My skydiving experience in Diani

Ingvild Finvag, the Norwegian general manager, gives me a long waiver to sign. I chuckle at how it describes ‘‘death by falling’’, before finally just signing along every dotted line without actually reading it thoroughly.

The way we all always check that tiny little box to accept terms and conditions we haven’t actually read. When you encounter that form, you should probably not read it. If you’re paranoid, you’ll likely talk yourself out of jumping!

Upon heading back out, my instructor Gary Lincoln-Hope helps me into a harness. We’ll be doing tandem jumps today. We hop onto a van and set off for Ukunda Airstrip.

I learn that Gary started jumping over two decades ago after joining the Parachute Regiment of the British Army. We arrive at the airstrip and make our way to a small doorless aircraft, then settle in right next to the door. I am eerily calm at this point.

I haven’t allowed myself to think this through. The view of Diani is so beautiful as we fly higher into the sky.
We’re going 12,000 feet up, and as we get above the clouds, it starts to get really cold. My feet are freezing. I am barefoot.

Gary harnesses me to him, gives me a pair of goggles and some last minute instructions. He is recording the experience on a GoPro camera. I am feeding off his enthusiasm, because otherwise I would just be in a state of delirium.

Dangling

Soon it is time to jump, and my instructor tells me to inch towards the exit. Oh my goodness! This is happening! We are about to jump off a plane!

My entire body is now dangling off the aircraft while Gary is seated by the edge of the door, and I am only harnessed to him by straps.

It is at this point that the weight of what is about to happen hits me, and I have never been so scared in my life. Before I can freak out and demand that we crawl back in, we jump off the plane!

Free fall is brutal! First of all, it is very cloudy so I can hardly see a thing.

We’re speeding towards the ground at about 120 mph, and I initially hold my breath before realising that I need air. I try to breathe with the wind blowing hard against my face, which is not exactly a pleasant experience.

We’re flipping sideways and upside down and you get the sensation that you just jumped into a never-ending hole, like you’re in dream.

Next time I will open my eyes and enjoy this part a little more! Gary pulls the parachute after a minute and we stop mid-air.

I scream at the top of my lungs. I finally look down towards the ground and it is beautiful. I wish this moment would last forever.

This right here makes it all worth it. We’re able to have conversations at this point, and he lets me steer the parachute. I pull it slightly left and we float in that direction and vice versa. We slowly glide back towards the beach, and it is all very serene.

We finally land back safely onto the sands, and I am in a state of reverie; screaming, high-fiving everyone and occasionally breaking into awkward energetic motions meant to be dance moves.

I can barely remember being ushered back to the SkyDive Diani premises.

My video is edited in about two minutes, and I soon bid goodbye to everyone and start making my way up the beach towards the villa.