Free falling: My first experience skydiving

For some reason, I've always wanted to jump out of a plane. I've had friends that have done it. I've looked through all of their pictures and videos and always thought to myself: "one day, when the time is right, I'm going to do it. I'm going to jump out of a plane. Just...not right now."

And so naturally, I've backed out of the opportunity twice. To be fair though, I was supposed to go with a group of friends both times, and they all backed out at the last minute. Skydiving is not the type of thing you want to do alone. You want to be able to look at your best friend sitting there next to you, hold their hand, stare at them straight in the eye and know collectively that if something happens to go wrong, at least you both are shit out of luck together.

So I guess it's not really waiting for the right time that's important, it's having the right person to do it with. And of course, I have a crazy, wild, spontaneous, free-spirited friend named Yarden that pushed me to make this jump, pun intended.

It started with an impromptu road trip to Canada. We talked about the possibility of skydiving, which I figured just wouldn't happen. In fact, I didn't really want it to happen. It's like one of those things where the more you think about it, the more uneasy it makes you feel, and then the less you want to do it. So we just agreed that we'd try to find a place on the ride back from Toronto, and I kept the possibility in the back of my mind.

Flash forward to our ride home, and we end up stopping at a skydiving center near Niagra Falls. We're talking to the lady at the reception desk, and she lets us know that yes, even though its 2:00 in the afternoon and they have a lot of people scheduled to jump for the day and it's their last day of the season, they can still fit us in for the next hour.

Fuck.

Some family members of people that jumped earlier in the day walk in as we're handing our cards to the receptionist to pay.

"Are you guys going to jump?" asks one of the ladies.

"Apparently," I say as I get my receipt back. "We've paid already, so I guess we made our choice."

We sit down and watch a short safety video for 10 minutes, but my anxiety is on the rise and focusing on anything is nearly impossible. I feel like this is going to be some kind of a joke and it's not really going to happen. Yarden has jumped twice before, and she tells me how amazing it is, but still, the thought of me jumping out of a plane within the next hour just seems surreal to me.

We're led into this sort of warehouse looking place and get suited up. They give us tips on what we need to do when we're in the air. The instructors tell us that they will tap us on the shoulder during the free fall and we need to spread our arms and legs out like an eagle. They get their go pros ready and start filming us and whatnot.

And it's getting way too real.

We walk outside to the little prop plane. Yarden and I hug before crawling into the little plane, and I think to myself how much I love and hate this crazy chicka at the same time for getting me to do this.

The plane ride itself was surprisingly calm. I think being able to see the beauty of the Niagra falls from the plane window sort of put me in a good mindset. I felt at peace. I'm already in the plane. Whatever happens is going to happen, and I have no choice but to roll with it. I look over at Yarden, and despite the fact that she's done this twice before, she has her eyes closed and her hands together like she's praying. She looks way less calm. I guess this isn't something you get used to?

Anyways, they open the plane door, and she's first to jump. I still feel at peace with the world. My anxiety is at ease, my mind is clear, and then I watch as she and her instructor crawl to the open door. Suddenly everything changes because one second ago she was right next to me and now she's just been sucked out of the plane in a matter of mili seconds. I didn't even see her fall, she literally just disappeared right before my eyes like she was transported into another dimension.

So yeah, if you ever have the choice to jump first, definitely do that.

So now I am no longer at peace, I'm a fucking jittery mess. My palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There's not vomit yet, but that can change because soon I'll be sucked into another dimension as well. We're already climbing towards the open door, and I feel like this is a really bad dream. This can't be real. Who the fuck would choose to do this?!

I put my foot on the wing of the plane just like my instructor tells me to. He yells in my ear, "You ready?" to which I reply, "NO" but of course by that time he had let go of the plane and we had begun to fall.

And it was so incredible.

I forgot that the instructor was supposed to tap you on the shoulder and then you need to do that spread eagle pose, so instead I just went into the eagle pose which caused us to flip upside down. The first thing I saw was the sky and then I saw the world as I was floating down.

That's what the free fall feels like. It's like you're floating. I know you're moving really fast, but it doesn't feel like it at the time. There's something truly profound about being able to be in the sky with your arms and legs stretched out, and you're looking at the beautiful world around you from a different perspective, and all you can do is laugh and smile because you feel so free. I know it sounds corny, but it's true. It's not like a roller coaster or anything like that where you have something there to hold on to or keep you secure. But at the same time it's not scary or intimidating. It just feels right.

After about 45 seconds the instructor pulls the parachute and we get pulled upwards. My ears begin to hurt and I really can't hear anything, but it doesn't matter because I'm so happy. There's tears in my eyes, and I look at the camera and wave. The instructor gives me the handles of the parachute and lets me steer left and right.

The landing was actually the scariest part, just because even with the parachute, you hit the ground kind of fast. You're supposed to put your legs up so they don't hit the ground, but naturally I never do what I'm supposed to do, so my ankle kind of took some of the impact, which wasn't very pleasant. But there were no injuries, and we both walked out of the skydive center unscathed and full of adrenaline and pure happiness.

So, my consensus is that everyone should try skydiving, at least once. It was probably one of the most uncomfortable and crazy experiences of my life, and yet if I have the chance to do it again, I surely will. I think it's important for people to do it: to get out of their comfort zone, to see the world from a different perspective, and most importantly, to prove to yourself that you can be the bravest person you know.

But definitely go with a friend. Its an experience that deserves to be shared.

Solo Travel vs. Traveling with Others

Picture this scenario: You and your best friend from home decide to fuck everything and backpack for three months internationally. You've bought your plane tickets, have your passports, and have chosen a backpack that is to your liking. You both are excited to get away and happy that you're doing it together; it seems much scarier facing this trip alone. What could possibly go wrong?

Apparently, a lot of things.

I've recently gone through a travel experience very similar to this scenario. Me and one of my good friends decided to backpack together. We both shared this sense of wander and open-mindedness, and we wanted to experience traveling together. We weren't best friends, but we were close enough to willingly go with each other. But, what I didn't realize was that even if you choose to travel with your best friend in the entire world, that doesn't mean that you're going to get along during a backpacking trip.

Think about it: you spend nearly every day with this same person. Almost every minute. It makes sense that tensions are going to run high, and I'm sure it's normal for group travelers to get on each other's nerves. But once you feel as if the trip is being brought down because of your travel companions, you know you need to cut the cord.

Without going into much detail, we basically just differed too much in personality. We were friends in the normal New Jersey world, but in the wild world of travel, we just weren't compatible. I noticed that there was a bit of tension between us during the first week, and I had messaged a friend back at home about it.

"You need to say something. My biggest regret when I was traveling was not saying something when I should of," he told me.

And though I knew he was right, I struggle with confrontation and let my feelings brood until it became unbearable. We were bringing each other down in different ways, and eventually I decided that I would much rather travel alone, and we went our separate ways.

Once I started my solo leg of this three month excursion, I immediately felt different; the metaphorical weight was lifted off of my shoulders despite my heavy backpack. I wasn't angry or burdened or unhappy. I began to enjoy myself, and I think she did too.

Though solo traveling seems nerve-racking (and I totally understand the feeling), I'm an advocator for it. I believe that it's the best way to travel, and from now on it will most likely be the only way that I travel.

But isn't traveling alone dangerous?

Meh, dangerous isn't how I would describe it, though it is of course situational based on which country you are traveling solo to. But dangerous? I would rather use the word challenging, it's much more appropriate.

Then again, I always like to say that you normally choose the danger that is set upon you. For example, if you put yourself in a vulnerable situation, say like leaving your wallet open where someone can easily steal your cash, that most certainly is a dangerous situation, but a situation that you nonetheless brought on yourself (and it's happened to me, it sucks). If you're going out, watch your drinks and your belongings. If someone strange approaches you, they are most likely just trying to sell you something; ignore them to your best efforts. If you're having sex, use a condom. It's usually very simple.

Of course, there are situations out of your control that most certainly can be dangerous, but if you keep your guard up, you can avoid or at least lessen the danger posed to you.

Doesn't it get lonely?

It's strange for me to admit it because I'm am someone who really enjoys my alone time, but the inevitable answer is: yes. It can get lonely at times. But I'd like to think that how you deal with that loneliness is a reflection of your growth and maturity.

However, there are usually hostels that you can stay at where you share a room with about 6-10 people, so if you ever are feeling lonely during your travels, there's always someone that you can find to talk to. You'd be surprised by how many solo travelers you'll encounter (I found it interesting that they were mostly girls my age). You might even find someone or a group of people to travel with.

You've got some balls to travel alone, that's terrifying. 

I could say the same for those who choose to travel with others. You've got some balls man, that's a real commitment. And trust me, I'm not putting myself on some kind of high horse pedestal. I'm a real bitch to travel with. I can be negative and moody. At times, I can be very apathetic and selfish; not really caring about what other people want. I like my alone time. Social situations sometimes give me anxiety, and there are days where I just don't feel like talking to anyone. I'm surprised that my travel companion stayed with me as long as she did. Some people are just meant to travel alone.

However, if you do have a friend or a group of friends that you are planning to travel with, do it with an open mind and positive attitude, I'm sure you will have a great time. Just be a bit weary about it, and if you realize during the course of the trip that it's not working out, just tell them. It's perfectly okay to go your separate ways and reunite later on. Like I said, it's a commitment traveling with someone else. Sometimes you just want to wake up and start your day on your own terms, and there's nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you say something. I made the mistake of not saying something and it costed me a friendship.