Sky High

So, I heard that skydiving can be a life changing experience. I even read that for some, it helped them overcome some pretty serious stuff. Now, I'm not going to bore you with an X-Factor type sob story or go on about a night spent on reflection while writing up a new year resolution list because truth is, it ain't the truth. Now that I'm looking back on this year's biggest highs, I'm remembering that I wanted to start it off with a bang. A bang so big that it would drive me through the whole year on a great high. And it must be said, this has been the best year of my life. So 5 January 2013, it was all booked in. My very first tandem skydive with Skydive Australia. Now this wasn't just your ordinary tandem skydive. I figured if I was going to do something so extreme, I may as well do it properly. So I picked not only the highest possible jump in Australia of 14,000 feet but what the heck, why not jump out of a badass chopper while I'm at it?!

The day finally arrived and I decided to make my way to the Central Coast with four of my best friends. On arrival, I signed my life away, got fitted into my gear, met my instructor, Phil, and absorbed every drop of info on what I was to do while up there. Soon after, my name was called out and the nervous walk to the helicopter began. I hopped in and Phil locked me into position. As I was going to be the first to jump, I had my legs on the edge of the helicopter as it began to ascend. You could say it felt like something straight out of a Rambo movie.

As we continued to reach altitude, I got carried away with the beautiful view of the Northern Beaches and Hawkesbury Valley all too soon to be interrupted with the "are you ready" call. Nerves hit and before I knew it my legs were literally dangling freely in the skies. There was no turning back now.

It was such a surreal moment filled with so many mixed emotions. Nerves. Fearlessness. Excitement. Nerves again. But before I could comprehend any of these mixed emotions, we jumped!

Free falling for almost 60 seconds with the amplified roller coaster ride feeling of my heart and body in two different places. Before I knew it, Phil let the parachute out and the peaceful, soothing glide began. (Play soundtrack: Nelly Furtado's I'm Like A Bird).

And there's another one ticked off the bucket list.