Ready, Set, Dive!

WOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!! That's about all I could say an hour ago. With adrenaline rushing through my veins, the wind screaming through my hair, and Mission Beach swiftly approaching, I could think of nothing but how absolutely, mind-blowingly incredible life is.
I got on the bus at 9:15 last night and promptly fell asleep. Fifty shifts to find a comfortable position later, I arrived in Mission Beach at 4:35am. It was dark and my contacts were out, nothing was open, and I was in dire need of some sleep. So, I reached for my inner vagabond, got out my pillow and sleeping bag, lay down on a bench, and tentatively fell asleep.
It was a fitful sleep and I awoke at 6:30 with too much traffic going by for me to be able to be comfortable closing my eyes with my bags left out in the open. So, I picked up my life and went to the nearest hostel to seek a safe place to leave my things for the day (and a clean washroom). With that settled, I walked down the muggy 7am road in search of the skydiving shop.
When I arrived, I signed my life and legal rights away, payed $35 for the membership fees, and sat - hands shaking - with the five other parachuters. At 9:00, we watched an explanatory video, got harnessed up, met our tandem divers, and were herded onto a shuttle bus heading for the airstrip. The small plane was just being fueled when we got there so we walked around as our excitement and anxiety built! A couple minutes - an eternity - later, we boarded the plane and sat with our backs to our tandem's stomachs. I was hitched to Glenn's harness and he filmed the plane taking off (and my ever-increasing smile) and rising through the cloudy sky.
It took about five or ten minutes for the plane to reach 14,000ft and we were all shuffling our feet, wiping sweaty palms, and practicing breathing slowly. Then it was time.
The first diver sat on the edge and plummeted down, then the second, third, and fourth. I was last and not quite prepared for the butt shuffle up to the edge, feet tucked under, head back, arms crossed, no time to think, falling. With a gigantic scream that soon turned into a whoop of sheer delight, we were falling through the air. Glenn pulled the balancing shute and we went spread eagle through the clouds. The islands were dots below us, the land a patchwork of fields. My mouth was dry from screaming and laughing and my cheeks were flapping wildly. A long minute later, Glenn pulled the bigger shute and we floated gently over the beach. He let me steer and we went swooping left and right over the ocean. A few minutes later, the other jumpers had landed and it was our turn to approach the beach at rapid speed. I pulled my legs up and landed on my bum on the soft yellow sand.
Absolutely filled with adrenaline (and air), I couldn't stop laughing. Glenn high-fived me, finished filming, and unclipped me from my harness. All too soon, it was over. One of the most amazing experiences of my life. I cannot explain how exhilarating it was, I can only hope you get to try it one day.
The rest of my day consists of waiting around for the 6:00 greyhound! It's $5/hour for the internet here so I'm going to sign off and wish everyone a happy 18th of October! Hope you're enjoying life and that midterms don't get you down (for all my student friends).
I love you and miss you!
xoxo - Katrina