For as long as I remember, I have always wanted to try skydiving at least once in my lifetime. My previous two attempts to skydive at home did not work out. They were cancelled due to poor weather conditions. But third time’s the charm, right?
And it was! I finally crossed skydiving off my bucket list, in beautiful Fiji no less!
Skydive Fiji is the only skydiving operator in Fiji and with an impeccable safety record. I did my research well in advance to assure myself the company was reputable, and the pilots and instructors were licenced and credible. After all, I was literally putting my life in the hands of another!
Reservations was easy enough. I completed a request form online with the dates that I would be in Fiji. The Skydive Fiji team were quick to respond and placed me on a wait list. Since I was going alone, they could not guarantee or confirm a date. I was to expect an email with the exact date and time when they found a second jumper. That email came the day after I arrived in Fiji!
On the day of my skydive, I was picked up shortly after sunrise at my hotel and brought to the drop zone at the Skydive Ops Centre at the Nadi International Airport. At the Ops Centre, the other jumper and I watched a short video and went through a full safety briefing with our tandem jump partners before we were fitted into our harnesses.
Within minutes, we boarded the plane, a teeny tiny thing with just enough room for the pilot, two tandem instructions and us two jumpers. I sat with my knees up the whole time, admiring the beautiful morning views of Fiji and the mountains out the side windows as we gained altitude.
When we had gained enough jump altitude, my tandem jump partner Chris pulled open the doors and told me to get into position. I remember feeling completely at ease and composed despite the wind whipping in my face. I was expecting to feel a bit nervous, maybe some butterflies in my stomach but I was the exact opposite. Cool and calm like a cucumber. I was ready for this moment!
The rush of excitement I was waiting for, hit me maybe two seconds after I stepped out and off the plane. I was finally flying(!!), or rather free falling at 120 miles an hour, 10,000 feet above the South Pacific Ocean! It was surreal!
During the briefing, I was told the free falling would last about 30 seconds. Those 30 seconds were the longest 30 seconds of my life! We were just falling and falling, and spinning, with the wind hitting every inch of my face, making it difficult to take deep breaths. All I could see was miles and miles of blue, the sky above and the ocean below.
Once Chris pulled the chute, breathing got a lot easier and the ride smoothed out. The descent was absolutely breathtaking! Fiji is a beautiful country and to see all of it up high was an incredible experience and viewpoint! I even got to steer the chute for a little while.
I jumped on an empty stomach (in hindsight, not a great idea!) so when Chris twirled us around a couple of times to get into position for a beach landing at the Hilton Fiji Resort, I got really queasy. Thankfully, our landing was smooth and effortless. But full confession, I did get sick when I got back to the hotel room and had to lie down for an hour.
For the next couple of weeks, I wasn’t entirely sure if I would skydive again. But now, recounting that experience as I write this blog post, it would take very little convincing for me to do it again. But lesson learned, next time I am going to eat some carbs first!
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