Free Fallin' Out Into Nothing

Nevis Bungy - NZ

Some people say that they would more likely subject themselves to jump out of an airplane than strike up the nerve to bungy jump – especially from one of the highest bungy points in the world.  You may or may not know this about me, but I took that leap of faith in 2012 when I visited Queenstown, NZ and jumped 134 meters (440 feet) into a canyon.  It was one of the most intense and awesome activities I have ever done, and when I survived, I was definitely proud to have crossed bungy jumping off of my Bucket List. 

Until this past December, one thrill that I hadn’t yet mastered was skydiving, which had been on my to-do list for some time.  So, when my loving sister came to visit me for Christmas and the New Year, I suggested we jump out of a plane together! Being an adrenaline-seeker like myself, it wasn’t difficult getting Katy on board with the idea [“on board” – get it? Like boarding a plane… Yes, the horrible pun was intended].  We decided we would make the 14,000 feet jump that would land us on the beautiful beaches of Woollongong, a beach town an hour and a half south of Sydney.  Some skydiving places take off and land at airports – boorrrring – we wanted breathtaking views as gravity took control and plunged us back down to land! So when the day came, I put on my old school Charles Barkley jersey, accompanied with my hightop nikes, and I was officially ready to jump out of ANY airplane. If only Eye of the Tiger was blaring as I walked in slo-mo to the tiny airplane before takeoff... 

As someone who has now bungy jumped and skydived, I can finally attest that skydiving is 100% easier to prepare for and to execute the big jump. Granted, this is partly because there is a professional strapped to your back and the reassurance of technology provides a backup plan for the backup plan in case anything happens to your pro-dude or parachute. But it was also the fact that you are falling for a lot longer, and not essentially diving head-first solo into a canyon in The-Middle-of-Nowhere, NZ with just a rope attached to your ankles… 

ANYWAYS it was also so great to do this [potentially] life-threatening activity with my sister – we totally tag-teamed and accomplished an awesome experience together! ALSO, I don’t think there could have been a better accomplice to hysterically laugh at the finished products of our skydive videos… What a great day.

Speaking of the hilarity of our souvenirs, here are just a few photo gems from my first skydiving experience (And yes, it is near impossible not to have your mouth wide open and to not drool while free-falling out of an airplane…):