SKYDIVING!!! WOOOHOOOO!!

My Instructor Lance and my Videographer Frank

It was already 7:30AM when we left the hotel and went to Cedartown, Georgia. As soon as we arrived, I proceed to the window and gave the lady the Rain Check. We were asked for our IDs and were scheduled at Load 3 afterwards.

I thought there was this ongoing lesson because there was this old guy recounting the things that needs to be remembered about skydiving. "Remember, when you guys shout NO NO NO, it sounds like GO GO GO to us". LOLZ, that was kinda funny. He also reminded this guy who is obviously excited to jump to NOT scream like a girl when he's up there. 'Only girls are allowed to scream', he said.

At first, the board said that my Instructor was Julie and my Videographer was Leslie. I don't know what happened but things changed a few minutes afterwards. I guess they were reshuffling coz the instructor should match the height/weight of the student.

There was this guy in orange shirt shouting "JULLIIEEEE". I turned around, looked at him and left. I thought he was calling for the instructor Julie. I didn't know at that time he will be my new instructor.

Jimboy went to look for me and he was already in a harness. When I went inside again, I looked at the board and the names changed. My instructor is now Lance. Now I had a feeling that Lance was the guy in the orange shirt shouting my name whom I deliberately ignored. He he he.

After a few minutes, Load 2 is already leaving. And I'm still not in my harness. Good thing Lance came looking for me again. He set me up and he was very nice as he went through the instructions. He even demonstrated it to me. Lance makes me feel comfortable even if I'm freaking out.

Then my videographer came. It was Frank. He's obviously a no-nonsense guy. He was supposed to be Jimboy's instructor last Friday who said the same thing as my instructor, Junior. They both said their hands are off-limits when we are skydiving because they need their hands.

While waiting, Frank did my video interview. I didn't even realize half the shit of what I was saying. Fck! I'm soooo freaking out!! 14000 feet above the ground???!!! My ass is gonna be hurled outside the plane at 14000 feet above the ground??!!! Holy shit!

So anyway, I think I said 'Happy 5th...(*pause...stutter) Anniversary' to my batchmates. ARRGGHHH!!! I can't even say anything straight!!

When we were about to load in the plane, Lance was teasing me coz I was walking like I was about to go to my death sentence. Well....I really am!

Off we went to the plane. I was beeing squeezed by the guy in front of me so I can barely breathe. I don't even have time to get scared because everything happened so fast. The next thing I know, Lance was asking me to bend my knees and put my legs up his ass. Good thing I remembered that I should look up during freefall.

Lance and I, Freefalling!!!!!!!! Me, freaking out!

As soon as I saw the sky, I FCKING SCREAMED MY LUNGS OUT!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We were above the clouds! Then I saw Frank taking our videos. I was smiling from ear to ear the whole time doing all these hand gestures like the peace sign and all that sheezz. I knew that I looked like a fcking retard but I don't care!! WOOHOOO!! This is skydiving!!

Peace!

Frank waved goodbye and Lance pulled our parachute. We were tugged pretty hard but that's fine; it's better than detaching from Lance and screaming my way down the solid ground. Lance taught me how to maneuver the parachute. It was so fun!! We really took our time as we flew around.

Landing Time! Wooppss..

Then it's time to land. "Pull your legs up, gravity is a downer", that's what I heard Lance said. Again, I was screaming like there's no tomorrow. Frank was waiting at the ground taking a video of our landing. We slide down and landed on our asses. Smoothhhhhh!!

Frank and I highfived and I hugged Lance. "Welcome to Skydiving, Julie", Frank said. BOOYAHHH!!!

Note: the excited guy was wearing a tuxedo when I went inside. cool

Skydiving got CANCELED!!! Bummer....

Our appointment at the Skydiving Center is 12 noon so we left the hotel around 11AM. I was all set; my camera is ready and an extra shirt just in case I need to change my shirt.

We got lost for a couple of minutes since we were looking for Airport Road as indicated in MapQuest. MapQuest failed us. So Jimboy had to call ASC so we can get directions.

We arrived a little after 12PM and a bunch of people are already there. We met Sarah and we were asked to fill-up and sign a Registration Form where we pretty much waived all our legal rights. Basically, the form is saying 'if we fucked up, don't sue our asses since you knew the risks beforehand!'. That summarizes all there is to it. And, we signed it.

We passed the form at the window and we were asked if we want to go an extra 4000 feet. My reaction was 'CRAP!!!'. As expected, Jimboy said yes. So we paid extra $10 for the additional altitude. It was a total of $309.75 for the weekday Tandem Skydiving + Video and Photos + extra 4000 feet.

Watching others screaming their lungs out and sliding on their butts

While waiting, I watched the others who went before us. At first, I can only hear the plane but I can't see it. It must've been above the clouds. Then, a couple of parachutes popped here and there on the sky. It looks really fun and at the same time scary. There was this chic who glided just above the Viewing Deck. I can't help but say 'Holy Shit!!' as I watched them go over and pray that they won't crash. I also watched a video of the lady who just did Tandem Skydiving. It was awesome! Now I really wanna do it!

My supposed-to-be instructor, Junior

Our names are written on the television and we were at Load 8. My Instructor was Junior (JR) and my videographer was Ashton - the lady whom I asked about the emergency parachute. Junior put me in a harness and went over the instructions. I was really scared at that point. My instructor needs to go to Load 7 first and he has to run to get me for Load 8. That was the plan.. And it fcking didn't happen because of this freaking weather!!!

There was a storm passing by and we were still waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and waiting... Then there was thunder. That doesn't sound very promising. I asked Sarah if I could get out of my harness. She loosened it first then asked my instructor if she could take it off me. Then she went back and took the whole thing off.

I went outside and looked at the clouds. Yep, those clouds are not a very good sign. It was really dark and it was only around 5pm. We were waiting here for 5 hours! Damn! I was looking at the clouds asking them to GO AWAY! Mother Nature failed me.

MapQuest and Mother Nature are conspiring. So Jimboy and I went home with a Rain Check - rescheduled this Sunday.

BUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!