The Air Up There

Jenn giving the green light.
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New Zealand is the place to do something extreme.

In the town of Lake Taupo, the unoffical extreme sports capital of the world, you can skydive, bungee jump, jet boat, zorb (it's kinda hard to explain), rappel and do whatever else that will jolt your adrenaline like nowhere else in the world.  It was here that Jenn and I decided to do our first tandem skydive at 12,000 ft (tandem meaning that a jumpmaster is strapped to your back and operates the parachute).

The rushing wind died down and we just floated gracefully to the ground like Mary Poppins

My turn!
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Choosing a skydiving company was the only time in NZ when we didn't go for the cheapest option.  Understandably.

We arrived the morning of the jump at the airport and they gave us a quick briefing about the jump.  After they also gave us a jumpsuit, mitts, a small inflatable life jacket (we would be jumping over a lake) and bug eyed-googles.  The oddest piece of gear was a brown leather skullcap that looked like it came from the first days of aviation history.  I couldn't figure out what it was for because it didn't look like it could protect you in a pillow fight much less a crash landing from 12,000 ft.

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Once we got suited up we wedged ourselves into a single propeller plane for the ride up to altitude.  The plane ride up was probably the worse thing about the whole experience.  About 12 pairs of skydivers sat single file, straddling a bench between our legs, with the jumpmaster pressed intimately against our backs.  In the air, it was the most wobbly, unstable ride we've ever been on.  It was like the wings were doing a constant playground seesaw motion the whole way up.  I kept telling myself what's the worse that can happen considering we have parachutes on our backs.

Making it safely to the landing area.
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Somehow Jenn was selected as the first one to jump.  Maybe the jumpmaster recognized her nervousness and didn't want to give her anymore time for second thoughts.  Jenn constantly asked her jumpmaster if she was attached properly to him.  Her only reassuring thought was that the jumpmaster was coming down with her.

When we reached altitude, the door directly next to Jenn opened.  Jenn asked "Are we here already?" as if any answer would buy her more time.  The jumpmaster asked her if she was ready and before she could answer they were flying in the air.

Our single prop plane that took us to 12,000 ft.
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For a second when you're thrown out of the plane you feel the weightlessness.  Then a millisecond after all you hear, and feel, is this incredible rushing of wind all over.  It was actually about 30 seconds of free fall and it's almost impossible to skydive with your mouth closed as you're either screaming in terror or excitement.  I got so caught up in the moment I forgot all the things I was told to do during the briefing.  My jumpmaster spent the better part of the free fall trying to corral my flailing arms and legs together.

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When the chute was opened, to our obvious relief, there was a quick sharp jerk upwards.  The rushing wind died down and we just floated gracefully to the ground like Mary Poppins.  The jumpmaster steered our chutes in circles so we could get a 365 degree view Lake Taupo, the mountains and the town at 6000 ft.  It was amazing.

Our jumpmasters guided the chutes to the landing zone perfectly and we touched down in one piece.

Without a doubt, this was one of the coolest things we've done all year.

Cheers,

Lenny and Jenn