The ascent wasn't even a trifle exciting as the descent.. people would say "that is obvious". But if there was any excitement of a first timer it eluded me. At 13500 feet, 30 degrees colder than on the ground, the CESSNA opened up and I, strapped onto my instructor, plunged towards the monstrous earth.
Spread-eagled we clocked an incredible 45 seconds falling without any solid inhibitions. 45 seconds seems a long time when you know that your life is not in your hands anymore. I was counting on my instructor to pull the right string [at the right time] . As the dots became bigger and bigger I realised they were trees, houses and cars and I needed a probability of astronomical proportions for me not to hit any of them.
The falling does give you such a big grin which does not go away till the canopy opens up. No, there was no body joking to give me that grin.. You tend to appreciate the laws of nature and physics like gravity, friction and what those forces can make your face look like.
So after about 45 seconds of free fall, I felt a huge jerk as I shot up a few feet like a rocket.. The chute had opened up. Sense had prevailed over my instructor than to continue with the maddening rush towards the ground. Another minute or so gliding gently like an eagle and still trying to absorb every moment of this, I let my instructor touch base before I put my feet down [All's "only" well that ends well].
Couldn't believe that after an hours drive and an hours wait and $250 lighter I had finally sky-dived. Though I have this itch to tell everybody about this [guess I am posting this for the same reason] I dare not tell my parents right now. My dad might charter a plane to pick me up and drop me down back in India.
Anybody who has ever wanted to do this, if you can now, do it without any delay. No ride can give you the real feeling of 45 secs of free fall.. Awesome.
Movie reviews:
Stealth - Plz dont go. Sleep if you have nothing else to do.
Dukes of Hazzard: A nice watch though a bit off from the TV series.. a through comedy... and specifically if you pride your Indian orgins on hearing Shymalan [Signs fame] then this is another Indian in the make - that's what people are saying.