wykazox 0 #1 September 1, 2013 Hi everyone! I am 28, French, living in the UK, and I NEED holidays! My idea: - I need holidays. I need adrenaline. I need sun. - I want to learn skydiving, following an AFF course. - I can take 2 weeks holidays in september/october. - I can go anywhere. Literally. I was thinking Australia, NZ, California, Hawaii, etc... I'll basically chose depending on the dropzones and the weather. - I'll be traveling alone, but I'd like to join a group. - A drop zone next to / not far from the sea would be a huge bonus! Have you got any good tips? Where can I find groups or clubs to join? Any good drop zone/club to meet people and do an AFF course? Any website where they organise such group holidays? Where would be your dream place to jump and learn? Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites nadominhoca 0 #2 September 1, 2013 I can only comment about my DZ in Dubai, as this is the only one that I jumped so far. Here, I don't know if you will be able to complete your AFF in two weeks (probably not)! Right now the Desert DZ (where the AFF is held) it's very crowded as the Beach DZ is closed. So we have a lot of jumpers here, even the tandems.. The good thing is that the Beach DZ will be open very soon, until the end of the month, so the Desert DZ probably will be more empty. Dubai definitely is sunny, and definitely you can have a lot of fun here, the DZ is really cool, and we just got the largest wind tunnel in the world!! So if the weather isn't good, you can go to the tunnel and have some fun there!! You can meet a lot of people in Dubai, and specially at the DZ... full of young people from every country that you imagine! It's funny, every load you will find people from at least 6-7 different countries. You have other turistic attractions here, some desert safaries, some places to go in the town, bars, restaurants, and etc.. But Dubai is not the best place for Backpackers (if that's what you like to do). I love backpacking, I can tell you that Dubai is difficult to walk around.. you need either to rent a car, or get taxis.. public transportation is quite limited.. Another thing you have to consider is your budget for this trip... Dubai is not a cheap place to stay, plus, driving to the DZ everyday, wind tunnel, party, etc... Also you can't camp in our DZ (although they are building a hotel right now), and the DZ is 35-40km away from the city! Also, you need to check for the AFF courses... take a look at the website, and call them to see the availability. Hope it helps! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites adamUK 3 #3 September 1, 2013 Empuria or skydive Spain in Seville. They will be better value and a shorter plane ride than Dubai. Bit more relaxed too. Empuria is Europe's largest DZ and the vibe is great but maybe not so great for AFF due to it often being windy and near a built up area. Seville has big outs, very relaxed, great for AFF but a bit further away from civilisation Have fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites shropshire 0 #4 September 1, 2013 +1 for Emp. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Squeak 17 #5 September 1, 2013 shropshire+1 for Emp.+2 added k Bonus is BPA registration and licenseYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites katzas 0 #6 September 1, 2013 The combination of what you want to do vis a vis skydiving and the geography you express a preference for is a bit limiting. Good AFF course---Z Hills in Zephyrhills Florida. It's not far from Orlando and both the Atlantic and Gulf coast. Accomodation there is inexpensive with either tenting on site or you can rent a trailer for about $30 USD per night. Instruction, depending on the intructor you get, can be excellent. Food is available on site as well as a bar for apres diving. Weather during the time you specify is usually great--if a bit warm There is a tunnel not far away which, while expensive, can cut down on your learning curve a great deal. If you are prepared to sacrifice the preference for seaside locations then I highly suggest Chicago Skydiving Center in Rochelle, Illinois. Instruction is top notch, equipment is excellent. Bon chance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites wykazox 0 #7 September 1, 2013 Thanks guys! Any nice dropzones/clubs in California that you would recommend? What about Australia (Queensland...), NZ or Hawaii? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Andy9o8 0 #8 September 1, 2013 wykazoxAny nice dropzones/clubs in California that you would recommend? No. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites DcloudZ 0 #9 September 3, 2013 wykazoxThanks guys! Any nice dropzones/clubs in California that you would recommend? What about Australia (Queensland...), NZ or Hawaii? Perris"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites vincenzo57 0 #10 September 3, 2013 I did my AFF in Empuriabrava in Spain. Great DZ, made some friends, great scenery, beaches mountains, plenty bars. I liked it so much I've just been back to take my family to the nearby resort of Roses so I could go jumping in the mornings while they slept in. Just got my A licence now so will be back there asap. 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nadominhoca 0 #2 September 1, 2013 I can only comment about my DZ in Dubai, as this is the only one that I jumped so far. Here, I don't know if you will be able to complete your AFF in two weeks (probably not)! Right now the Desert DZ (where the AFF is held) it's very crowded as the Beach DZ is closed. So we have a lot of jumpers here, even the tandems.. The good thing is that the Beach DZ will be open very soon, until the end of the month, so the Desert DZ probably will be more empty. Dubai definitely is sunny, and definitely you can have a lot of fun here, the DZ is really cool, and we just got the largest wind tunnel in the world!! So if the weather isn't good, you can go to the tunnel and have some fun there!! You can meet a lot of people in Dubai, and specially at the DZ... full of young people from every country that you imagine! It's funny, every load you will find people from at least 6-7 different countries. You have other turistic attractions here, some desert safaries, some places to go in the town, bars, restaurants, and etc.. But Dubai is not the best place for Backpackers (if that's what you like to do). I love backpacking, I can tell you that Dubai is difficult to walk around.. you need either to rent a car, or get taxis.. public transportation is quite limited.. Another thing you have to consider is your budget for this trip... Dubai is not a cheap place to stay, plus, driving to the DZ everyday, wind tunnel, party, etc... Also you can't camp in our DZ (although they are building a hotel right now), and the DZ is 35-40km away from the city! Also, you need to check for the AFF courses... take a look at the website, and call them to see the availability. Hope it helps! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adamUK 3 #3 September 1, 2013 Empuria or skydive Spain in Seville. They will be better value and a shorter plane ride than Dubai. Bit more relaxed too. Empuria is Europe's largest DZ and the vibe is great but maybe not so great for AFF due to it often being windy and near a built up area. Seville has big outs, very relaxed, great for AFF but a bit further away from civilisation Have fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #4 September 1, 2013 +1 for Emp. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #5 September 1, 2013 shropshire+1 for Emp.+2 added k Bonus is BPA registration and licenseYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katzas 0 #6 September 1, 2013 The combination of what you want to do vis a vis skydiving and the geography you express a preference for is a bit limiting. Good AFF course---Z Hills in Zephyrhills Florida. It's not far from Orlando and both the Atlantic and Gulf coast. Accomodation there is inexpensive with either tenting on site or you can rent a trailer for about $30 USD per night. Instruction, depending on the intructor you get, can be excellent. Food is available on site as well as a bar for apres diving. Weather during the time you specify is usually great--if a bit warm There is a tunnel not far away which, while expensive, can cut down on your learning curve a great deal. If you are prepared to sacrifice the preference for seaside locations then I highly suggest Chicago Skydiving Center in Rochelle, Illinois. Instruction is top notch, equipment is excellent. Bon chance. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wykazox 0 #7 September 1, 2013 Thanks guys! Any nice dropzones/clubs in California that you would recommend? What about Australia (Queensland...), NZ or Hawaii? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #8 September 1, 2013 wykazoxAny nice dropzones/clubs in California that you would recommend? No. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DcloudZ 0 #9 September 3, 2013 wykazoxThanks guys! Any nice dropzones/clubs in California that you would recommend? What about Australia (Queensland...), NZ or Hawaii? Perris"Better to have a short life that is full of what you like doing than a long life spent in a miserable way." -Alan Watts Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vincenzo57 0 #10 September 3, 2013 I did my AFF in Empuriabrava in Spain. Great DZ, made some friends, great scenery, beaches mountains, plenty bars. I liked it so much I've just been back to take my family to the nearby resort of Roses so I could go jumping in the mornings while they slept in. Just got my A licence now so will be back there asap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
