Shiiiiiiiit was I nervous. I didn't realize it at first. I was so busy working on post production of New Zealand's last episode, trying to sort us accommodation for coming back to Adelaide, writing script of the episode, making run sheets, working on managing celebrity talent for the SA episode, talking to more agencies for the WA episode and tourism associations blah blah blah you name it. I was so distracted that I couldn't focus on the fact I was going sky diving. When did I begin to focus? That morning when we hopped into the plane and the door shut and I was sitting in a guy named George's lap. And then the plane took off. We were all very tightly smashed together, i looked and Frank the winemaker of Mount Majura Vineyard in the Canberra Wine Region was there next to me. It took him 2 days to decide, and he had kids and a wife and he still came and did the jump. I thought he was going to be the nervous one, he was well put together!!!
25 minutes into it...anxiety was building. Views were looking AMAZING. We got to fly over Mount Majura Vineyard which was sick. And then we were skydiving right into the field in front of the Royal Australian MINT! (This is where they print them amazing top of the line Australian Dollars....well at least they are the most sought after currency in regards to the bloody GFC going on right now! I actually wanted to dive into it and steal the money ;) ). So at the 4 minute mark we were told to open the doors, stand up they strapped themselves tight to us....threw open the door and then it hit. I'm sure the GoPro 3's in my face and on the wing were getting some good footage at that point, at least the one in my face probably had my anxious yawns/gasps for air and freaking out face!
Felt like a scared dog running from a growling bear. The wind was growling and howling through the door and then I watched Frank slip his feet out and Curtis his skydive pilot pushed them off and out they went. Thats when I almost began laughing at myself....am I really doing this!? This f***ing nuts!!! There is now way this is happening...slowly inching towards it. Putting my feet on the bar, still thinking nothing but theres no way i'm doing it as its 100% suicide. Next thing you know i'm literally doing flips through the air where it feels like we just missed the wing.
This was where the mood changed. Now it didn't matter, we were in the air if it didn't work we were dead anyways so might as well love life. Neck kinked back, feet and legs locked backwards with the free fall and hands to the chest till he told me to put them to the side. Then it was screaming fun, flashing a few hang loose signs for the camera, screaming and cheering and falling at 200 km/hr. YES! SO COOL. Some people have said that they didn't like sky diving...said it was boring. The flipping out of the plane and the falling is probably one of the more adrenaline filled sports you could ever do. Could only imagine what its like to get your own skydive license.
We hit the ground and had to slide on our bums. 30 km/hr slide on your ass haha. Quite funny when you get up and your ass is soaked. Frank the winemaker had his son and his wife there. I looked back seconds later and saw him land and his 5 year old son sprinting to him screaming for daddy. I don't think he thought he was going to make it, but hey he did ;). Just a little WINERAM adventure around the world.
After that...we had a bit of a break for brekky. The winemaker jetted back to the winery. And now I've just interviewed him in the winery and he killed it like a natural. We have checked out the limestone soils around Canberra..a bit of where they are at with vintage here now and even got to try some great wines. Learned a fair bit about the influence of climate and soils have to a wine..something you guys will have to wait to learn till you watch the episode. But overall it was another cracking wineram experience that we had in Canberra!
Good love for the Canberra Wine Region!!!!
