New Zealand: Blue Skies

"Out of 10,000 feet of fall, always remember that the last 1/2 inch hurts the most" - Captain Charles W. Purcell, 1932

1 in 700 parachutes fails to open. I considered the ominous-looking contract in my hands. I actually promised my parents that I am not going to do any of these. Hahaha..heck, I only live once. To sign or not to sign: It was never in doubt. Besides, life is simply a whim of several billion cells that collectively decided to be "ME" for a lil while, so might as well!

Heart was thumping at 200bpm as I stepped into the hangar to face this beast. This is really happening.

Take off ..

Still climbing...and soaring into the azure skies. I was trying to put on a brave front, but I wa seriously shitting my pants the whole time. :) In retrospect, I should have looked out and savored the scenery during the flight. But hey, everyone is a genius in hindsight.

1 second to jump: Looking out, feeling really really small and insignificant. The thrill of sky diving is something that I will never forget. The raw...primal fear that gripped me moments before leaping out into thin air. The rush of winds against my face. Somehow, at that time, I could not logically conceive the fact that taking one step out would result in a 12,000 ft fall.

It has been about 10 months since the dive. What gain was there for such a risk? I was splurging money away to hurl my body into space; into nothingness. There would be no material rewards. There would be no one to applaud the landing, no one to give me congratulatory hugs etc. Nor was there any scientific objective to be gained. No, there was a deeper reason for wanting to jump, a desire I could not, and still cannot explain.. It felt...almost paradoxical: A sense of immortality laced with real danger, a sacred untouchable place where life and death meets face to face on an equal plane.