I promised something big, and I deliver on my promises!
For almost as long as I can remember, it has been a big dream of mine to throw myself out of an airplane. This dream is so big it’s always been number one. I came close to skydiving during a trip to Spain about three years ago. I failed to make reservations and when I got to the airfield I found that there were no spots for me. I was leaving the country the following day. I would have to wait for another time.
Today was that other time. I planned ahead. I was a bit apprehensive when I drove to Brown Airfield in San Diego to do my first tandem jump. I had done bunjee jumping several years ago and it was the scariest thing I had ever done. I expected skydiving to be scarier. Luckily, I had to wait for a couple of groups to skydive first. And while I waited I watched the whacky videos of previous customers. They were so funny! And I got to watch the process step by step several times as other people went through it. By the time it was my turn I was calm and looking forward to some serious fun.
The view from the small airplane that took us up in the sky was amazing. Out of the opened plane door I could see both Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego, California. The ocean was vast and blue ahead of me and little mountain islands protruded from the ocean waters. The plane ride was 20 minutes long. In the plane I thought that if I only came and took that ride it would have been worth it.
The skydiver signalled to me to move towards the door. I did. Something wasn’t really registering in my head. It felt like a big amusement park ride. I felt comfortable and pleasantly excited. This is probably because I knew I didn’t need to do anything myself. All I needed to do was go on the ride. And what a ride!
We sat at the edge of the plane…and suddenly we were no longer in the plane! At an altitude of about 4000 meters we did two flips in the air that were quite disorienting. For a few short seconds I had no idea where up or down were. And suddenly we were lying with our faces down towards the earth falling. Faaalllliiiiinnnnngggggg. It was the most exhilerating feeling I can remember ever having. I didn’t want it to end! It was not scary at all. It was just utterly exhilerating. I hope to remember those few seconds of my life.
The parachute opened and pulled us upwards and suddenly we were cruising in the sky. I remembered that feeling from my paragliding experience. It’s just floating in the sky. So soothing. And not long afterwards we were on the ground after a very smooth and easy landing.
Why had it taken me so long to do this? Why was it so short? How is it that we flip in the air and end up looking down towards the ground rather than up towards the sky like a turtle that’s turned onto its back?
One skydive is in no way enough. This is something I will have to do again!
Wooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooo!
Inner Workings of My Mind 
Amazing..!!
I wonder what’s the next adventure..! ( ^_^ )
Good luck Dr. Nadia.!
I announce my adventures after the fact ;-). But hopefully I’ll have many more adventures to come inshallah. You must join me on one of them!
I hope all of ur dreams come true. ( ^_^ )
I will do my very best 😉
i tip my hat again. You are one hell of an amazing woman. BTW where was the cam.
I always thought they sent an extra cameraman to do those videos. It turns out it’s the same guy diving with you who does all the videos. In the plane, he holds out the camera in front of both of us. When we jump, he has it tied to his left wrist. it’s really quite cool the way they film those jumps.
Woooohoooooo!
I felt the same after I skydived.
It really is one of the most awesome experiences. I did it two years ago, & really want to jump again, alone.
Some of my friends at IOL saw my skydiving profile pic, & were shocked I was strapped to a guy.
I bunjee’d a few months after I skydived-it does require more nerve.
I really want to bunjee off Bloukrans Bridge though-it’s the highest in the world & is in SA.
& off Victoria Falls too
I scuba dived last year in Dahab-found that far more amazing.
Seems we are both adrenalin or adventure junkies 🙂
We certainly are! We should definitely get together and do one or more of these things, Bibi Aisha. Let’s plan for something soon. I’ve always wanted to go to SA, by the way. How about we plan to dive with sharks?
PS: At the place where I jumped, they have a cameraman jump before you.
My one shoe fell off, & he captured it all.
LOOOOOL! You probably never got your shoe back either! That is so funny!
I gotta tell you this was really good and the way you handled it up in the sky:) I don’t know you personally, but I heard about your Kilimanjaro summiting through a common friend, Mohamed Shukry, who also cracked the mountain recently. Keep up the adrenaline level, I gotta show this to my wife:)
Thanks, Hany!
Congrats! Hopefully you will jump again. =)
Thank you! I certainly intend to!
WOOoooooooooooooOOW , this is soooo coool , i wish i can do such a thing, i can’t imagine myself in such a video, i felt my heart beating so fast while just watching it, i wonder what if i did it in real life ….!!!!
It’s like riding one of the coolest amusement park rides ever! It’s really not as scary as it looks. You should try it sometime!