late to back out, I didn’t get my legs under the plan, breathe dammit breathe, what the hell, that parachute better work, why is it so hard to breathe, smile at the camera, breathe, stop freaking out, it will all be ok, this guys a skilled professional, breathe, damn you Russell this is crazy, oh wow what a mess this would make, man falling like this is giving me a little perspective, why can’t I cut shapes, I want to cut some shapes, move arms, damn you why aren’t you moving, why is breathing still so hard, why is that camera still in my face, I’m too busy freaking out to smile, why are you tapping me on the shoulder, what’s happening now, should I be holding on now?!?!?
With that I was then floating through the sky, parachute open, free fall over, all 60 seconds of it. “GINNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAA” is heard from the ground as I’m just totally buzzing. Taupo just looks amazing from up here, this is what I’m after. I liked the cruising around more than the falling. Me being me, I took control and was navigating the parachute and taking us for a wee spin. Friggen awesome I tells ya!!
Next thing I know it’s legs up and we’re sliding in on our arses, I’m totally amping!!! In comes Lynette and I have to stop myself from running over there. Enter HolyCrapThatTotallyJustHappened mode.
That adrenaline was out of control!! There may have been a little more dancing, and numerous hugs, then back to the hanger to remove those amazing straps and overalls, and hang in the movie room to see what will emerge from that gopro.
Here, you watch…
On watching this again, I still can’t believe it happened, and the look of pure terror on my face just has me in fits. Thanks Skydive Taupo and Russell.
Who’s up for another jump??
15,000ft skydive… challenge completed!!
gingagma 