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The pack feels heavy on my back as a waddle down to the jump plane. The straps, pulled tightly around my crotch make walking difficult but if not tight, when the chute opens at 120mph, walking when I eventually land will be damn near impossible.
As I join the line of other jumpers, the blast from the twin props of the skyvan nearly knock me off my feet and the hot air from the exhaust breaks a sweat on my upper lip.

One by one, we climb into the aircraft and assume the position along the fuselage. The last man in slides the door down and the terrific noise subsides somewhat. It's quite cramped and not very comfortable. I sweat more as the adrenaline begins to course. The jumper beside me shouts something in my ear which I can barely hear over the roar of the twin engines as the plane makes its way to the runway. It stops at the start of the runway as final checks are made; then the throttles are pushed full forward and the aircraft begins to slowly gather speed along the bumpy dirt road. I wonder for a short moment if the craft is going to make the sky before we leave the earth's bonds and soar.
Once in the air, the pilot throttles back and the plane settles into a smooth rhythm as it climbs to height. It doesn't take long and soon we're at 14,000 feet. The pilot waits for clearance from the ground, making sure there is no other aircraft in the vicinity and decides to give us a taste of zero gravity. He rises and falls rapidly and on every downward run, everyone in the plane experiences what it's like to be weightless as we all float around inside the fuselage.
After our moment of fun, we get the nod and someone opens the door. The wind blasts into the interior and the noise increases once more. We start to shuffle on our knees towards the opening, all the while watching for the green light that indicates 'GO'. One by one, in the same fashion we embarked, we throw ourselves out into the vastness of the sky. I approach the door and look out. 14,000 feet is a long way up and I mentally check my rig to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. Straps are tight; ripcord is in position; everything's ready. I pull the goggles over my eyes in preparation. Two to go then me. One more. Then I watch the one in front of me leap out and fall rapidly away from the airplane. I count the standard 5 seconds to give him (or her - wasn't quite sure) plenty of clearance and with a quick look at the rest behind me, leap out myself. Immediately I assume the position, legs slightly bent

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