a different view of the city

So it was Monday afternoon and my roommates came into my room and said, "Hey, wanna go skydiving tomorrow?" and I said "sure." Just like that. It was the one thing I had explicitly promised my parents I wouldn't do...but they couldn't come down here and stop me! (I also chose not to tell them because they would have totally guilted me out of it).

The whole night before and day of I was surprisingly calm. I researched to make sure Skydive Cape Town (I think the most popular place down here) was a reputable company....but there was no way I was watching any of those sample videos...what I didn't see wouldn't hurt me. We got there, picked a partner to go up with and waited our turn as if we were going to visit the doctor. Naturally they called me first....and then I started to freak out. I tried to appease myself with the seriously beautiful views of the city in 2ft plane we were squished into...but the pictures say a thousand words....I was anything but appeased.

My friend, Amy, went first. When we hit 12,000 ft above sea level...they strapped her to the parachute and she just jumped out of the plane. and I screamed "OMG AMY YOU JUST JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE" and they said "okay danielle let's go," and I asked if we could just wait a minuteso that I could catch my breath and process what was going to happen. "Nope," they said, and before I knew it I was screaming my head off, free falling 4,000 feet in the air. The free fall part lasted about 30seconds. Those were 30 of the best seconds in my life ( Missed the first 5 though because me eyes were closed) The feeling is indescribable.

Before we had jumped out, my guide told me exactly what to do. Where to put my arms and when....and how to position my legs in between his like a banana. I totally understood. But when I jumped out of the plane...I did not do one single thing he said. My style included more of the arms flailing about and legs kicking in the air type of thing than anything else. When the parachute opened..everything was silent. I could see everything. The Indian and Atlantic oceans, Table Mountain, the city, the beach I was at a few days ago....everything. I learned how to fly myself (which made me extremely nauseous) and before I knew it I was learning to land. I think the best part was being able to cal my parents and say "Guess what I just did." I'm glad they didn't have heart attacks over the phone.

I will try posting photos later....there is a video as well that is definitely worth watching but I don't think there is a way to post it here but I will do my best to try!