"An Around-the-World-Ticket for Two, Please."

Skydive!

Posted by Sarah O'Neill , Monday, 2 May 2011 23:15

So the day of the skydive arrived. I slept surprisingly well, and my method of not thinking about what was to come was serving me well! I am so glad we booked it for early in the morning as it meant I didn’t have any time to dwell on it or talk myself out of it, especially as we hadn’t paid, so could have cancelled! We got up super early and showered and dressed, getting totally ready to leave straight afterwards to drive to Hanmer Springs. It was a beautiful clear day, but freezing cold! Arrived at the ‘airstrip’ ( a field with tiny runway!) at 7.40am, got taken to a small office, got suited up in a very glamorous jumpsuit and met our dive buddies. I was to go with a bloke called Kitch, and Ben with a girl called Lottie. They were both really nice, and sensed my nerves! They took us through a briefing of what to do when etc, then we practised on the edge of the plane, Kitch started the DVD at this point, and then we got into the plane! It is a really tiny plane, there is the Pilot, and then Lottie and Ben at the back, and then Kitch and me down the side, alongside the Pilot and right next to the door! I had the best view as the door was all glass, so I could see the spectacular views as we gained height! I wondered if I would take any of it in, or be too nervous, but the scenic flight part of it was awesome! It was so cool to see the Glacier that we had climbed the day before from above, seeing so much more of it, it was phenomenal! We rose to about 12000 feet and then the door of the plane opened. That bit was pretty crazy and scary as I was literally sat next to the door, and then just a gaping hole! Kitch swung one leg out, then I swung both mine out, and had to tuck them under the plane, then he did his last leg, told me to look up cross my arms, and then we were gone! Funnily enough I was nowhere near as terrified of doing this, than of the Canyon Swing, I was actually really calm and collected! That small bit sat on the edge was by far the scariest, but the minute we left the plane I loved it! It doesn’t feel at all like falling, I remember just screaming “this is soooo amazing!” over and over again! It wasn’t at all like I expected, and was a total blast! I got so carried away I forgot that Kitch tapping me was a signal to put my arms back, so he had to do it a few time before I registered!!! The air was so cold on my teeth and face, it was rushing by, but it still doesn’t feel like falling! After about 45 seconds of free fall, he opened the parachute, and then everything changes completely, it is so quiet and still, and you can hear each other! It yanks a bit on your harness, but then you get to enjoy the amazing view in a calmer way! After checking I was ok, we started to descend, doing spins is the fastest way to get down, but that made me feel a bit queasy! The little purple dot in the picture is me, taken by Ben! We landed fine, I had to hold my legs up while we hit the ground, and then Kitch stood up and it was all over. We watched Ben parachute down and come into land, and then we talked on the DVD before they packed up the parachutes and we got a lift back to the office. We watched the DVD which I am so glad I got! Look forward to sharing that with family and friends when we get back!

After collecting ourselves we went back to the campsite for a quick breakfast stop, and then got on the road towards Hanmer Springs, which was quite a trek which we weren’t sure we’d make. However, we made good time and decided to get all the driving done in one day and have more time to enjoy ourselves. Hanmer is a nice little Alpine town, with natural Hot Springs. We arrived at the campsite (another free one!) and then decided to check out the Springs that night, as they were open until 9pm. It was a lovely evening and we thought we might see the sun go down there. We also had buy one get one free there too through Jucy, so we thought we’d treat ourselves to a private pool first and then check out all the other outdoor pools afterwards. The private pool was lovely and warm, just like having a giant bath, which I have missed lately in the cold weather! We had half an hour of relaxing quiet in the warm which was bliss! Then we headed outside to all the other pools, there are lots, varying in temperature, including a sulphur pool! It was lovely as the sun had gone behind the mountain so it was dusky and there was steam coming off all the pools, but it was bleddy freezing getting out! Going from pool to pool was so cold, but then you were rewarded with a lovely warm, or stinky in the case of sulphur, pool! Getting out and heading to the showers was the hardest part, and sooo cold! We headed back to the campsite, put the fan on and enjoyed a good hearty stew from the night before for dinner, no effort required!