As we travel through the Fjords of Milford Sound in New Zealand, I’m taken back by the breathtaking views of low set clouds running across the mountain tops and dolphins swimming alongside the ship. In the distance the passengers gasp at their first sighting of a whale.
New Zealand truly has to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Many of the ports we visit remind me of the great time’s I had here as a student with Chris & Dave. I relive the times of old including when we did the second highest bungee jump in the world down in Queenstown.
I remember vividly how I screamed like a girl for the first few seconds until I was travelling so fast I couldn’t make a sound, as the air was entering my mouth as fast as I was trying to expel it! I also remember how it was raining on the day and the raindrops were travelling upwards... Completely surreal!!!
However, it’s been nearly eight long years since that amazing day and I wondered whether it was time to reset the adrenaline clock. Just at that moment Darian walks through the door...
“Hey! I’ve signed us up for a Skydive in Bay of Islands, you in?!”
“HELL YEAH!!!”
The two days leading up to the skydive, I’m surprising calm and collected about the whole thing.
One the day, I’m desperate for clouds in the sky and hailing winds, in the hope that somehow it might be cancelled...
Brown trousers at the ready, I walk up to the counter and sign my life away, essentially covering the company against ANY eventually.
“You may shit yourself and end up on YouTube”
“You may get attacked by seagulls”
When I see the plane which consists of 90% cardboard and sticky tape, I start to feel the beginning of chest pain and palpitations.
Within a couple of minutes we’re thousands of feet in the air. After about 15 minutes I hear the dreaded words, “Right we’re at 12000 feet, ready?”
The door swings open and like a true English Gentleman I tell Darian “Lady’s first!”
Within the blink of an eye, one moment she’s there on the edge of the platform and then the next moment... She’s gone!!!
As the chest pain starts to run down my left arm I feel myself being pushed towards the platform edge!!!
3...2...1... OHHH SHITTTTTTTT!!!!!!
Within seconds my cheeks become earmuffs!!!
The shear force of the wind hitting my face paralyses my screams like it did during the bungee jump. My arms and legs flap around aimlessly, and I feel truly helpless during the whole process.
After 30 seconds of free fall, the parachute finally opens and my heart races even faster as I fall into my harness and hold on for dear life, just in case I slip through...
We parachute directly into a cloud... I’d always wanted to know what a cloud tastes like... Turns out it tastes like fog.
Five minutes later I execute a perfect landing and find the closest bush to vomit into!
Darian lands shortly after, and I quickly run over to congratulate her on her silver medal!
“Hey! Even jumping out before me I still beat you to the bottom!”
“Well of course you did. You’re fatter than I am”
Haha, Poor thing. She doesn’t know the difference between fat and muscle.
I decide to give her a big one armed hug around the neck.
On the way back to the ship the adrenaline rush leaves us both feeling exhausted.
Evening clinic could’ve have taken any longer.
But hey, at least I can finally say I’ve done a skydive when asked... Awesome experience!!!
