There is lots of fun to be had during the long summer weekends getting into an aircraft, flying up to 12,000 feet and then launching yourself out in to the clear blue sky with a group of friends. Although I normally jump at the Joint Services Parachute Centre (Lippspringe) here in Germany, I sometimes get to jump at other centres as far apart as the UK, Cyprus, Czech Republic and the United States.
It’s a great sport with loads of great people taking part and even some nice people who just like to watch. It's very healthy, as it gets your heart going and you get the chance get up to altitude to enjoy plenty of fresh air, in fact on the way down you're practically force-fed fresh air!
After all, it's the only sport in the world that's "Gravity fuelled and air cooled!"
The disadvantages? Well, it's addictive and quite bad for your health in that it is almost compulsory at the end of a days jumping to meet in the bar for lots of beer and pizza. There is of course normally more beer than pizza, and going home early is not usually an option.
Male, female, young and old, we're all there, jumping, packing and talking about skydiving, the weather and life in general putting the worlds problems to rights.... same as any other like minded people with any other hobby.
There is always the chance to get together in a friendly group and take part in a couple of competitions. the parties are always a blast and, if you can keep sober enough to jump, you may even take home some trophies.
So all in all you are given the opportunity to go out there and have fun and dress up in some really dodgy looking kit. Well I don't mind looking dodgy if I can do it in places like Southern California!
