Our first obligation was to attend the activity information session in the booking office downstairs. Here they ran through all the adrenalin pumping things on offer in the town......& this is where everything changed. All the activities were designed to make the best of what the area is famous for - sand dunes. So you could choose from things like horse riding, sandboarding, quad biking, scenic flights........& SKY DIVING!! Now although I had been interesting in going sky diving in Switzerland (it was waaaayy too expensive), I hadn't given it much thought before now. So we sat through the DVD presentation & by the end of it Andrew had decided to do the sand boarding but I had no interest in eating sand so I randomly decided that I would sky dive. Just like that!!
There were 3 of us booked in for the following day at lunchtime. Now all I had to do was get through the next 15 hours without chickening out.....or letting Andrew talk me out of it! The next day dawned & I will admit there were a few butterflies. We were picked up by a couple of guys from the sky diving centre & I'm not sure if it was just nerves but I was being a bit cheeky & the first thing I asked was "Is there a bar at this place??". Well little did I know that they were also cheeky boys & our first stop was the sky diving office where they filled 3 eskies with beer before loading up the car & heading out into the dunes.
When we arrived at the sky diving centre I was suited up....but before that I was introduced to the guy who would have my life in his hands - Fuzzy! Cool name, cool guy! He did up all the straps & buckles & god knows what & then I had to get on my knees for a lesson on how not to die while jumping out of a plane! I could not stand still & it's funny to look back over the DVD now cos I basically spent the whole time hopping from one foot to the other trying no to pee my pants!
Then it was time to get in the plane....& strangely enough that's where the nerves ended. We jumped in & spent the next half hour or so flying around over the sand dunes & coastline looking for a safe place to land....I assume! During the flight the boys on board were complete clowns, pulling my ankles closer to the door of the plane (did I mention there was no door & the lining was gaffa taped on??). Fuzzy put my hand on the wheel of the plane & turned it so the plane veered left & right.....yet I still remained completely at ease. Before I knew it I was being scooted along on my bum toward the open door. Next thing my arse was hanging out of the plane while Fuzzy prepared to jump.
And then I was flying! The actual jump out of the plane was a bit of a shock but the falling didn't feel like falling at all. The camera man was right in front of us & he pulled faces, blew kisses & did whatever he needed to do to provoke a reaction from me & make for good viewing on the DVD. It was incredible. After 30 seconds of free fall, Fuzzy said goodbye to the camera man & pulled the shoot. That is a weird feeling....feels like you are shooting up in the air at about 200 miles an hour...oh, & I might have squelled just a little!
Then we began the 5 minute descent to earth. The first thing that struck me about coming down was how quiet it was. Fuzzy & I could easily chat & laugh & look down at the earth below us. As we got nearer to the clouds, he asked me if I'd like to walk on them. So we did.....I don't know how but next thing I knew I was literally walking on the clouds...then we shot through them. I was having a particularly bright moment & all I could say was "Shit, they're cold"...daaahhh!! I even got to take the controls for a minute...pulling them left & right to send us around in a circle.....until Fuzzy decided I was being too much of a girl & took them back. He yanked them freakin hard & we spun around so freakin fast.....oh yeah, I might have screamed a bit then too!
Then we were ready to land & "Bam" it was over. I didn't face plant on landing which was a relief but as soon as I was upright I was asking Fuzzy if I could go again....I absolutely loved it. The high you get & the sense of achievement were amazing. Unfortunately I was the last one to jump that day cos the weather had closed in so when we got back to where the others were waiting I did my best to control my excitement....I can only imagine how they must have felt having planned their jump for months only to be told they would have to wait another day.....meantime I jumped on a whim.
At least we still had the beers to drink....& apparantly we weren't allowed to leave until all 3 eskies were empty. It turned into a long night....after finishing all the beer we went back to the sky diving office in town....for more beers. Lots of drinking ensued & before long we were all smashed....& heading back to the hostel for dinner. Before that though, Fuzzy & Craig (one of the owners) had decided that I would be jumping again the next day. Woo hoo!
The next day dawned & Andrew headed off to do the sandboarding (which, I am happy to report, he loved!) We were picked up a bit earlier than we expected....to attend a birthday party it turns out! When we arrived at the skydiving centre a party for Craig's 9 year old daughter was in full swing....& she was to jump for the first time with her Dad. I don't remember my 9th birthday but I'm pretty sure I got ripped off!! She was so confident as she strode out to the plane....Craig looked like he was going to puke! The jump went well though & the look of relief on Craig's face as he landed safely with his baby daughter was priceless. Then the weather closed in again & our guys ended up being the last to jump for the day....that meant no second jump for me :( BUT, it did mean another night on the booze!
It was so much fun. I can't tell you what an amazing bunch of guys they all were. It was like hanging out with my brothers but it made me miss my real brothers so much. By the time the night was over, not only was I going to jump first thing in the morning FOR FREE, I was also going to stay in Swakopmund & be trained up as a sky diving camera woman....I won't lie, a lot of alcohol was consumed during this planning session!! Unfortunately, I had to explain to the boys that I really have no intention of ever jumping out of a plane on my own.....well, maybe one day!!
P.S So the weather was shit again the next morning so I am still yet to jump again.....oh well, just another reason to return to Namibia!
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