The plane ride up to altitude makes me n-n-n-n-nervous. But not as much as it used to. Now I start breathing deeply and really trying to chill myself out near the jump run. I visualise what I need to do on the jump at hand. I really see it happening in my head. It seems to work so far. I normally do this at least three times. In between doing this, the JM will ask me what I’ll do at 5500 feet. Why pull of course….
It all starts when the JMs are getting ready to exit. They’re tightening their leg straps, checking my rig, handshakes all round, that’s when the heart increases.
What can you do though? Once the JM is out there hanging outside the door, copping all the wind, you can’t really ask them to politely step back inside the plane.
One of the tandem masters told Basia that experienced skydivers also get butterflies, they’ve just taught them to all fly in formation. Below is something I found ages ago on the net. I forget where, but I kept it as some of it is funny. Some of it not.
Here’s 61 “Things to Do” on the ride to altitude:
1) Blow your nose and offer to show the contents of your kleenex to the
other jumpers.
2) Grimace painfully while smacking your forehead and muttering “Shut up,
damn it, all of you just SHUT UP!”
3) Whistle the first seven notes of “It’s a Small World” incessantly.
4) Sell Girl Scout cookies.
……more continued
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