I always wanted to take a course of Parachuting, but it never happened. I always thought that parachuting must be one of the ultimate experiences you could ever have. One day we were talking about it with some friends of us Peter and Olga M. (using these names like this does not mean they are criminals!) and they said let's call the paracentrum in Texel. Ok !! A few weeks later we went with the 4 of us to Texel for a week to get our licence. The women took a tandem-jump and Peter and I took the complete course in order to get our licence.
First it took 2 days to talk about all the theoretical stuff and to do some exercises in the sand and grass. You have to learn about the how to handle the wind, how to hit the ground, what to do if your main parachute doesn't open up, how to get out of the plane, how to fold a parachute and the funtionality of the altitudemeter. I am not made of elastics, so some exercise didn't go very well. But after 2 days we were ready to go !!!
Unfortunately
the weather was not very good, so we had to wait and wait till the weather
should turn around. After 3 days it was very bad, so we thought we would never
get our first jump. First of all we had to bike to the airport every morning,
which was NOT fun. We had to get up very early and the wind was blowing right at
us all the way. During the day we could not drink a beer, because there was a
chance that we had to junp later that day. So we played some cards, eat greasy
hamburgers and fries, and went playing some pool in a town nearby.
But finally, the 4th day the weather was better and at last we could make our
first jump.
We had a group of about 12 people, who would all get into the plane. First, we were told which way the wind blew and therefore where we would be dropped out of the plane on an altitude of 3 kilometers. Then our gear was checked and then it was time to go.
The last checkup before we went up.
The small plane was completely full with 12 nervous people and a jumpmaster. Our parachutes were tight up to the plane so they would open by itself, then you don't have to think about that action when you jump out!! It is a strange feeling when you get in the plane and the plane takes off. You know that you won't land on the ground on a 'normal' way, but hanging on a piece of cotton with some ropes.
Then
the door opens and you feel the wind blowing inside the plane
and when I looked down I saw Texel a few kilometers below. (Aaaaaah,
chicken skin again.) My friend Peter was
sitting behind me looking cool like always, but I think he was pretty nervous
too. Then I had to jump out and within a second the parachute opened and
weeeehhoeee, I am flying. Wow, that feels great. Turning
around all the time, to the left and to the right, man ..what an experience.
Back on the ground, after a very good first landing, I felt really great. A little later Peter also dropped on the ground again. If I can remember well we did a small little dance afterwards!!
That was our first and last jump that week, but a few weeks later Peter and I went back for a weekend. The weather was perfect, so we jumped 6 times in 2 days. And it felt better and better.
