She tells us in her own words what the thrilling sky diving experience was like.'There were only two wishes left lying in my bucket – a tandem parachute jump and an absail. I heard that there would be sky diving over a long weekend at the Tzaneen airfield and immediately investigated. I had heard of one person who could perhaps help. This was our local chief of the Electricity Department. I was allowed through the guards to visit him.
He was encouraging and gave me a lot of background information. Then he put me in touch with Bossie Kruger, the local go-between for the visiting Parys Skydivers. He was also encouraging.
Bossie told me to turn up at the airfield at any time and take my place in the queue. That was easy.
Dion and I drove out on Friday morning and were astounded by the number of people already there. It looked like total confusion with everyone milling about and a strong buzz permeating the area. One of the instructors, a handsome young man, a Tandem Master called Corne Myburg, with over 4000 jumps to his credit, called the hopeful jumpers to a briefing outside. He patiently explained the whole procedure and how we were to behave to ensure a smooth jump. I wasn't sure how much of it went in.
It was then the usual hurry up and wait syndrome. As only two people were taken up at a time, it would be a long wait, but there were plenty of interesting people to talk to.
Watching the first few jumps was interesting and we all stood outside under the awning watching them getting kitted up, boarding the little plane, a Cessna 210, and then we peered into the sky as it circled higher and higher, like a bird in a thermal.
There were many oohs and ' looks' as the first chutes opened and the twosomes floated effortlessly down to earth, some landing not as comfortably as one could have wished. Most, however, had smiles like a child who has received a much anticipated present.
Bossie's Mum (Estelle Kruger with whom I had undertaken a Donkey Trek along the West Coast in 2005) and I, with a combined age of 150, were to be the last to go so we could enjoy watching the sun set as we passed it on our way down.
I was developing a serious hunger. The smell of the braaiing wors titillated my taste buds but I didn't want to eat before my jump, so resisted. Dion got tucked into the offered boerie rolls. Bossie told us that he made the boerewors himself.
We calculated that each jump took about an hour from the time the people kitted up until they arrived back in the club house.
At last, at about 4pm we were given our instructors. I was so lucky. I was assigned to Corne. This would indeed be my lucky day. I did wonder, though, if he felt as happy to be saddled with the oldest person on the field. We were told to put on a pair of thick trousers to protect our clothes as we landed. Not exactly sexy, but serviceable, and after looking at the patched and re-patched seats of the instructors' pants, I understood.
We climbed into our harnesses and they were tightened slightly. Then we trudged out to the waiting plane. I was shocked to see that its door had been removed even although it was the most sensible way to get us out.
There were no seats so we settled in on the floor and Corne clipped the top of my harness to his and then had me wriggle on to his legs while he attached the bottom clips.
It was the strangest feeling being in this small, well-used plane and rising ever higher over the ground without noticing that we were circling unless I watched the ground carefully. Everything grew smaller. I had not known that there were so many small dams in the vicinity but there seemed to be water everywhere. At least the Tzaneen Dam was bigger and more familiar.
It was then that the fear became a small bubble inside me and grew at a fearsome rate as we climbed higher. It was total madness to think of jumping out of this plane at over 8,000ft. I had been asked why I would want to jump out of a perfectly functioning plane. Now I was wondering the same thing. Corne repeated the procedure to make sure I had not forgotten anything.
It was strange to be higher than the setting sun and at the same time to see the almost full moon high in the sky. I watch them from my mountain top, but this was quite different. I felt so in tune with them both.
The thought of approaching that open door and dangling my legs out into the void was an audacious prospect and I wondered if I could do it. Fortunately Estelle went first and it didn't look that bad.
Even so, the first few seconds of having myself half out of the plane and buffeted by the cold air was bad for my heart. I had to take that huge leap of faith and it was validated. Once we had parted company with the plane and I felt myself safe in my harness the whole picture changed. After about a 30 second free fall at a speed of 230kmh, there was a slight tug as the chute opened and then we were gliding like the eagles, able to turn whichever way we pleased. I was even allowed to pull on the toggles to start a turn. It was truly invigorating.
It is a feeling like no other. There is a weightlessness, a oneness with the Universe, a sense of tremendous freedom and the warm glow of knowing you are in safe hands.
We flew around a bit so Corne could make a landing near the club house. The ground rose ever closer and before I knew it, we had landed. It was soft and gentle and the slide along the grass didn't even mark the heels of my shoes. I hardly felt the bump on my butt.
I was told to stand up. How was I supposed to do that when my legs were like jelly? I tried to untangle myself from the many cords and, using Corne as a platform, rolled over on to my knees and stood. Hard to believe, I was still in one piece.
We walked back while someone else collected the chute. It was congratulations all round and I was so high on adrenalin I could have flown without a chute.
Before leaving we watched one of the ladies re-packing the chutes. It is quite a complicated business, but I suppose, like everything else, if you know what you are doing, it is easy.
We found out that this was their first venture out of their home base in Parys. I have to commend them on their good organisation, efficiency and friendliness to a bunch of strangers to whom they provided great comfort and support. Dion was told they were fully booked for the whole three days.
I hope this success will prompt them to come again. I, for one, intend telling my friends and pushing them to experience this one-of-a kind thrill.'
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