Andrelr

After two years in Saudi, I'm now back in South Africa and did a morning of base/pins prepping for a 4-way rote team. Nice to see that you don't lose it too quickly. Nice also to be reminded that this stuff is just a little bit scary and a whole bunch of fun! I'm back and delighted at the prospect of doing this all over again. Cheers Andre

Hi there I live in Riyadh as well. You have 2 skydiving options out here: 1. Riyadh has a club in Thumamah. It has a new Let, a clubhouse and lots of brand new student gear. The pilots are a problem. I'm told they finally have their visas and that the club should start any weekend now, Insh'allah. 2. Umm al Quwain has a club, just up the road from Dubai. They have an operational Cessna 182 and a King Air that has not yet been cleared for skydiving. It's been in the shop for "modifications" for over a year. BUT the good news is that right now they have an AN26 running for a Boogie. This will be on until the end of the month. PM me and I'll give you more detail. Cheers Andre

I gave up in '94 due to serious wife issues. I was at a comp in Australia and the deal was to pack it up at the end of the Meet. I gave my rig and all other saleable bits to a local dealer and that was it. I lasted all of 7 months. Returned to the team and never really looked back after that. Very difficult putting all the gear back together again. Not just the rig, but jumpsuit, alti, and all the other bits and pieces trhat you take with you to the DZ. (Had to change wives, but that's another story...)

$0.24 per litre for petrol and 0.096 per litre for diesel. Saudi price.

On all the occasions you've mentioned plus a few more.

Where were you when I was trying to sell 5 used CRW Triathlon 160's?

Would I keep jumping if...? Without a doubt! My circumstances have changed considerably over the years: I gave up instructing so that I could devote more time to competition and still maintain a family life. I gave up competition when I accepted a contract in Saudi Arabia 2 years ago. Timing sucked as the DZ I jumped at in the UAE sold its Caravan and has only operated a Cessna 182 since then. Now my rate of jumping has gone way down, but I have no intention of giving up. The fact I can't jump as much as I want is one of the factors that have made me change my circumstances again and I will not renew my contract here in 2 months' time. I had no problem giving up competition and the rate of jumps needed for that. I have a problem doing as few jumps as geographic circumstances currently permit. To get back to your original point: skydiving is worth sticking around for.

If you have a fever, then stick to light exercise. Your heart rate tends to go up more than it would normally and you may end up straining your heart.

Thanks, guys. All advice taken except the "no alcohol" bit...

What was the Doc's advice re the tendonitis? How long did it take to heal? (I have a similar problem with one forearm)

The reaction of your employer (or prospective employer) I think depends on your job level and type of organisation. I've always found it a useful attitudinal differentiator. One of my final interviews for my previous job took the form of an invitation to the company courtesy suite during a rugby international in Johannesburg. I excused myself from the first half of the game and only made my way up to the suite after I jumped in at half time. That was an icebreaker! You also need to get your employer behind you regarding skydiving activities when you need time off for a boogie or team practise.

Good luck. Heal well and quickly...

Not a hobby at all. More a way of life: a collection of larger-than-life freinds, great memories and creaky knees...

When your Dad asks you what you want for your 21st birthday: a rig or a car? It's another 2 years before you own a car...

A logistics problem: how to get 1.5 million people through set walking routes during the course of a week? A large percentage of the Hajj pilgrims are not formally educated and have not been subject to any kind of queueing disciplines. Add all this to the standard non-disciplned and inefficient Saudi organisational infrastructure...

On the contrary. I live in Riyadh and go to Bahrain often - the males wear a white "thobe" main garment and a "ghutra" head covering (red and white checkered pattern for Saudis). In winter, the thobe may be a thicker, grey coloured material. It is a completlety different cut, style and colour to the "abaya" which females (only) wear. Wacko Jacko is dressed in very female attire. Guys don't wear this.

Try CRW in midwinter. First load takes off before sunup. Open out the door...

Is the weight of all those decades getting to you now Tonto? Only 60 dives on rounds? Tut tut. Cool thread!

Learn it at the DZ with beer... Definitely not something to study.

The information may arrive on the forum haphazardly with some peculiar opinions at times. That's the nature of the forum. No-one fills out a form here. I still find it educational. I've read incident reports all my skydiving career and have learned a great deal from them

Home brew? I only brew at home and drink the stuff 'cos I live in Saudi. I have to drive 400km to Bahrain to get a cold Heineken. What's your excuse?

Depends on which rocks you need to get to. If your rocks are in the Western Cape, you may want to pick an airline that flys (via Joburg) on to Cape Town. Generally, fly in to Joburg and you can get a local flight to anywhere you need from the same airport.

How about the REAL source: St James' Gate? Guinness Brewery Tour with fresh draught straight from the tap in the pub afterwards...

Been a while since that beery evening at Gilroy's... You still flying those heavies around Darkest Africa?

On a South African DZ: Carling Black Label Castle Lager Elsewhere: Heineken Stella Artois Carlsberg Guinness