I jumped out of a plane.

Everyone has an innate fear of dying. Something that you are just born with knowing that you probably shouldn’t take any moments for granted never knowing when it will be your last. For someone like me, who I believe has an even stronger fear of death, skydiving probably isn’t expected or if I was leading my “normal” life would I ever had considered doing it…but I did. In South Africa! On my last day in Capetown, fresh from my amazing time at my safari, I flew over South Africa with quite possibly the most amazing view in the world.
After being picked up from the waterfront, Molly, Katie, Mary and I were picked up along with other SAS kids and we were shipped off to the location for Skydive Capetown. Once we got there we entered somewhat of a bunker filled with hippie men with dreads and long hair. We watched as they were folding parachutes up into the backpacks looking so calm and relaxed. There were other students there who had just completed their jumps and they had the biggest smiles on their faces. It appeared as though they had just won a million dollars. They all said that they were jealous of us because they wanted to go again and they were excited that we were going to do it as well. I myself was terrified, as I was counting down the minutes of my life, but soon enough I was being strapped into a harness while the owner buckled me up and continually was asking me questions to distract the thoughts of plummeting to my doom.
Molly, Katie and I all went up in the plane together with our tandem professionals who will jump as many as 20 times a day. Crazy. The guys acted like this was nothing and continually laughed at us as we were probably white with fright and as we boarded the tiny tiny plane we were as quite as mice.
I cannot even remember the plane taking off. All I can think of is the sight of us scrunched up like sardines in the back of the plane, us six people in the fetal position and the scenery becoming more and more clear as we ascended to 9,000 feet in the air. I could see Robben Island and Table Mountain so clearly and the ocean looked so vast next to the plains of Capetown. The guys thought we were hilarious for not talking and so they decided to make fun of us making us more uncomfortable and awkward. I would like to think it was more of a calm before the storm. At that point I was no longer scared or nervous because I was all set to go and I really didn’t have a choice.
Anyways…when we finally reached the altitude, the guys had us sit on their laps and the attached us to them. Within 30 seconds the had opened up the door that was by my legs and without leaving any room to ask questions Molly was set to go out. I was the last to go and I cannot explain the sight of someone falling out of an airplane. It was ridiculous. Molly screamed bloody murder, I mean the most blood curdling scream I had ever heard in my life. I could hear the shriek fade as she fell and then Katie was set to go. It seemed like it went by so fast and then my legs were flapping out the door as I went to fold my arms and fall.
The free falling part probably only lasted like 30 seconds but it seemed like so much more. It was crazy. I was spinning around and the wind was whipping against my face. I am sure I was screaming bloody murder myself but I can’t really remember. I can however remember the feeling of the change of falling to flying. Suddenly Jerry opened the chute and time seemed to stop. The view was amazing and it was so much fun to steer the chute and make turns. I could see Katie’s and Molly’s parachutes beneath me and it was so cool. My landing was not the best ever as I ended up lying on top of Jerry trapped until I was unhooked…but Mary faired worse as she face planted into the ground. Anyways, it was crazy. I will do it again someday and now I can say I flew in Africa. Pretty awesome.