This morning we were up at 5am for the fourth day in a row after a succession of brief windows of opportunity, but today I was top of the jump manifest! The plane had to come from Kathmandu since it had to be used to take poor Carrie (US girl who solo-jumped yesterday) to hospital yesterday. She broke her leg when the clouds came in incredibly fast, blocking off her view and forcing her to land on the steps of a Buddhist Stupa. She is doing well though apparently. Having one of the group break themselves was a little unnerving for many of us, especially Molly (Beddingfield) who was pretty nervous already having never jumped before, but I hope her second-thoughts have faded a bit now. :)
Anyway, I got all kitted up with a thermal-lined jump-suit and oxygen and at about 09:45 I finally boarded the plane, and was very grateful for John accompanying me! I was attached to Tom, my tandem master, and was sat beside Djuan Rivers (a Disney World VP), who I think was as nervous as me! It took us about 45 mins to climb from the airstrip at 12,000feet (the highest airstrip in the world) to 29,500feet (in-line with the top of Mt. Everest), but we were certainly not bored – we were treated to what must be some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet. Titanic mountain peaks reaching into the sky, wreathed in cloud and wearing heavy coats of snow were all around us, and dwarfing them all was mighty Everest itself.
Five minutes to go, and Wendy (our hugely-skilled, and thoroughly lovely camera-flyer) disconnected me from the plane’s oxygen and put me onto my own personal bottle. At this point I was definitely having trouble restraining my nervousness! What seemed like moments later, it was time to open the door, and I should have been terrified but for the fact that as Tom pushed it back there was Everest, directly to starboard, thrusting magnificently above the sparse clouds! I had to sit in the door for a couple of minutes, feet dangling over the edge in the freezing 120MPH wind, but that was actually rather nice – it gave me a chance to get used to the rushing sensation and calm a little.
But then, all that calm was shattered as our Swiss-pilot, Rudy, gave the green light and Tom, Wendy and I maneuvered into the door, and then we were out – AAAARRRGGGHHH!! Ye Gods, it was just as scary as I remembered, but this time I took a little of John’s advice and (cowardly) kept my eyes closed for the first few seconds, just focusing on keeping my position (hands crossed on my chest, head back, hips forwards, and legs together & bent back between Tom’s). Within moments the terrifying falling sensation faded though, and I opened my eyes to find myself flying (well, OK, a glide angle of something like 1:30 is not that great, but it still felt like flying) over the Himilayas, falling past Mt. Everest’s snow-clad slopes!! I cannot adequately describe how that felt, but it was without a shadow of a doubt one of the most intense, beautiful and amazing experiences of my life. Wendy came into view almost immediately and got some great footage of my in free-fall which I shall try to post later.
After about 40 seconds Tom waved off and pulled the ripcord, and with a couple of big jolts we slowed our 145+MPH descent to a more modest 20-30MPH. After making sure the canopy was OK he handed me the toggles and let me fly for a while, which was fantastic fun! As we swooped and turned I was able to enjoy a more leisurely look at the awesome scenery around us, and I gradually guided the us down towards the drop zone. Tom had to take back control for the last bit of course, and we managed a text-book perfect quadruple-buttock arrest (with a bit of sliding of course :).
Unfortunately, once down my clumsy nature felt its need to re-assert itself, and after landing I let out a “Whoop” and punched both fists into the air. What I did not realise is that Dave Woods, our master skydiver, had just arrived behind me and I gave him a whopping left-handed punch right in the jaw, flooring him for a few seconds!! That too is on the video – one for the out-takes I feel.
Anyway, the experience was simply awesome – it is 5 hours later and I am still buzzing. I shall never, ever, forget flying/falling past the highest mountain on the planet.
PS. Pics are coming too hopefully!
