Featured Writer: Chanel
I never would have imagined at the start of this year, that I would have won a contest and got a free skydiving adventure in San Diego.
But, life is unplanned and spontaneous 🙂 and that’s the best part about it!
Thanks to Bucket List Publications, I got to jump out of a plane on Easter and cross off the #1 item on My Bucket List.
I had what I call a “man-tourage” who all decided to join me on this special occasion- Josh White, Johnny Elsaesser, Alex Christ, and Mitchell Arvanites,. These are all good friends of mine that I either grew up or went to college with. Josh and Alex had been skydiving before, so there were only 3 newbies in the group!
Everything kind of all happened so fast, and next thing I knew we were strapped up and assigned an instructor and off we walked across the field to the plane.
The plane was tiny, and there were many of us..AKA we were sardines on a plane!
I was one of the last few to hop on board, meaning I’d be one of the first to jump out of the plane (EEEK). I had been told by previous skydivers that the plane ride is the scariest part, but I was unusually calm, and in kind of a zen mode. Even the instructor asked if I was alright. But I just felt really content..it was a nice feeling when you’re 13,000 feet in the air. There were a couple of “fun” divers who were doing some solo jumps that went before the tandem divers. Once they opened that door and those 3 people jumped- THAT’S when I started freaking out! That is what I WAS GOING TO BE DOING! NO TURNING BACK NOW…
THEN WOOOOO:
This really was an experience of a lifetime and I want to thank everyone (the 700+ of you) who voted for me as a Finalist to win this contest. And of course I can’t thank Lesley and BucketList Publications ENOUGH for this FANTASTIC opportunity. I will forever be grateful.
I can’t begin to describe the feeling after jumping, I was super relaxed and calm and in a “high” sense of overall happiness. Life was awesome-I hadn’t a worry in the world. I was surrounded by people I loved. And it was time for a magnum of champagne that my mother had so kindly brought for us to celebrate after the jump 😉
Now, my man-tourage and I want jump again ASAP 😀 We are thinking about going to Santa Barbara’s SkyDiving location where they have the world’s highest tandem jump at 18,000 feet…
Follow my blog and see what happens next : Photography + Science = Chanel
PS-here’s ^ a VIDEO I made of the stills from the jump- it’s really quick and fun 🙂 Enjoy!
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Submit your bucket lists to: [email protected]tpublications.com
Put “Bucket List” in the subject line.
Include your name, blog address, current city/town & country
See http://www.bucketlistpublications.com/2012/02/09/2012-bucket-list-adventure-awaits/ for an example bucket list.
We are making bucket list dreams a reality!
We’ve already offered a free skydiving tandem jump with deluxe video package from Skydive San Diego. We also organized a complete vacation package at Revelstoke Mountain Resort with heli skiing, accommodations, and downhill skiing included. Matebele Limo delivered a Bucket List reader to the destionation of his dreams – the back of a chauffeured Rolls-Royce limo.
We’re aiming for at least one bucket list adventure recipient a month!
That…is…awesome!
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Glad you think so 😀 Me too!
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Congrats on accomplishing the #1 thing on your bucket list! Skydiving is also at the top of my list. I don’t think I’ll be as calm as you were beforehand, though. Thanks for sharing your experience. Love the pics! I can’t wait to do it!
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Thank you Carly!
Ohhh you definitely need to go skydiving if it’s on the top of your list as well- definitely is a great feeling to have crossed it off already! I know you never know how you are going to react in those kinds of moments..never would have guessed I’d be so calm and in a zen state of mind. Glad you enjoyed the pics- can’t wait for you to experience it one day 😀
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You should have had tom Petty’s song “Freefalling” playing on your iPod! What an experience, eh? My first time was when i was 14, my dad was a pilot in the RCAF (Canadian air force) – exhilarating and it never gets boring!!!
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There were so many songs that related to “falling”, or “jumping” that I wanted to play while I went skydiving! The song I put with my video of the picture stills is entitled “Mr. Blue Sky”- which was upbeat and appropriate I thought 🙂
Wow your first time was when you were 14?! Holy cow. How many times have you been since then?!
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great..even i wanna do it..it’s too on my bucket list …hope to do it soon 🙂
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Keep your mind to it and it’ll happen soon enough 🙂 !!!
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Oh my gosh! That was exhilarating just to watch!!! I loved the little video of the stills. Incredible! 🙂
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Glad you enjoyed the video! I’ve got the actual DVD from the jump this week in the mail..but still have yet to figure out how I can burn it to my hard drive to upload on youtube or vimeo. I love re-living the whole experience 🙂
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I can not blame you! I had a bit of an energy burst just watching it. I hope you can share the video with us!
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Wow, way to go! Love the pics!
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Thanks so much!
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Wow…how exciting!!!
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Isn’t it the most awesome experience? I’ve done it twice. Yesterday I posted photos of hang gliding in the Swiss Alps. I recommend that too!
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IT IS AMAZING! Twice already- go you! Where have you been diving so far? Oh I’ll check out those Swiss Alps photos for sure- hang gliding does sound quite intriguing 😉
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The first time was tandem in Australia on the Gold Coast, then second I was crazy and trained to do it by myself! I jumped out with 2 guys, but they let go before I was supposed to pull the cord…only thing was I was tumbling so much, they had to pull it for me. But I obviously survived(: Tandem is the way to go next time!
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AHHH that’s scary! I used to live in Brisbane Australia- that would have been fun to do it there 🙂
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That’s so great! You’re expression is fabulous. Congrats!
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Thanks 🙂 I’m glad that there weren’t too many bugs flying around in that altitude..or else I’d probably have caught them in my wide open smiling mouth! Haha.
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An Amazing experience.
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It was truly unforgettable!
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Skydiving is so amazing! I was in the skydiving club at my uni and just loved it. I’ll never forget my first solo dive. Phenomenal. Good on you for doing it 🙂
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SoloDive?! You’re very brave..I know it takes only 7 tandems to do your first solo dive and I kind of want to do that now too 😀 I was actually thinking about that last night.
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O go for it! It’s such fun. My first solo landing was a disaster and I just came down like a sack of potatoes but it was still amazing.
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Omg I can just picture myself not being graceful in the least bit on the landing if I were to do it myself..I have a bad knee too so that would make me even more nervous! Could we just land in a big pool of jello or something instead? Haha.
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Omygoodness. I think you’ve hit on something there! Mind you, there’d be a big pool of jello to aim toward and I’d land next to it!
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Great Shot!
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I couldn’t stop smiling 😀
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I did it twice and its an incredible experience, congrats!
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I can’t wait to go again 🙂
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That’s awesome!!! I would be terrified to do that, but good for you girl!!! That is such a crazy adventure!!
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Thanks 😀 !!
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You can check out my bucket list wish at my post on Luke Donald !!
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I most definitely will- did you check out mine too ?
http://photoscience.wordpress.com/my-bucket-list/
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Hi Chanel, read your list, very interesting, these are the numbers for the things I have done already. 5,6,10,14 (no rely’s tho) 17,21,29,30,31,39,44.
Pete
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So cool! I want to go skydiving sometimes soon, too. 🙂
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Do it!!!
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Skydiving is about #9,999,999,999,999 on my bucket list. lol
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Hey everyone has different goals 🙂 – what’s number 1 on your list??
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Something that keeps me on the ground, on a perfectly good boat, or in a perfectly good airplane. lol
I’ve pretty much done everything I wanted to do. I supposed if I had a bucket list — and I don’t — it would have travel at the top, travel to Greece, Italy, England, France, Peru, Japan, and China. When it comes to leaving the United States, though, I’m pretty much a chicken.
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Well I hope one day you get to go to one of those places 🙂 I’ve never been to any of them.
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That is absolutely amazing! Congratulations on living life the way it is meant to be lived.
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Thank you Rick! It was amazing.
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Congrats. Would terrify me.
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Thanks Sandra! Yah a lot of people feel the same way you do..but life is so much more exciting when you live it on the edge 😉
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I believe you and admire you, keep it up!
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Wow, what fun..inspiring
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Thanks- have you ever been?
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Wow what a fabulous experience & congrats ….I hope I get a chance to do this some day but the nerves of steel needed….eyoooo
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Thank you !!!
I hope you get the chance too- it’s too amazing not to experience 😀
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wow!! amazing and Congrats.. the pictures are great 🙂 I also put a check box on one of my bucket list item – I got my first permanent tattoo! and I was so scared of it first but now I’m already looking for inspiration for my next one 🙂
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Ohhh a tattoo is on my list too! About to cross it off soon as well- I have a friend who is an amazing tattoo artist who I’ve been throwing ideas/pictures at to make a cool tat for myself 🙂 I’m excited! What did you get?
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I got the Japanese symbol for dreams on my neck 🙂 next I’m planning a verse from Geeta (The hindu religious text) on my shoulder blade 🙂
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Awesome!!! I really want to get an octopus..my favorite ocean creature on the planet 🙂
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nice..:) I have never seen an octopus on anybody yet.. waiting for your post on that one 🙂
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Way to go!! I loved the photos too. I’m starting my very own bucket list tonite. I really want to try bungee jumping. Not sure if I spelled it right??
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Ohhh Bungee Jumping is a good one! What else do you want to do 🙂 ?
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Skydive, visit Africa and go on safari, visit pyramids in Egypt, volunteer for 2 weeks in Costa Rica, take a “cargo ship”/low cost/low frills trip around the world… I could go on….
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Those all sounds amazing!! Hope you get to cross them off 🙂
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WOW! While generally fearless, jumping out of a perfectly good airplane is NOT on my list! In fact, I think by the time I reached Terra Firma — all that would be left of me would be the former shell of a soul that left its body not the way down. Love your spirit though! How ’bout I live vicariously through your blog? Thanks for “Liking” my blog as well. GOLANSKIS TREASURES is a work in progress, but I’m 70% through my revisions, so hopefully the final draft can go to the copy editor so MY #1 Bucket List item can be achieved — publishing the novel I’ve been working on for 12 years. Blog on!
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It really is crazy once I think about it..but I mean you always put yourself in danger every time you drive on the road. So why not push the limit and jump out of a plane 😉
Please live vicariously through my blog- I wouldn’t mind at all! Just makes me happy people read it 🙂
I know you will publish that novel! Keep up the good work!
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You have most definitely struck a chord. More people seem to have bucket lists than might have ever been imagined. As for my publishing my novel . . . that’s not as distant a dream as it once was. After 12 years (but, who’s counting?) I finished all the research and first draft of the manuscript. I’m 70% of the way through revisions, then will hand it off to my copy editor, who will have her way with it before returning to me for MORE revisions. At that point (hopefully within the next few months) I will begin circulating it to the agents who’ve requested the manuscript (Yes,Virginia . . . things are moving forward). Then, it won’t be a question as to whether it WILL be published . . . just whether it will go the “traditional route” or be independently published and made available digitally. Check in with my blog to see how things progress. It’s been an amazing journey, and I feel blessed to have been allowed to fill my bucket with words!
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I wish you the best 😀
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OK, that sends shivers up and down my spine. I’m not sure if vertigo is the same thing as jumping out of a plane, but I am sure there’s an adrenaline rush in there somewhere.
Thank you for visiting and liking my Utah 2 post. I hate to admit it, but ATV’ing through Utah was one of my bucket list item. I know it’s probably not quite as impressive as skydiving, but it was pretty darn awesome.
I think I’d better check up on my list and see what else we’re going to do next. Scuba diving the Blue Hole in Belize?
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Lots of adrenaline!
I’ve ATVed in the middle of Montana where the forest parted and there were these endless sand dunes- it was fantastic!!
Scuba diving the Blue Hole should be on my list too…First I want to dive the Galapagos 😉
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Wow – in one month I’ve “met” three people who went sky diving! I am much more of an earthbound being and have no desire to dive the sky – my bucket list “adventure” would be to drag-race my Mustang! 🙂
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That looks like a sign to me Stacy…a sign to go skydiving too! Ohhh drag-race huh? I love speed, but mostly in go-karts instead of cars haha.
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Was it scary???
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It was scary when I saw the first people jump out of the plane before me..then it all hit me that I was going to be DOING THAT TOO! It happens so fast..but it’s totally worth it.
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I love your blog, so I’ve nominated it for a Versatile Blogger Award: http://bit.ly/IUFXvL
Vanessa
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OMG! It must have been quite a fabulous feeling, ya? What next, I wonder!
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Yeah it was truly amazing and crazy and awesome and I loved every moment of it. Up next..It looks like I’ll be road tripping to the Grand Canyon to cross that off my list!
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I want to do this asap!
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I’ll be the first to say YES DO IT!
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WOW…. Just thinking about that makes me anxious, but I also think that that high feeling afterward could get addicting. I think you are so brave, and that is awesome!!! Congratulations on achieving your goal!
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That euphoric feeling is quite addicting you are correct- thanks for the congratulations!
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Just looking at these photos make me nervous lol. I would love to jump out of a plane but I don’t think my legs would actually allow me to do it lol. One day. I loved this post and the photos
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Yup my legs definitely were a bit unstable..especially because you have to squat for a couple minutes while the instructor hooks you on to him while you sit on his lap on the plane haha..But once you leave that plane you don’t have a care in the world!
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This is crazy! I’d probably need a gigantic bucket to check this off of my list.
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It’s truly something I think everyone should try at least once in their lifetime 🙂
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Its very refreshing to see someone reply to every single comment she receives. Very commendable.
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Of course! I’m just so happy this blog is getting so much feedback 🙂
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This looks so amazing! I would love to go sky diving but I don’t think I would be able to jump.
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Luckily you don’t have to jump..you just fall out since there’s a person strapped onto your back and you have no other option!
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You are freaking awesome! :-))
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Why thank you 😉 !
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Congrats! Skydiving is awesome. I did it a couple times myself a few years back and still love watching the video of it. Now you have me thinking of doing it again.
Love reading your blog. Good stuff!
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Thank you!!! I say you go for it 🙂 do it again!
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Amazing! I’ve done bungee jumping, but not sure I could bring myself to jump out of a plane! eek! It looks amazing though… the look on your face while you’re freefalling says it all!
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I crack up at my pictures everyday- that’s the face of pure excitement and no worries in the world! Where did you go bungee jumping? That seems more scary than skydiving to me haha..
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this is awesome, it’s on my bucket list as well
http://www.glamorouslydefined.wordpress.com
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You gotta do it then Samantha!
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Thought about jumping out of perfectly good airplanes when I was younger and less breakable. I don’t think about it anymore. But I’m glad you had fun!
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I’ll jump for you 🙂
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FOR…..GET….THAT..!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Skydiving not an option for you?? Haha it’s ok. What is something you REALLY want to do?
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I loved adventure and heights when I was younger..LOL! Now, I am the worlds biggest baby and would probably pee my pants the minute I boarded the plane. I think it looks like an amazing adventure- just to scary for me. My bachelors degree is a HUGE goal for me. I’m starting soon!
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Awesome! Goodluck with your bachelors degree 😀
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Love this! The pictures are amazing! I love how you described the feeling after jumping, so cool!
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Thank you!! I’m excited to jump again without a photographer so I can take in more of the whole experience.
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It looks incredible! Well done! I had the chance to do it in Dubai but chickened out..
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Thank you! Oh Dubai?? That would have been awesome! Have you ever been before?
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I’ve been to Dubai before but never sky diving. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do but..I just can’t bring myself to do it!
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Go with a group of friends- it makes things a lot easier and more fun 🙂
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I might just do that next time I’m over there, will let you know if I ever do it!
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Yes please do!!
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Skydiving is freaking amazing, I did my first jump a few years ago and can not wait to go again. The adrenalin rush had me buzzing for hours, and that night I saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live in concert from the third row. I had a new appreciation for Freefalling as you do now too.
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Omg that is such a great story Bob! Jealous..Wish I had an awesome concert to go to that evening to continue the buzz of happiness 🙂
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It was a blast, glad you enjoyed the story of my 11,000′ skydive. Check out the video if you care to.
http://bahbs.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/free-fallin-my-life-at-11000-feet/
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I won a skydiving ‘jump’ 2 years ago, and it was AMAZING! I was on an absolute high for months, the pictures still bring a smile to my face. We had an amazing sunset, as we were the last jumpers of the day. Thankfully a friend brought my camara to take pictures! This was definitely a bucket list item, and so glad it became a reality.
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Go you! That’s great 🙂 Oh a sunset jump would be gorgeous..I want to do that!
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Fabulous action shots that take me back to memories of when I took skydiving lessons–only at that school, you went solo on your very first jump. We did have an earpiece to communicate with the jumpmaster reminding us when to pull our ripcord–and there was a remote control to open the chute if the first-time skydiver actually passed out or just froze up. This method with going piggyback is so much safer, I think.
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Wow that just gives me the creeps thinking about that! EEEK that’s so much responsibility to go solo…but I also think it would be AWESOME to do.
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Oh you’re so lucky! I’d love to go skydiving!
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You should definitely try it out Rebecca!
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Oh my gosh I’m not sure I could ever do that! Although I’d love that calm peaceful feeling where there is no worry! Maybe people should just skydive instead of taking prozac. Probably healthier, lol. So glad you could make your dreams a reality
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You go, girl!!!!! Freakin’ awesome! It’s on my bucket list, too. Maybe one of these days…
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Thanks !!! Hope you cross it off your Bucket List soon- it’s a blast!
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Well done. You now have a new fan – hehehe! I admire you for this but it is just one of those things I will not do myself.
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Yeah new fan! Skydiving isn’t for everyone I guess..even though I think everyone should try it at least once! It’s a feeling that you will never forget.
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