Today, C and E returned and we headed to Wanaka. The sun was blaring from the bluest sky I have ever seen. The road to Wanaka is incredible. You drive through the Crown Ranges up and over the mountains. The views the whole way kept me in complete awe for the entire journey. Then you come down this straight road and Lake Wanaka and the surrounding mountains come into view. It is literally breathtaking.
We pottered about on the beach for a bit before I decided that there's only one way to appreciate this view - from a plane. Jumping out of it to be more specific.
E's cousin works at skydiving Wanaka so it seemed very fitting to phone up and try and book. I didn't expect it to actually happen as it was a last minute decision. But before I knew it, C and I were booked up to go in a couple of hours.
We drove to the airport and kitted ourselves out in the suits. I can honestly say I wasn't even remotely nervous. Not until we were sat on the plane, backwards on this little tiny bit of metal taking off with the door still open did I realise what I was about to do. The views from the plane were incredible. I remember thinking that they should take geography pupils up here because it seemed like good revision for me, what with all the lakes and glaciers and rivers. Before I knew it, they were reopening the door and the green light was on. I gave C a high five and then next thing I knew I had my legs dangling out a plane. I had a brief thought of WTF before my guy had jumped.
The first 5 seconds were INSANE. You are tumbling around and all I could think was 'I JUST JUMPED OUT A FRIGGING PLANE!' then you even out and start to fall. The wind was pretty intense and I just kept Woohooing. I felt sorry for my guy but he kept spinning me round in circles, so it was his fault. The speed you are falling is hard to describe. For a few seconds you don't feel like you are falling at all, and that's when I really appreciated how incredible the whole thing was. Then your parachute comes out and you don't jerk up like I thought, but your legs come slowly down to make you vertical.
Parachuting was the weirdest part. My tummy was doing somersaults, and my guy kept doing these crazy turns with it. But the view, I can't even describe it. I will google a photograph but even that, I don't think you can comprehend how amazing it is until you are in the air, just you, some random guy and this view. When I landed I was shaky from all the adrenaline. C and I had some cocacola, then I was left with this amazing life feeling.
I realised that before and during, and probably after I thought about R. I know it probably makes me a loser, but the thought that I might die definitely went through my head, so I forgive myself for being all soppy like that.
I did promise my mum I wouldn't do anything like skydive or bungee, so I apologise Mum, but it was the most amazing thing I've ever done, ever. So I do not regret a thing. And I will probably do it again.
