Malkie

Nice one, glad you managed to stop this idiot before she did some damage to someone elses life! When I read that bit I thought you were going to say that they then busted you for talking on a cell phone whilst driving!

Bob got it pretty clear right there. Had one of the best times there but was never ready for the culture shock. Helps make Lost in Translation even seem like a decent film once you've been there. Click for a good site of personal recomendations. Ride the motorised panda's at the Tokyo tower. Stay in the Shibuya Capsule hotel. Sit in the first floor of Starbucks looking down on the Shibuya Scamble at rush hour. Drink green tea in the tea house in the middle of the Hama-Rikyu gardens. Check out the atmosphere in Harajuku and see how the kids dress. Sing some karaoke in a karaoke bar. Get up at 6am and walk the streets to see how deserted it is and how scary crows can be! If you get a chance to spend time in Osaka there is a great castle and some decent clubs. Most of all have a great time!

With very low jump numbers I've found the BPA's Canopy Handling manual very helpful. I try to practice the techneques as much as possible under canopy as long as it's safe to do so (enough altitude, clear airspace etc) and generally ask an instructor before trying anything new (in case my interpretation is wrong). Hope you find it useful too. Neil.

I can lick the outside of my elbow.

Definately not recommended but three Allied airmen - American Sgt. Alan Magee, Brit Sgt.Nicholas Alkemade and Russian Lt. I.M. Chisov (not clicky). Also Czech airhostess Vesna Vulovic has got the record but may have been assisted by the toilet she was strapped to. Also a good read Free Fall Research page. Blues, Neil.

I don't think its going to flush....

For those not yet enlightened and for general piratey goodness Church of the FSM

Trying to perfect "Magnum" whilst drinking in Seattle.

May take some patience but hey, revenge is a dish etc etc. 1. Buy largest jar of Marmite you can find. 2. Wait until its almost all used up and then add a small amount of water. Seal lid tightly and DO NOT OPEN AGAIN. 3. Leave in warm place or direct sunlight (if we get the British sunshine back). For a couple of weeks. 4. Buy a box and some bubblewrap. Package jar and wrap in brown paper for old school parcel effect. 5. Post through Royal Mail and await delivery day. Anyone recieving an unexplaned parcel through the post containing Marmite is going to unscrew that lid and success! It'll stink the house out for weeks and possibly cause them to wretch/puke at smell. Bonus side, they'll never know who sent it and no harm done to the pooch

Idiot pig F#!ker. Boy does she like that one

What about some kind of memory foam? Tighten up your straps and let the rig contour to your body shape? Perfect fit each time... http://www.memory-mattress.co.uk/about_memory_foam.html Or possibly something like a self inflating foam camping mat that you can inflate once you've got the rig on (altough possibly effected by pressure at altitude or may effect ability to arch)... http://www.alpkit.com/support/manuals/airic.pdf

Just re-read my post. Oops.

Only when it comes to skydiving...... After having a hard opening I am prone to getting funky harness brusing between my legs now and again. Tracked out of a wind tunnel by trying to rush my exit and gave myself a facial scar that changes colour with the weather. Ended up with two reserve rides before I'd even finished my consols with what I was told were rare causes. Maybe I'm just unlucky....

Where's the option for Pirates? I'd like a pet Pirate. Spose the monkey will have to do.

Had a near miss on my AFF Lv.4. First lift of the day so spent the rest of the day on the ground. Speaking to instructors and other jumpers helped a lot. Got to the stage where had to ask myself how much I wanted to skydive. Thing that had been drilled into me throughout my training was I was ultimately responsible for myself and always had a choice, and no one would think worse of me if I ever said no. Got back in the plane the next day (slightly reluctantly) and almost puked when we got to 7grand but made the jump. Managed to finish off the rest of my AFF that day and haven't looked back. Thanks to the people at the dz and especially to my instructor I'm still doing something that is readily becoming an obsession. Think the best place for you to be is around like minded people, take your time and believe in yourself. Gravity aint going anywhere.

Reading your link was kinda freaky, you actually dreamt my mal! Have the dreams of being in freefall and feeling pretty happy. Not 'gone in' yet but have had a few vivid mal dreams, hear the clinking as three rings release then jolt myself awake like when you fall off a chair in your sleep. Gets the heart rate going.

Hi Kate, hope the links below are useful to you. I managed 3 static line jumps before the British winter and work comitments meant my 3months were up and I'd have to start again from scratch. Went abroad and completed my AFF. Definately benifited from having done static line as the ground school wasn't completely new to me. Not sure if its the same everywhere but I think you have to completed at least one 10sec delay before you can convert to AFF allowing you to skip level's 1&2. Best thing to do is to ask one of the instructors where you are doing the static line course and I'm sure they'd be more than happy to talk to you about it. I found best thing to do is to shop around when it comes to looking for an AFF course. Some are cheaper than others but some include your own equipment to keep as part of the fee (excl. rig!). Good luck! http://knowledge.freefalluniversity.co.uk/learning%20to%20skydive.asp http://knowledge.freefalluniversity.co.uk/AFF_Course_Static_line_Comparison.asp

Unfortunately not, work kinda frowns on us drinking during the nightshift..

Great news!

Few years back girlfriend of the time was on top and jokingly threatend to drip hot wax on my chest whilst picking up a lit teelight candle from her bedside table. Realising after only a few seconds the metal round the burning candle gets hot she yelped in pain and dropped it. Think was slightly taken aback by the sight of naked man throwing her off bed and running round room with chest hair on fire. Hurt for ages.

Although it still seems the law has the right idea about the whole affair. It makes me feel quite sad that what we have here is two children who lost all hopes of a childhood, and what makes it worse that its not an isolated incident. The only reason this has been thrust into the spotlight is because she is now going to be the youngest, by giving birth a month sooner than the current younest mother who was 12 & 9months in 1997 according to the papers. But hey, I guess it gives us Brits something more to complain about other than the weather.

Averaging 1 in 10 so far. First on Jump5 doing my AFF level4. Second on Jump20. Looking forward to my next.

N/A

Does anyone have any superstitious beliefs that they have developed since taking up skydiving? Never really believed in 4 leaved clovers or lucky rabits feet (not so lucky for the rabit!) before but since doing my AFF and Consols the number 13 keeps turning up. Having already had 2 mals out of 22skydives I'm starting to think I should make it my lucky number, or is it someone upstairs telling me to take up golf?

Thourb's got a good point. Tried static line and managed to get in three jumps over the summer and autumn. Think its a great way to find out if you want to get into the sport. Really loved the exerperience and wanted to carry on, but due to work comitments and the great British weather my 3months soon elapsed and was faced with starting again. At that point I decided AFF was probably the way forward. Looked at DZ's over here but finally ended up in Spain. Best choice I ever made. Had one of the most intense weeks of my life. Been back for 3weeks and already convinced work to give me time to go back over easter. Really apreciated the benifit of the static line jumps as had the experience of being under canopy. Apparently getting time in a wind tunnel can also help if you decide to go for AFF. Whichever you decide I think you'll have a fantastic time and probably want to carry on. Good luck to you. Blue skies.