LittleOne

I have to send a new piece of equipment back to the manufacturer because it does not fit. This is the manufacturer's fault since they measured me (and I have not suddenly grown 3 inches vertically since then). Is it customary to expect them to pay for the additional shipping charges?

Looks like I'll have to drag myself out to Elsinore to jump with you, if I'm lucky enough (I'll have to get in line). Congratulations!

May God bless all the packers in the world. I love each and every one of them. For all the blood, sweat and tears that go into some pack jobs, $5-7 is a small price to pay. I learned to pack on a 100 jump Sabre 2 170 getting stuffed into a 150 container. I can pack but I choose not to since I have more fun when I don't. Anyway, it keeps the packers employed.

I just got back from the Thai Sky Festival. With 265 jumps, I was very much at the bottom end of the experience scale. In addition to getting on bigways and opening well out over the bay, dealing with 50 canopies in the sky at once is something to think about at low jump numbers. There were people there in the 100-200 jump range but personally, I think I'll get more out of it next year with more experience and skill. But it sure was a blast!

Thanks for the info! Don't know exactly when I'll be there next but with my schedule, it could be any day now.

Where are the Korean restaurants near DeLand and ZHills hiding? I go down there regularly and wouldn't mind having some Korean (minus the kimchee) from time to time.

Indeed, it is the perfect accompaniment to ramen. Since skydivers have been known to eat ramen from time to time, will Kimchee suddenly become popular at dzs? Do we really need another stink factor at the dz? Won't it hurt the tandem business if the TIs all reek of it?

As an American of Korean origin, let me clue you in as to how the *real* Koreans make Kimchi: They go to the store and buy it. Making Kimchi is an art and is generally a painful, messy process. The recipe mentioned above should work but I recommend against Cayenne. I don't know exactly what kind of pepper is used but I know it is not Cayenne. Also, you have to add a fermented shrimp or fish paste. After you bottle it, you have to let it sit out at room temperature overnight to get sour. It will bubble over as juices and gasses are released. Then, you will have to buy a second refrigerator to store it in or else everything in your refrigerator will be contaminated with the smell. If you eat it, make sure your SO eats it too or you are going to have a lonely night. As for me, I can't stand the stuff. Smells too bad. Go to 32 St between Broadway and Fifth Ave in NYC. It's worth it. Else, good luck and let me know how it goes. Mom, who gave up making it years ago, would love to know.

I visited Skydive Thailand twice last May. I was not a student but everyone bent over backwards to welcome me and make the arrangements as easy as possible. This includes the DZO and Instructor referred to in this thread. Danniel made all of the arrangements from the airport to the hotel, no mean feat given the bustle of BKK. Stephen helped me with the hotel reservations via email before I ever met him and then he greeted us at the hotel when we rolle in at 1 am. It extends to the owner of the airport, the manifest girl, the pilot and the other fun jumpers. I cannot comment on the particulars of this case but I want to take this opportunity to let other people know that if you go to Skydive Thailand, you will be welcomed warmly and are very likely to have a blast. No, there is no confusing this dz with Perris but between the people, the drop dead gorgeous view (it's right by the beach and you can see Bangkok from altitude), dirt cheap accomodations (and clean too), food to die for (cheap too) and serious night life in Pattaya (cheap too, in many ways), the total experience makes Skydive Thailand special. Just don't eat the durian (sp?)!! Arianna

I don't think that dropzone was ever a "regular" dz. It was used to host the occasional boogie but I am not sure about that. The folks at www.skydiveasia.org might know better.

Must do laundry. Can't go to work naked tomorrow. It's not THAT kind of a job.

G'day mate! I'm in Sydney where it is 7pm Thursday and I'm about to sink my teeth into a delicious Vegemite sandwich (NOT). Last weekend, the temperature was about 97F. A little too hot to jump but I did my best. Too bad I have to work Monday-Friday. Those bastards!! What am I wearing? Well, it is laundry day and I do have the all night laundromat blues...

AirTroductions sounds great but I think you should give your fellow skydivers complimentary memberships. As much as I would love to be guaranteed to not have to sit next to the fat bald snoring guy, I need to save my money for jump tickets.

I've spent a fair amount of time at Cross Keys, the Ranch, SD Long Island and Sky's the Limit. I did my AFF at STL when they were in Newton but they have since moved to just over the PA border (still very close to NY/NJ). I do not think you have to wary at any of these dzs. They all run fine and safe student programs. It's great to have so many dzs in the area but I and many others regularly drive at least two hours each way. You can try to set up a rideshare once you pick a dz. Starting your training in March may be the deciding factor. Cross Keys will be open but check with the others since March is still early in this area and the weather will be volatile. Feel free to PM me if you want more detail.

Went to the Black Death Boogie at Elderslie where they were running 4 way scrambles. It was so hot and sunny that I felt the early stages of heat exhaustion. Only got 3 jumps in but you know it was a good boogie when only the students are jumping on Sunday. I'm so glad I'm not at home. Gotta love Oz!

I'm working in Sydney now and have been going to Picton for the last few weekends. So far, I have taken the dz's tandem bus from Central Sydney to the dz and managed to get a ride back one way or another. I will be here the weekend of 18-19 March so if you don't already have arrangements set up by then, we can join forces. And, bob.dino is being generous in his description of the bunkhouse. PS If you do your own packing, you might want to bring a mat as most packing is done on the grass.

I have a two piece Multi Suit from Tony Suits. The jacket, even with the two snaps on the sides, never stayed down. They were very good about fixing it and modified it by adding 4 snaps but it is so difficult to remove that the entire purpose of the suit has been negated. I now have a very expensive pair of freefly pants and a pristine jacket somewhere in a closet back home. I know several men who have the Multi Suit and they swear by them. Maybe it just doesn't work on the female anatomy or on me in particular.

I totally feel your pain since I had the exact same experience. I went spinning my way through my first four or five solos, including a delightful jump where I forgot my pull priorities and ended up pulling low. Since I had trouble with spinning during AFF, I was discouraged, disgusted and mortified. I finally went up with a coach who helped me with establishing heading reference. On the first jump, I used him as the reference. On the second jump, he stayed behind me while I used a cloud as a reference. After that, crisp turns came back and I was stable again. This was not the only issue. I was also simply scared because I was completely on my own. On my first solo, I instinctively looked to my right for my instructor but he wasn't there! The two coach jumps helped relieve this fear. Fast forward 200 jumps and I'm coming back after a two month layoff. Ok, I'm not spinning anymore but there is a clear degradation in my "skills" (emphasis added because I am not and never will be God's gift to skydiving). I've done seven jumps in three weeks since that layoff so it's been slow going. I am a little frustrated now but I'm trying not to let it get to me. I do remember how and when to pull and how to get my butt back to the ground in one piece. The rest of it is gravy. They say every jump is fun but that has not been the case for me. I am sorry if that is the case for you but I think there are plenty of people who experience frustration. The worst thing about fear and frustration is the snowballing of it. Going up with a coach helped me with both the physical and mental aspects. I hope this helps.

...you quit your job , jump as much as you can physically handle and don't start looking for another job until the money starts running low .

I placed an order for a new Racer last week. Its exposed pop top just begs for a design, in my opinion. My pop top will be yellow so I was thinking of a sunshine smiley face. Does anyone have a good graphic? I've searched high and low and have not found the right one. I have to hurry up and send them the design since it will be ready in three weeks or so (gotta love the quick turnaround!) Other suggestions are welcome, anything that somehow expresses FUN... thanks, Arianna

You need your own rig. I haven't been there in almost a year. I think they still fly the C206 on weekends only, unless there is a group coming. Very nice people, great lunch but don't just show up unannounced and expect to do double digit jumps. Contact Stephen through the dz website. He replies very quickly.

Last time I checked, a decent one bedroom (~800 sq ft) in Manhattan will set you back $750,000. A parking space is ~$400/month. But I haven't checked recently since I was priced out of the market a looong time ago.

Hey Evelyn, Come to the WFFC with me instead! That'll be my first time and as yet, I don't know anyone who's going (I'm shy too). Problem solved! Arianna

I did my FJC at one dz where they don't do heel clicks. I did my AFF1 at another dz where they do heel clicks. The dive went well and as far as I'm concerned, I'm done except for altitude checks until pull time. I get a signal from the reserve side. I have a brain fart as my mind runs through the hand signal chart (from the first dz, of course). It's not pull, coa, relax, arch, practice touches, arms/legs in/out, what? He obviously wants me to do something so I must do something. Ok, I'll arch some more even though I know that's not it. Then, we went through some "industrial haze". All three of us. As I saw the haze approach, I held my breath, having never gone through haze before... During the debrief, my instructor told me that the signal was for heel clicks, I did not know what it meant but that I made the best possible choice under the circumstances. I will never forget the signal for heel clicks.

Does anyone have an email and/or phone number for Mike, the rigger at Skydive Long Island? I lost his card...PM me please. thanks! Arianna