THE SKYDIVE

I must begin by thanking the wonderful people that helped me raise £411 for the Willow Foundation- family, friends and co-workers. I appreciate it, the Willow Foundation appreciates it and I'm sure somewhere in the UK so does a person or a family going through a hell of a lot and you've helped make their special day possible.

Giving back for me, was a way of saying thank you to the foundation that once was able to organise and part fund a weekend trip to Center Parcs with my aunts, sister and terminally ill mother. The trip is most definitely up with some of my happiest lifetime memories, especially due to the fact that my sister and I were so young when my mother passed and don't remember much of her, we therefore have special moments like the trip to reflect upon.

The Skydive experience was a cauldron of emotions, whirling round my brain, and yes my stomach!

The day begins bright and early as you must arrive (in the middle of nowhere) at 8am to ensure you catch the best of the British weather. Bearing in mind the centre was called the North London Skydiving Centre- it is definitely not in North London. Try maybe a litter further north in the region of Cambridgeshire! My dad, little sister and I left at around 6:30am, arriving just before 8am, and already there was a queue of three of four others. Once the centre opened I checked in and began the short training session. Once finished and kitted up, the nerve-racking waiting game began. 
Thankfully I was a part of the second group to be sent up in the air for my tandem jump, so unlike those in the ninth group, my nerves weren't given much of a chance to freak me out- too much anyway. Before I knew it I was apprehensively waving good bye to my Dad and dear little sister Alana (who was 3 years old at the time- thinking about it, I'm not sure how I would have felt watching my sister jump out of a plane at age 3...hmm). 

What's that? A hat? Crazy, funky, junkie hat? 

So once in the plane you are made to sit in two lines, in front of one another, with your instructor behind you. The plane flies up high, reaching approximately 13,000 ft in the air and then the real fun begins. (Not so) conveniently I was first. Your instructor clips you into the harness and then the two of you shuffle forward with your legs hanging out the door. Your instructor pulls you up onto his lap, moves a bit more forward and then proceeds by sticking your frail, tense and extremely nervous body out the door while he sits on the edge. This lasted for what felt like an hour but in reality was less than a minute. Oh, and yes when I say sticks you out the door I do mean the only thing stopping you from falling thousands of feet to (death?) the ground is the harness attaching the two of you together. I feel like that was the moment for me- the turning point in my relationship with humanity. How often do we put so much trust in complete strangers? Well I had only known this man for all of 10 minutes. We met on the airfield, shook hands and strolled to the plane. We sat close for the duration of the journey up, and finally whilst every inch of my body is hanging out of that airplane door he shouts, 'READY?' and that was it. We jumped. The adrenaline rushed to my head and next thing I knew I was free falling through the atmosphere...nothing could stop me, I was as free as a bird. 
Soon enough the instructor opened the parachute and we were caught within our fall. I then realised placing my trust in this 'stranger' was a very intelligent and well thought out move as he was actually my ONLY chance of survival. You see I sure as hell DID NOT KNOW how to open the damn parachute and therefore would have most definitely free fell to certain death. Thank you instructor stranger...
Some sickly skydive spirals later, along with the chance to soak up the sublime English countryside and our feet touched the ground.
Here's a quick video (that cost an arm and a leg- thank you student loan, haha!) to show you the best bit, although I must admit that my description goes into much more detail hehe.

I have to say it  is an experience that I would recommend to anyone! I would do it again in a heartbeat but it is a costly activity and I think if I keep doing Sky Dive fundraisers people will catch on to the fact that I'm no longer in it for the (money) charitable donations, hehehe. 

Peace&Love,
Willow