Skydiving #YOLO #WHPost4

It's just amazing!

I'm crossing out another 'MUST-DO' from my long to-do-list. Skydive checked.Hehe. Another expensive experience wtf. But since it's a #YOLO kind of thing so don't care lol.

12,000 feet man! Why choose 12,000 over 9000 or 15,000 ft? Main factor goes to price, 15,000 costs $439 while 12,000 costs $339, hundred dollar cheaper. 9000 ft is not in consideration at all due to its height.

Btw, we booked through JJ House Limited and got $17 discount each pax. That's $322.This is certainly a good way to save.We checked in half an hour earlier in NZone Queenstown at 8am coz we were in the first session 8.30am! Apparently we planned to book for 930am but it's fully booked =(

Nzone skydive really 'laku' (means fast-selling) even on weekdays.

Basically they made everything speedy to make sure no delay.

Checked in. Bus departed on time to NZone Dropzone which is 20 mins from Queenstown. Double confirmed our booking and photo request. Have us put on the gown. Short briefing about correct posture to jump--BANANA shape. Quick video shooting.One time no NG. Next thing is board.

Introducing my coach...

We somehow requested to have a marker man so that we could write some words on our hand. One of the staff helpfully helped us with that. But the whole thing had been quite pushy as Xt got to write his properly while me was just left with a pen.

So I did my left hand using my right. But it's impossible to do my right with left hand. So I asked my photographer but he said he got to do the video shooting thingy so he got no hand to help. Then I shyly asked my coach while the plane precipitously accelerated to 12,000 ft.

Me:'Can you please write #YOLO on my hand?'

Him: 'What does that means?'

I tried to explain but I think it's way too noisy that he probably didn't hear me.

So #YOLO is Asian kind of thing?

Btw, back to the dive.

To be frank, I neither in too much excitement nor fear, not until 2 minutes before getting out the plane.

Coach:'we are now 2 minutes from the dive.' There's where I feel the rush of my adrenaline but not too much though. One thing I keep reminded myself-- Don't scream; keep smiling to keep the photo nice. (failed it though, I will tell you why later, but at least I put in effort to try looking good )

There I realized we (me and coach) are the first to jump. Being the last in the plane means the nearest to the plane door and the first to go.


I basically tightly connected to the coach. So wherever he goes, I follow. What he did was to push me through the plane door. I was not given another second to hesitate. The next second I was out of the plane falling into middle of nothing.Nothing, I was floating in the air.

12,000 ft was promised to 45 seconds of free fall. (1 minute for 15,000ft)

Just embrace the fear. Well, there's nothing much to fear. Becoz......I was multitasking up there in the sky. I don't have a second free to fear, to be frank.

That's a super panorama view, giving a full gaze of Queenstown and snow mountains.One good thing to skydive before the weather gets too warm is you got snow mountains in the photo!!

Don't have much time admiring the view though. The next second my photographer glided towards us and gestured me to pose.

So I try to smile and pose. Remember the principle? To look good that's all matter. Btw...such a failure my cheek got too much of flesh and they all got blew up and left distorted despite my big grinned smile.  

15 seconds or probably 10 seconds later I say goodbye to my photographer. He will be in the dropzone waiting for us to land. This left me and my coach.

My perception was that we were gliding gracefully left and right above the horizon. Haha.True or not I'm not sure.

Coach: 'I will let you take control.'

So I was then holding a loop yellow in color. Two hands up--Full speed, that's what they call while flying. Pull down one side, either left or right will lead to accelerating spins.

Coach: 'Do you have motion sickness?'

Me, bravely answered:' No.'

The answer NO was leading to a few more spinning. Left and right. Right and Right. It was fun in the beginning but I started feeling a bit nauseous later. Though it's still bearable.

From jumping to landing probably only lasts for 2-3 minutes I supposed.

Surprisingly Xt's coach didn't let him in charge of the parachute.

That's it! I DID IT. Life is too short to wait. xD

This video basically recorded everything from the beginning to the end.

#YOLO

Cardrona Ski Day #WHPost3

5 weeks after my first ever skiing experience, I was back to ski field once again, this time Cardrona. Partly because Xt has finally arrived in NZ that he anticipated snow long before his arrival; and a part of me have been wanting a snowman so badly but I had not have adequate time to build one properly.

We are acting quick just in case spring gets too warm to melt away the snows.

 FYI, there are quite a few of ski field in the region, namely Cardrona, Treble Cone, The Remarkable, Coronet Peak, Ohau and probably more?

My kiwi colleague raised in the region has recommended Cardrona for new learner like us. 

This time I'm going to be Xt's teacher and pass down what I've learned from few weeks ago. Just the easy peasy basics, how to move and stop. Don't expect much of a 2nd time skier. 

Our plan of taking shuttle bus from Cromwell to Cardrona was called off due to unscheduled trips, we made a few phone calls to other shuttles in Wanaka but we just couldn't be in time for any of them so we decided to drive up the ski field ourselves.

'Human can only plan, God will do the judgement.' Soooo true man.

Weather was good in the morning that snow chain is not needed. But then it snowed heavily at 1pm that we need to fix a snow chain to get down from the hill.

Let's the video do the talking.

Ohaiyo!

Coz you only live once

Start to roll

Our end product! Mr.Impassive

Till next time.