So here we are in a new year again and so much has changed (I even changed my theme)!!
I did the unthinkable after 10 years…I changed jobs! Yes I was part of the furniture, but I felt that I was the carpenter if that helps any. I just wanted to touch on this thing called ‘change’ or doing things that you thought you never could.
I want to tell a quick story about when a mad friend of mine started chatting about jumping out of a perfectly good aircraft at 3 000 foot! Obviously there is no reality in that until you start thinking about it, going through the motions in your head! It’s all good and well to say ‘YES’ lets go for it, when we going? But then the mad friend actually books it and asks for a deposit…bleksim.
Needless to say I could not back out then, so a few weeks later we were on our way to Potchefstroom where we would be ‘Free Falling’. We slept there the Friday night making silly jokes and nervous conversation around a braai with beers to calm our nerves.
The Saturday morning we started training, well it was more like a drill camp. These instructors make sure you don’t do anything stupid up there, by drilling cardinal rules into ones head. All in all the training took about 6 hours and we had to write a test as well, when we walked out of there we were miniature Para bats. Then they asked who is ready to jump, I think I put my hand up so that I could get rid of the nerves I had been feeling the last few weeks.
They crammed us into a Cessna (three of us rookies and a Jump Master – JM) like sardines, we sat back to front in a line behind the pilot with the JM at the door way. We were meant to check each others equipment but we were too busy praying at the time. Luckily the rule is that the heaviest jump first, so I had some more time to pray. The other two gents out weighed me by far so I tried to stretch my neck to see how this all goes down, the first thing that the JM said when we were over the drop zone is “throttle back”, I remember this as these were the words that made my heart become one with my Addams Apple every time I jumped. The pilot brought the plane to just under 200km/h and then the JM shouted “get your feet out”, this is when I looked forward again and prayed till it was my turn.
So there I was in a flash sitting between the door way and the pilot, at least through all the nerves I gave the pilot my camera so that I could have evidence of how stupid I was. So the plane slowed down and I got ready to throw my legs out, on command I threw them out only for them to be thrown back in by the 200km/h wind. The JM just grinned at me as I saw my life pass by, with more effort this time I got my legs onto a small plate just out the door way. Next I had to grab onto the strut of the wing which I did get right on the second attempt and I said well here goes nothing!
I pulled myself up wedging my parachute pack against the bottom of the wing so that I did not fall off without instruction. Now it was baby steps as I stepped onto the wheel of the plane and moved my hands up the strut to almost against the wing. I knew I had to step off the wheel and hang off the wing as was trained but just could not, I looked at the JM over my shoulder as if he was going to tell me this is all a dream and I can wake up now. But all he did was motion that I must ‘dangle’, I took a big breath and dropped my feet off the wheel. I looked back at the JM and shouted “CHECK IN” and he gave me the thumbs up to let go…
That’s when I realised that my first jump was a ‘night jump’ as it was very dark…but I opened my eyes after my parachute had opened! After doing all my checks I just looked out at the surrounding area that was made golden brown by the setting sun, arguably the most amazing site I have ever seen! Right there and then I thanked God for showing me this as not all get to see this and to experience this freedom. Like in life the next time I jumped it was a lot easier!
And as with my job move (that has impressed me above compare) I now cannot believe it took me so long and made me so scared to do things that involve change or that are out of the norm. You have only one life on earth so best you make the most of it!
