Writing 101 – A Room with a View

Slowly walking to the aircraft, weighted down by my parachute. Thoughts are racing through my mind. Is this real, am I really going to do this – again?

I stop, turn and take one last look at the safety of the departure lounge. Shaking my head at the madness to follow, I turn and board the light aircraft. The interior of the aircraft is but a husk of its former glory.

All the seating and decor have been stripped out to make it lighter. Instead it is packed with sky divers seated on the floor next to each other, all speaking very loudly and excitedly. We are all aware of the danger, but the adrenaline rush of the jump is awesome.

As is custom, there are no doors on the plane and nothing is placed across the gaping hole to prevent anyone from falling out. Who wants a door on a plane when the intention is to jump out of it at heights of over 6000 feet?

The ascent to 6000 feet takes over 15 minutes to complete but once there the fun really begins. At this hight the aircraft hangar looks the size of a match box and the runway is reduced to a small smudge in the sand. The phrase ” Space, the final frontier.” was made famous by Star Trek. Who needs Star Trek? Space can and is found at 6000 feet.

There I was yet again exiting an aircraft with the most intense adrenaline rush you can imagine and my only safety-net being a parachute strapped to my back. This is my room. It is quiet up here and strangely peaceful. There are no distractions from cell phones or any other electronic device.

This is the only time you get to experience the  amazing feeling of flight.  From up here the earth is beautiful and the air is crisp and very cold. All too soon gravity reminds me that it is time to deploy my parachute, ending my visit to my room.

Even while I sit and write this article I can mentally put myself back up there and the warm weightless sensation returns.