Hello Dolls & Gents,
The adventure began on a
speedboat. I tried to steady my nerves. There were 2 other couples (tourists)
on the boat. They didn’t communicate English and looked far more worried than
we were when the instructions were hollered over the strong winds. Like some
kind of an adrenaline junkie, I decided that my husband and I would be the first
to go.
The parachute unfurled, the
harness tightened, and the rope clipped in. My mind began to whisper questions
I didn’t want to answer: What if the rope snaps? How would I get back down? Is
the harness gonna break because of my weight? What if Fazeel falls? But it
was too late. I found myself up in the air, and pretty soon, none of the whispers
mattered. I felt small and awe-inspired. The feelings overwhelmed me.
The boat surged forward. I felt
the parachute catch the wind, tugging at me with surprising strength. My feet
were no longer touching the deck. The sea dropped away beneath me, and in
seconds I was rising, higher and higher. I will let the videos show you how breathtaking and peaceful it was up there.
The sound of the boat grew distant, replaced by the hush of wind.
It was surreal. One part of me
was hyper-aware of the height, clenching the harness a little too tightly. The
other part felt… exhilaratingly free. I felt like I was completely weightless.
At my weight, I never thought it possible. Suspended between the endless sky
and the never-ending fabric of ocean, with its enigmatic hues… the rays from
the setting sun embellishing the ocean... my goodness, for those few minutes, we
had surrendered (to whatever it was, Subhanallah).
With all my life’s challenges, I had
grown comfortable to say that ‘I don’t think anything can phase me’. But having
the opportunity to try such a sport, really did something to me.
“Please don’t ever ask me if I love you again.” Fazeel said this very calmly, almost a whisper while he was fighting for his life to sit on the harness (he has a fear of heights and the ocean). In my imagination, I feel elated to know that those words were carried by the wind and etched somewhere in the bed of fluffy white clouds.
I
thank him from the bottom of my heart for witnessing my life, by my side, so diligently.
After a few minutes the
crew began reeling us back in. My stomach dipped with every change in altitude,
but more so than fear, I felt reluctant to return. I wanted to stay up there
just a little longer…floating. Where the world felt both thrilling and peaceful
simultaneously.
I had pushed myself out of my comfort zone and was rewarded with one of the most unforgettable views of my life. Sometimes the scariest leaps lead to the most breathtaking moments.
We also rode a Jet Car:
