In the middle of your deepest sleep there is a constant ringing - your alarm clock buzzing incessantly and you can't believe it - it is Sunday! For heaven’s sake, who set the alarm clock??? But then the memory comes back - today is THE day, today is that special day, a day that could change your whole life. Today you have booked a tandem jump.
Suddenly you are fully awake, your senses are razor sharp and deep in your guts you feel a prickle...
 
You grab your map, start your car, and sooner than you thought you’ve reached the last roundabout, the sign where you turn left and the parking sign for where to leave your car. There are only a couple of steps left, and suddenly you find yourself in the midst of dozens of people with funny clothing, strange gadgets and a massive grins on their faces. The cheery atmosphere makes you forget the slight tightness which took a hold of you, and very soon you find the registration desk. There is some paper work to be done, but now there is nothing left to do but wait for your turn.
 
... dozens of people with funny clothing, strange gadgets and a big grin in their faces ...
 
All of a sudden, there is someone beside you explaining how the jump will be done, how the equipment works, how safe skydiving is nowadays and what you can do make it even safer and have a wonderful experience. Before you can start to think about it you have a suit like all the other strangers, a leather cap with goggles and a firm harness which gives you a feeling of security. Your friends who came along with you start to grin and get their cameras ready. Your tandem master - equipped with something that looks like a big, big rucksack - takes hold of you and together you walk to the plane. Your mind starts racing and you begin questioning what you’re doing, but here’s no time to hesitate - you are packed into the plane, the engines are roaring while the door is open and it is too loud to talk to the others. The plane starts to roll and jolt - faster and faster until it is taking off and the jolting eases into smooth flying. Everything on the ground starts to get smaller and smaller until you can hardly distinguish the details - the adventure has begun...
 
... nothing left but 14.000ft of plain air ...
 
The air gets cooler, crisper. The tickling in your guts gets stronger, but as soon as you hear the now familiar voice of your tandem master, the nervousness melts away. He connects your harness to his rig and from that moment on you are bound together until landing safely. The door opens and you feel the wind take your breath away. Together with your tandem master you are moving towards the door; below you nothing left but 14.000ft of pure air.
One quick move - you can't even remember how - and you are free falling, nothing solid around you, no idea where you are or what position you are in. You notice the plane getting smaller and smaller and the clouds going by. The noise increases as you accelerate to 200 km/h, you doubt even your screams of joy can be heard.
For a short time you try to find the words to explain the unbelievable feeling, but before you can even think of something adequate there is a little jolt, a hissing and a sudden silence - your tandem master opened the canopy.
 
You try to find something known on the ground but there is no time to be lazy - your tandem master gives you two toggles and tells you to pull one - you will turn in this direction. It is exhilarating to steer through the air and you completely forget to be on the lookout for your friends who are waiting with their cameras on the ground. Yet the ground comes nearer, slowly but inexorably. You start wondering how the landing will go, but before you can think too much about it your tandem master gives you the last instructions, and you touch down on the ground again -  a gentle step back down to the earth.
 
As your friends come running towards you, you are wondering when you will be able to make the next jump, or maybe start jumping all by yourself...