BannanaGirl

An English term for brand new..."like brand spanking new kit". I can easily understand how "bannana" and "spanking" in the same story can lead one astray, in the mind that is.

Hey Joel!! It was great to meet you too bruv. Am I banned? They won't tell me and I am beginning to get paranoid. I am off to Skydive London at the weekend (Sat & Sun), so no I won't be going to Nethers....yet. You are more than welcome to come and join me. These guys are really cool...just don't expect as much height as in Spain. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Yep! Tis me. Thing is I am not a virgin (of the sky that is)anymore and if you see how I fly (like a bananna!) but on a heading you would laugh your pants off. I know I end up in tears of laughter by the end of my DVD and I have yet to recieve the "out takes" version yet! I think this name is far more suited to me now. Plus I am bannanas!!!!

Well it has been one hell of a ride but I have got through my AFF thanks to a wicked bunch of dudes called FreeFalladdicts during my stay in Seville. I have, without a doubt had the BEST time of my life so far and I cannot wait to go back and do my FS1. After 4 very good levels I had a really rough time of it on my level 5 (I could not turn for shit) and I had this obstinate desire to keep screwing up for some reason, but if it had not been for my AFFI Barry, I would have thrown the towel in there and then. To say I was close to breakdown mode at times is not untrue. Just when I felt a failiure he would build me back up and get me back in the door - each time I got better and each time my confidence grew even more. His affable nature and wacky sense of humour (really needed to help you laugh at yourself when things are getting too serious) only helped to make me a much better student skydiver and RELAX (in the end!). So even the tough times were all good in the end, I am glad of them. To say I have been truly humbled by this experience would be an understatement. The very beautiful Lamorna gave me expert ground school before I first jumped and when I found myself not able to hear my radio because of blocked ears I did'nt poo my pants at all as I knew what to do because she had so expertly briefed me on all the drills, landing patterns etc. Concise, articulate and easy on the eye it is hard not to take in what this lady has to say. You rock girl! Possibly the most important thing was I had absolutely trust in everything, my coaching, the spanking new kit on my back, my instructor and above all myself and all of this was only made possible because of them. Had I had problems with my trip in anyway (mine was smooth start to finish) I would not have been in a head space required to focus on my task at hand. The only problem I encountered was solely to do with my own body flying like a bannana (hence the name), nothing else! They welcomed me into their home, cooked for me and took me out and when I had mad moments at midnight, you know the "what are you thinking girl!" syndrome, there was never any question that it was "out of hours" and "ask me in the morning!". Unsociable hour debriefs were very much something I seemed to need during my journey and I had them frequently. Now I can learn to skydive and I am looking forward to going back and doing further courses with these guys. I cannot recommend them more to anyone looking to learn or to improve their skills. But above all I am an AFF graduate! I am chuffed to pieces and the whole catharsis of this journey has changed my life forever. I am proud to say I am going to be a skydiver. I have found my thing at last!!! Thanks guys! Adios Diana

In short I have just completed my AFF with these guys and I could not reccomend them more to the aspiring skydiver or complete newbie. From booking to touch down back in the UK at the end of my trip, not one thing went wrong apart from my disability (or ability if you could call it that!) to fly on a heading in a bannana shape! This did cause me some problems with progressing but Barry my AFFI not once made me feel a let down and built my confidence up to get back in that door.If he was not as likeable and as kind to me as he was I do truly think I would have jacked it in there and then. The kit is all brand new Aerodyne Icon rigs with Pilot canopys and Smart reserves and just looking at it made me get over that obsticale in my head that I might be jumping some piece of prehistoric set of underpants or something. Their location at Sunny Skydive Spain is a brilliant choice with a fast climbing Dornier (that actually got us up to nearly 16 grand on some loads!), nice restraunt and bar to chill out after a hard days skydiving too. HUGE landing area and pretty jumpable weather most days! On the only day I could not jump they took me to the beach! How cool is that! They welcomed me into their home as one of them and when I wanted an "out of hours" debrief because my head was spinning a bit, I got one, no questions asked. I will be going back very soon to do my FS1 with them and I am confident to say I have made friends for life in these guys. Wanna do AFF? Go there NOW with these dudes! You will not be dissapointed.