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On my backpacking adventure around the world, I visited a country I’ve always wanted to go to; New Zealand.
The land of blue lakes, high mountains, hobbits, and most of all adrenaline!
Home for junkies craving adventure, you can pretty much do any crazy activity you can think of on that island.
Bungy jumping, canyoning, coasteering, glacier hiking, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, and the best one in my opinion; sky diving!
There are many places all over the world that you can skydive in. But, New Zealand has to be the best.
I mean, what’s better than jumping out of a plane over Mount doom? Nothing, that’s what!
I decided to take the plunge in Lake Taupo.
The most amazing town is famous for this extreme activity alone. This is by far the cheapest place to do it there.
It cost around $250 but the experience is something you will never forget and I had to tick it off my bucket list.
What’s more, I knew I would get fantastic views of the lake, mountains and Hobbit country. Yippee!
I was picked up in a limo, with a few of the others who were backpacking and we made our way over to the air shelter.
As I shakily signed the waiver, with contact details of who they should tell if something were to happen to me, I felt like I was indeed signing my life away.
I boarded the plane and we ascended up in the sky for the dive. Then…we jumped!
It was the most incredible and the most liberating thing! As you fall through the air from 15,000 ft.
It doesn’t feel like you’re falling for long and when that parachute went up, I wanted to go again!
I think everyone should skydive at least once in their life and these are 5 reasons why;
1. It’s awesome
Okay, this is a pretty obvious one but it does pretty much trump them all.
Skydiving is one of the most amazing things you will do in your life. You fall out of a plane, from 15,000ft. and can live to tell the tale – crazy!
Naturally, you will have someone on your back with you unless you’re qualified but, you’re still falling through the sky at what feels like a million miles an hour. You’re pretty much flying!
I can’t really describe the feeling as you fall, but imagine you’re on a really high roller coaster and then times that by 1000.
The mix of your butterflies with excitement and that’s kind of it. But, you’ll have to find out yourself! It’s really a feeling like no other.
2. You only have to do it once (but you’ll want to do it again!)
So, the idea of flying through the sky isn’t what you’d like to do every weekend? That’s cool, you don’t have to!
I saw my dive as a once-in-a-lifetime experience and if I didn’t like it – I wouldn’t do it again.
But, after I did dive – I wanted to go again, and again, and again… It all depends on how you felt after.
All I know is that I felt on the verge of being sick on the way up, then liberated on landing.
3. It’ll only take 5 minutes
The whole experience lasts around 15 minutes from plane to landing so it’s not a long process. That’s good so you’re not waiting around and letting those nerves cave you in.
The time you fall through the air is around 60 seconds! Which isn’t very long at all if you think about it.
Before you know it the chute will go up and you can enjoy circling back down to earth.
Your skydiving professional can take care of the landing – just lift up your legs!
4. The views will be spectacular
This was probably my favourite part. As you catapult back down to Earth, the views are stunning!
I skydived in Lake Taupo and the scenery was spectacular. The lake, mountains, and Mount Doom in the background – incredible.
No matter where you dive, the birds-eye views will be great. And, you get to see them first hand without looking out of that pokey plane window too.
5. You’ll have serious bragging rights
So you’ve skydived. That’s a pretty good bucket list tick off and you can get some photos to show all your friends and family!
I remember not telling my Mum as I didn’t want to worry her and she woke up to see pictures of me jumping out of a plane.
As you can imagine, she didn’t appreciate it – but at least she got to sleep!
Depending on what package you go for you can get pictures taken from the side or have a photographer jump out of the plane before you and document your journey as you go down.
Skydive Taupo was brilliant as they put together a little video of you and then you can watch your very own skydive movie. Laugh at the ridiculous faces you pull with the g-force pulling your cheeks to the side!
Make sure you do it!
If you are in two minds on whether to jump, I would say just do it!
It does feel unnatural, it’s what the body doesn’t want to do but you’ll thank yourself for it!
Plus, it only takes around 5 minutes so it will be over in no time –and you’ll want to go back again!
The best part I feel is the fact that someone else jumps for you so you just have to enjoy it. It’s not like Bungy jumping where you have to take the leap! But I did that too and you can read about it here.
There are places all over the world where you can enjoy skydiving and I would take the chance to do it if given one.
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