Friday 28 December 2012

Experiencing Life’s ultimate thrill – Sky diving! - Who says sky is the limit?


Dreams! Just a word to say but with meaning so profound… I still remember my childhood days when I used to watch adventure shows on TV that showcased skilled skydiving. It was my dream since then to fly in the blue sky and the very thought of skydiving used to instill a feeling of excitement in me.  The mere idea of jumping out of an airplane from 12,000 feet had this amazing appeal to me. It symbolized freedom and true adventure of life. As I grew older, the desire to skydive kept on getting stronger. It was among my top bucket list of things to do before I die. And one fine day, I decided to finally take the push and go for a tandem skydive.

Upon arrival at Skydive Ambey Valley, I checked in at the reception and completed the paperwork which basically requires you to sign your life away and waive the instructor of any liability in the event of a mishap (which could even be an injury or death). I could feel the butterflies in my stomach but they weren’t the scared butterflies, they were the “Oh Yeah, finally Let’s Do this” kinds. That’s when I met my Instructor Paul. He is the same guy who instructed Hritik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol for sky diving in movie “Zindagi na milegi dobara” Call it mere Luck or my supreme fortune that day, on entering the training room I met Farhan Akhtar getting ready to do sky dive next to me. It was nice talking to him briefly and gettig us clicked together :) Post that Paul suited me up and walked me through the procedure.

Paul and I became friendly soon and as we were about to board the plane, I turned to him and said please continue chatting as much as you want but just don’t say any thing that sounds like “Oh No” during dive. Ok I have a funny sense of humor at times. Paul just laughed and promised me a good ride and I am happy that he came through on that promise.

On reaching the altitude of 12,000 feet finally the moment was there. It was really frightening to watch the houses become smaller and knowing that we would, in a few minutes, be jumping from the safety of the plane. As the plane’s engine was cut and the propeller up front slowed to a halt, I saw the plane door getting opened. A loud burst of wind entered and we were ready for the jump. While standing at the edge of the door and looking out at the vast high space below, I questioned my sanity. Was I actually crazy enough to do some thing like this? A signal from Paul and woohhhhh we were on roll for free fall ride of lifetime.

I took a deep breath. Thanked God for this beautiful life and made the jump. Those 45 seconds of free fall actually felt like an eternity and the fastest minute of my life. If you have ever sky dived before, you know the feeling.  It’s difficult for me to describe the feeling because there’s really nothing I can compare it to. Suffice to say, it was exhilarating.

It’s like you are flying through the air at a speed close to 120 mph feeling the wild wind in your face. Your thoughts are running untamed and a camera guy is capturing it all on movie. This jump gave me the biggest adrenaline rush I have ever felt. Post this  45 seconds of free fall, Paul taught me how to steer the parachute, and after few minutes of floating blisss, we made soft landing at dropout zone.

The entire experience from boarding to landing lasted only about 45 minutes, but it gave me a whole new perspective on life. It's liberating, exhilarating and gives a real rush to life.

I saw people stood around in circle applauding for me. Paul draped his arms round my shoulders  as we posed. When I finally landed, I was extremely euphoric, feeling a sense of accomplishment and victory. This experience was in a class of its own, incomparable to anything else I have ever experienced.


I knew that from that moment on, my perspective on life would never be the same. I had just jumped out of an airplane at 12,000 feet, and survived without injury. I would say put your fears aside and just do it once in life. I promise you that you will not be disappointed. It’s an life altering experience and is also the closest experience humans can have to flying. It’s like you do something that most people don't even have the courage to do, so enjoy the accomplishment!

I would like to close this most special blog of mine with one of my favorite skydiver saying:

If riding in an airplane is “flying,” then riding in a boat is “swimming.” To experience the element, get out of the vehicle!

So 28 Dec, 2012 you have been officially recorded in my memory for forever now :)

Monday 24 December 2012

And the countdown has begun……


 "One" – For the sake it’s just a number but how it impacts our lives is really interesting!!!!

When your long awaited holidays are just one day away, how even the thoughts of the upcoming fun keeps on exciting you whole day, when you have just one hour left at work prior to call it off  to enjoy the Friday evening, how the promise of lovely upcoming weekend fires you to do that extra bit of work. When you have fixed a time to meet that special some one, how the needles of watch passes by slowest in that last one hour.

The butterflies you feel in the stomach when you are just one day away from the big day in you life…. Be it your marriage, engagement, graduation, first day of job…..I even wonder at times what all would be going through mind of a lady one day before who is about to give birth to a child. The pleasure in her mind for nurturing a life in her body for nine long months, and the happiness and bliss that child would bring in her life would fulfill her.

I am also feeling this “one” day excitement pattern right now. My longggggg awaited holiday is just a day away now. My travel for next seven days -  I will be going to the places I have never been before, I will be meeting the people I have not seen in years now, I will be getting the complete taste of freedom once again and last but not the least I will be spending these last days of my year with my besties in my fav city Mumbai !!! :)

So dial of my dear clock, please run fast as I am feeling like this excited bunny who can't hold the patience to embrace next seven days :)


Saturday 8 December 2012

Just for today, I will wear the crown and be my own princess!!!


 This post of mine was long due. Somehow I could not get time to pen down this experience of mine. So today, I write once again as words never fail me when I want to express something!

It happens with us all, that some day's we fall asleep to an ordinary night and wake up to an extraordinary morning. Something similar happened to me recently. It was not my birthday, neither did I win some lottery, there was no personal emergency at home, nor was I sick. I had no reason to call it off from work in middle of the week but I decided to do the same. I woke up that morning with a smile on my face. I was just happy and thankfully I didn’t have to find the reason why??? 

I feel that we all deserve a day where no worries get in the way of our happiness. Generally we search for happiness in others neglecting the most important person we see in the mirror. This is the only person who has witnessed the entire journey of our lives. From joys to heart breaks, from ecstatic highs to deep lows and from triumphs to failures. Someone who has been with us since the inception of life and will continue to be with us till the last breath. For this life long commitment, we have to make sure that we place a high respect for this reflection. So I decided to wear the crown and be my own princess for that day.

I took an hour long bath, picked the best dress from the wardrobe, wore my favorite perfume and completed the look with my best accessory – my smile :) The day was special, for it was my date with myself. I have a simple funda in life. On special days like this, drive safe but dress to kill :P

I started the day with my visit to temple. It’s not that I am very religious but some how the chants, the smell of scents, the positive vibrations and purity in prayers elate me. I was not there to ask for something this time but just to thank god for this beautiful life and express my gratitude for all the blessings that he has showered upon me. The next move was to a cinema theater. It was for the first time in my entire life that I decided to watch a movie alone. I purchased the premium seat and sat in middle of the hall with nachos and coke in hand. I was laughing at the top of my voice at every comic scene in the movie until I realized that the aunty sitting next to me is staring at me with “Do not disturb” look into her eyes. Lol Luckily it turned out to be a nice experience as after some time she also joined me in my giggles.

The movie was followed by a queen size lunch in one of the most elite and exclusive restaurants of Delhi. I ate like a proper punju girl is expected to eat, without being cautious of calories :P I had promised to treat myself with exquisite luxury that day so I purchased that every single thing that caught my fancy that day in mall without even looking at the price tag. That’s another case that I dedicated the next free evening sorting the shopping bills with a horror movie on TV to provide the sound track which was just apt for the situation. Hahahaha :D But does it really matter when you had such a beautiful day added to your life and can say with proud that yes, I love and respect the person I meet every day in mirror? Nah! It was worth every single bit of it :)

Last but not the least; I did something special for some one unknown that day. That someone doesn’t even know my name, who am I and how I landed up unexpectedly in that life that day. For a princess is not a princess if she doesn’t have a hand open to give to others. The most valuable lessons of all that I have learned from my sister is - “Never keep your fist locked. For the people who open it for others and be a giver, are the favorite children of God and they don’t have to look at some one else ever for happiness in their own lives”

As I end my post here, I wonder, if all things in life could be the way I want them to be, life would be so awesome! But then even without them, life is Max awesome!! :D