Friday, November 30, 2007
0900 hrs
It would be funny if it didn't hurt so much.
....The instructor says- "Ok, please sit down.Hold your left leg straight,bend your right leg perpendicular to your body; now sit on you right heel. Got that? Good! Now hold your left toe with both hands; bend forwards, bend, bend until you touch your forehead to your left knee. Excellent!! Now RELAX in this position...."
Yeah, right. How DID i spend 28 years on this planet without learning how to relax like this ??
As we finally finish the day's stretching exercises, Cdr Baburaj next to me collects himself up from the ground and says-" Wow, I feel so refreshed....owww!!"
1300hrs
My heart is going to break. No jumps for the next 4 days.
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Friday, November 30, 2007
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Day 6- TANDEMMM !!!
Prelude
28 November 2007: Today is the day when the previous batch get their wings. Ceremony in the morning, party in the evening. As I get back from a long day of ground training, I get a call from Nishant sir who tells me I'm going to get a tandem freefall tomorrow morning."Be there at five."
I will be there sir, with bells on.
Day 4- The Runaway Husband
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
I remember reading that skydivers always walk the earth with their eyes to the sky...Because there they have been and there they long to return.
I have a fascinating new friend in this course. His name is Surg Cdr A Bhardwaj and he has come from Delhi for this course. He is 48 yrs old and he has done a basic course with five jumps some six months ago. He's dying to do more but his wife( understandably , i should think) feels rather aprehensive about the light of her life jumping out of aircrafts. He loves his wife, and he loves skydiving. So he told her he was going to Raipur to do some recruitment medicals, and got into the flight for Vizag- one that goes via Raipur, naturally. He feels guilty about the furtiveness of it- he packed all his uniforms , stamps and the equipment he'd need for the recruitment medicals, then he packed the dungarees that he'd needfor the course when she wasn't looking but there's so much glee mixed with the guilt!! I couldn't stop laughing all day today. He says- "I hate lying to her, but how could I not come ??"
I remember reading that skydivers always walk the earth with their eyes to the sky...Because there they have been and there they long to return.
I have a fascinating new friend in this course. His name is Surg Cdr A Bhardwaj and he has come from Delhi for this course. He is 48 yrs old and he has done a basic course with five jumps some six months ago. He's dying to do more but his wife( understandably , i should think) feels rather aprehensive about the light of her life jumping out of aircrafts. He loves his wife, and he loves skydiving. So he told her he was going to Raipur to do some recruitment medicals, and got into the flight for Vizag- one that goes via Raipur, naturally. He feels guilty about the furtiveness of it- he packed all his uniforms , stamps and the equipment he'd need for the recruitment medicals, then he packed the dungarees that he'd needfor the course when she wasn't looking but there's so much glee mixed with the guilt!! I couldn't stop laughing all day today. He says- "I hate lying to her, but how could I not come ??"
Basic Skydiving Course ( Day 3)
Monday, November 26, 2007
How come no one ever told me how PAINFUL it was going to be??? I was prepared for the fear, was totally expecting to lose sleep with performance anxiety, I knew I would have to struggle with complicated physics...But this back breaking pain....:(
The word "arch" sounds like such an ordinary harmless thing. But for a student of basic skydiving, it is the beginning of a nightmare...
How come no one ever told me how PAINFUL it was going to be??? I was prepared for the fear, was totally expecting to lose sleep with performance anxiety, I knew I would have to struggle with complicated physics...But this back breaking pain....:(
The word "arch" sounds like such an ordinary harmless thing. But for a student of basic skydiving, it is the beginning of a nightmare...
Friday, November 23, 2007
Skydiving here I come!! ( Day ' -1' )
23 November 2007
2318hrs
Apparently skydiving is the only thing in this universe that moves me enough to write. I last wrote for this blog some six months back...about well, skydivers. The last six months have been so eventful- a naval orientation course, an engagement AND its subsequent breakup, so many new friends and experiences...so much sorrow and pain, so many surprising bits of happiness-and not once was I pulled out of bed with this irresistable need to write.
Today was day 'minus one' of the course that i worked so hard to get into. Never before in my life have i comprehended the need for what is called "approach" and "jaan pehchaan"....People used to say- "Why don't you ask your father to approach his old cronies to get you posted to some decent place?" Because it seems undignified and petty to me, that's why. But when a signal asking for volunteers for basic skydiving came in september, guess who abandoned all pride and reticence and "approached" EVERYONE in the world who claimed to have any connection with the Navy Skydiving team? Please, please , oh please get me to the course. I've spent the last six months reading everything that google chacha has to offer on skydiving, I've watched shows on Nat Geo and Discovery with my heart pounding and eyes shining- if nothing else i need to know if it is half as good as my fantasies.
When the signal saying I was finally in the course came, I was not able to sleep all night. Every few minutes I would sit up and think- Oh, my God, it finally IS happening. Now, I'll know.
My classes begin tomorrow. Can't wait for morning.
2318hrs
Apparently skydiving is the only thing in this universe that moves me enough to write. I last wrote for this blog some six months back...about well, skydivers. The last six months have been so eventful- a naval orientation course, an engagement AND its subsequent breakup, so many new friends and experiences...so much sorrow and pain, so many surprising bits of happiness-and not once was I pulled out of bed with this irresistable need to write.
Today was day 'minus one' of the course that i worked so hard to get into. Never before in my life have i comprehended the need for what is called "approach" and "jaan pehchaan"....People used to say- "Why don't you ask your father to approach his old cronies to get you posted to some decent place?" Because it seems undignified and petty to me, that's why. But when a signal asking for volunteers for basic skydiving came in september, guess who abandoned all pride and reticence and "approached" EVERYONE in the world who claimed to have any connection with the Navy Skydiving team? Please, please , oh please get me to the course. I've spent the last six months reading everything that google chacha has to offer on skydiving, I've watched shows on Nat Geo and Discovery with my heart pounding and eyes shining- if nothing else i need to know if it is half as good as my fantasies.
When the signal saying I was finally in the course came, I was not able to sleep all night. Every few minutes I would sit up and think- Oh, my God, it finally IS happening. Now, I'll know.
My classes begin tomorrow. Can't wait for morning.
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