The next 40 seconds was a combination of sheer excitement and amazement as I was doing somersaults in the air. All I saw was blue, green, blue, green as I spun around. Once I stabilised with my arms open I felt like I was really flying, it was pure magic. I love my expression on my face in the video. Wide eyed, opened jawed as the wind hit me. I remember I couldn’t stop smiling but every time I opened my mouth I got a mouth full of air. It really didn’t feel like I was falling, so high up there is no feeling of speed, it just felt like I was floating on a very windy day. I had no sense of time; I could have stayed like that forever. I had no idea that I had just fallen 4000 feet in 40 seconds. I completely forgot that I needed to open a parachute, but thank goodness I didn’t have to do any of that. I actually got a little bit of a fright as I felt the jerk from the parachute opening. And suddenly things slowed down. The rush was over and it was just time to relax and enjoy the view as we slowly glided back to earth. The instructor gave me the controls and I steered in the direction of the little building back on earth. I really didn’t realise how fast I was going until I was getting ready to land and the trees just came up very fast (I think I closed my eyes for that part) and the next minute I was sitting on the ground. A little bit disappointed that it was over so fast but it just felt so amazing. I think the adrenalin was still pumping through my veins because I was just jumping up and down with a giant smile on my face. It was the most amazing experience and I recommend that everyone must ‘learn to fly’.

Content originally written by Diane Shearer for her blog I Wear Red Socks