"flying without wings"

What more appropriate lyrics for today! It was always going to be a wee Westlife hit!

I DID IT!!!!!

I jumped out of a plane in a tandem skydive from 10,000ft!!!! OMG what an experience!!!!!

My instructor Ian kept me calm as he strapped me into something you'd see the Red Arrows wearing and Martin with his squirrel suit videoed the whole experience for me. Provided with a rather fetching (not) leather hat and goggles, it was all systems go! The clouds from earlier in the day had cleared away to reveal blue skies and glorious sunshine! It was now or never.

Into the plane and strapped onto my instructor we climbed to 10,000ft, flying out to the Tay river to gain the height. And as soon as the plane levelled off, there was no time to think! Shuffle to the edge, smile for the camera and away you go!!! :)

Freefall was a horrible and yet surreal experience! You knew you were falling through the air because I couldn't get a breath with the force of the wind against my face, but it also felt like you were just suspended in the air - just the ground kept getting closer! Unfortunately I never felt my instructor hit my shoulders as the sign to uncross my arms, so it was a surprise to me when the parachute was pulled! But he said it was fine.

Parachute open and I could have stayed up there forever! Suspended in mid air with silence all around - it felt like a whole different world! But a few spins later the ground became very close and it was time to land - a little awkwardly but we survived!

The whole thing was over in less than 30mins but it was an experience that I was definitely do again! It's true what they say that when you have skydived once, the bug for it will catch you and you'll want to do it again and again! If anything, I have a freefall to get right! :)

At the time of jumping I had raised £1090 for Breast Cancer Care and the Breast Screening Unit at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry! Absolutely unbelievable and I am blown away by how generous people have been! Donations are still coming in so that total is only set to rise!

O, and as for the photos and DVD of the experience...they are not the most attractive things I own so they'll be for my eyes only! All I will say is Goofy eat your heart out! hahaha!!

# Flying without wings - Westlife #