i left for Pukhoi just south of Auckland for my skydiving course on friday at about 8am ish i arrived there and was picked up by Gareth my Jump instructor and who i was going to be staying with whilst i am doing the course. that day we had about 3-4 hours ground training learning emegency procedurs and all sorts of stuff so i don't die when i jump out a plane. that evening at about 8pm went for the first jump this involves (i won't go into complete detail alot to do) me throwing myself out of a plane at 14000ft with one instructor hanging onto each side of me and hurtaling towards the ground at roughly 109kmph(i think? it might be mph check it out if you anyway its bloody quick) and at 5000ft pulling my chute by myself and then flying my parachute whilst the instructors get to the ground alot faster so they can guide me down via walky talky (quite daunting for a first day). well that was pretty mush the end of the first day go back to Gareth and Lynley house where they have 3 mad little boys Leaham(spelling?) whos 6 (i think) Elliot 5 and Isaac 18months nice kids and nice family. anway quite shattered get a nights sleep do be woken by the kids at about 7am. got up went to go jumping stopped by a bank to pay for it big disaster complicated but eventually got to DZ (Drop Zone) Merrser for 2nd jump this was the same as 1st but i learnt to turn and move forwards and backwards whilst being held i t went well. onto jump 3 this is the simular but one JM (jump master) (check out the technical terms) lets go and moves round to the front and i kind of follow his lead little problem was that my Hard Arch (falling position) was quite right and i was falling to slow and also the fact im am lighter so i have to Arch harder to make it easier for the JM to stay with me. went for lunch. the next jump stage 4 is the same but i both JM lets go if i get i right unfortunatly i didn't so i couldn't move onto the next stage just yet thats it for the day. Next day Sunday practice more and nail stage 4 free fall on my own harder than it sounds if the possition slighlty wrong you loose control luckily its quite easy to regain control but not that easy. onto stage 5 with only 1 JM this involves own free fall but you have to do 360 turns then dock with your JM (hold his hands then fly off) this was really hard didn't get it at all turning need to pick a horizon. JM calls and end for the weekend says i need a rest alot to take in in 1 weekend. anyway Monday today came back up to Auckland for the week (they only opperate on weekends) and i go back next weekend to hopefully finish the course. there are 9 stges in total and im on stage 5 so half way through but it gets harder just need to get better control it is alot harder than you think it would be but il get it i hope. great fun though so looking forward to next weekend where we'll be jumping at Thames. sorry no pics got to concentrate on passing the course. try to update soon.