Go on then, jump—don't dither!

My South African mate and I had been planning this skydive for a full two years.

I left the arrangements entirely up to him, which was quite funny given that neither of us had ever jumped before. For us, it was just a proper first-time experience.

As the plane climbed steadily to ten thousand feet, I looked out the window. I kept telling myself, "What’s there to be afraid of?" but my body was having none of it; my heart was racing and I couldn't help feeling a bit jittery. The instructor must have noticed I was nervous, so he kept chatting away to take my mind off things, probably worried I’d bottle it if I kept staring at the ground.

Once we reached the drop zone, I focused entirely on the instructor’s final briefing. I had one thought in my head: just jump, don't you dare hesitate.

The moment I leapt from the plane, that minute of freefall kicked in. As the ground rushed up to meet me, I thought, "Bloody hell, so this is what jumping off a building feels like. Actually, it’s not that bad."

Mind you, once I tried to focus on floating in mid-air, I realised I couldn't catch my breath. I tried to pace my breathing, which is how I ended up with that hideous, gurning photo you see in the video (laugh).

Then, right on cue, the parachute opened and the world went completely quiet. Looking down at the Johannesburg landscape, the view etched itself into my memory, reminding me of the magnificent scenery I saw when I climbed the peaks of Longshan years ago.

It was an unforgettable experience, and I’ve already made up my mind: next time I’m back in South Africa, I’m doing it again.