Day 23......The BigDay!!!

So the time had come.  It was here.  I was doing it.  I was falling out of a plane at 15000ft today and I couldn't wait!

Woke to a freezing morning, and I mean freezing, with a fresh dusting of snow on the tops of the mountains and I could see my breath when I breathed out while I was lying in bed!  Needless to say I was a bit reluctant to step out of bed.  I have no idea how the heater in the back of Trevor works and the portable one they supplied blows out cold air, so it was a quick run to the showers to warm up.....

So, ready to go I headed into town for a pre jump breakfast.  I didn't want much as I wasn't sure if it would stay down so I plumped for a coffee and a muffin.  And a cup of tea.  At a spot just across the road from where I was due to register.  So I people watched for an hours, and what a fun sport it is here.  There is such a mix of people here but what is clear is this is the place to be is you are young, loud, enjoy extreme sports and skiing, have dreadlocks, not too worried about washing, like wearing flipflops even if your feet are blue with the cold, have a tendency for joss sticks and tie die and are looking for a bloody good time!

It is a great place and the scenery is stunning, the mountains surrounding here are called the Remarkable, and remarkable they are.  Jagged and brooding and I can imagine they are a sight when they are covered in snow.  This is an awesome ski resort.

So it was time, in I went and registered and sat with about 10 other people waiting for the bus to arrive to take us to the jump zone, whilst watching a loud high octane video on what we were going to face.

So we piled on the bus and headed out to the airfield and as it can into view in general most amazing setting the planes were taking off and we could see the parachutes falling, awesome.

So I was kitted out with my very attractive jumpsuit and hat and then met my jump master, the man whose hands I would be putting my life in for the next hour. And there he was. Chris. And I had my wish, if this was going to be the last thing I ever did, I would indeed spend the time strapped to a hunk of a man!  I looked to the sky and thanked God!  Even more of a bonus was the guy that was jumping with us to take the video and pictures.  1 would have no trouble looking at that face on the way down!!

So after Chris had told me that all I needed to do was press myself into him in a banana shape and let him do the work it was into the plane.  We were last in which meant we were first out.  Eeeeek!!

We were sat right by the door and had the most amazing view on the way up to 15000 ft and Chris pointed out all the sights on the way up, the view was immense.

Then Chris said the words I had been waiting to hear 'I just need to strap you to me tighter and fiddle with your straps then we will be good to go'. Fiddle away.

And then the door opened, the wind and the cold rushed in and Chris shuffled to the edge of the door, the gorgeous photographer jumped (I am so ashamed I can't remember his name but I had other things on my mind) and before could say 'OMG Shut up' we were out!!!!!

Bloody incredible and amazingly cold!!! I can safely say that is the most amazing thing I have ever done, I couldn't believe that I was falling to the ground at 200mph in minus 20, I genuinely cannot describe the feeling.

Then Chris deployed the parachute and we were floating through clear blue skies in total silence.  Incredible. We chatted away about the view, I thanked him more than 20 times, told him I loved him for looking after me at least twice, and generally had a bloody ball!

Then he just said 'Ok let's talk about the landing and I realised he hadn't mentioned it until then.  But it was as simple as lift your knees and let me him do the work. Happy with that and as the ground came into view and we slid gracefully onto the ground on our bums and it was over!

I screamed and jumped and cried and hugged Chris And jumped some more! Woooooooooooooooo! That is all I can say.

So after some pics for twitter for the NZONE company as they knew this was for charity, it was out of my gear and more thank yous and off.

Now on the bus back I started to feel a little sick and I noticed there were sick bags in the back of the bus but I was buggered if I was going to be sick on the bus.  So I waited till I got back into town, said hello to my muffin again and then went off for a massive sweet and sour chicken an an icecream.  Nom and much better!

Wandering around with a smile on my face I headed back to the site to chill for a bit before I went to get my pics and dvd.  They sun was shining and it was lovely and warm so I had a little snooze in the sun then headed out to find my tea.

I settled by the fire in Pog Mallones irish bar with a beer and the most gorgeous steak I have ever had and celebrated being alive!!

I have decided to head out of Queenstown a day early as my work here is done and I need to leave the young and the beautiful (if slightly grungy) to it!

So it was back to Trevor, hot water bottle and bobble hat in hand via a drink with a couple I had met on the Doubtful Sound cruising their camper,and then it was time to snuggle down.

Night night and let's try to upload those pics.......