Tripti Singh: I Felt Just Like A Bird

This is something I had wanted to do for a long time.

We reached the aeroclub at noon. After a brief training by the instructors, it was time to go onboard. As terra firma became more and more distant, all I could think of was the beautiful view from up there.

We were smiling a lot, because the whole process was being videoed.

I was going through the instructions. There was truly no time for the fear factor to set in. Once we crossed 7,000 feet, it was time to tighten our harness, put on our goggles and get strapped to our instructors!

The next 3,000 feet happened pretty fast after that. The door was slid open and we slowly edged towards it. Though the instructor is strapped behind you, the plunge is made by you first and that's the time when that split-second of fear overpowers you. Reality sets in then that you're perched on the doorway of a plane with your legs dangling outside, 10,000 feet above the ground.

You're tempted to hold on to the side of the open doorway, but you can't as you have to hold on to your shoulder harness and then the instruction comes from behind you: “JUMP''.

The moment I plunged, I'm sure I must have shrieked, though I honestly don't remember it. This was all in a split second and then the fear factor just vanished – maybe because then you realise that there is no impact and that you're just floating in the air.

I did remember to instantly put my head up for the benefit of the photographer who had jumped alongside us. It was all smiles from then on – I mean it was nothing short of a wide, unending grin. After about 40 seconds of freefall, the chute opens up and then you're going down at a slow pace. At that point of time I felt like a bird, the view was amazing.

We reached the ground all too soon and I also made a perfect landing on my feet.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is physically fit to experience this at least once.

It's been over 24 hours since my skydiving experience, but I've been on a high since then.

And my mind is already wondering, what next?

- Tripti Singh is a Dubai-based marketing professional