Sky Dive Adventure – Resorts World Genting, West Malaysia.

Indoor Skydiving Simulator Machine.

In December 2012 my 10 year old nephew came home from a trip to Genting Highland Resort Park with a DVD and he asked me to copy it onto my laptop.  As I was copying it I was amazed to see he had done something very different, he had ‘flown’ in a “Genting Sky Venture” WIND TUNNEL!

Now, I have always dreamt of jumping out of an aeroplane but knew it probably would never happen, but after watching the DVD with great interest I closely questioned my nephew.  He said it was ‘OKAY’ but a bit scary.  THAT did not put me off at all.  My husband and I were going to the same place a few weeks later and I made my husband promise to make sure I tried out the “Sky Venture” and not to let me ‘chicken out’.

We arrived there by cable car and it was, as is very usual for Resort World Genting, very foggy, rainy and cold.  This may not sound too surprising but Genting Highlands is in West Malaysia, and the weather here is usually hot, rainy and humid, but Genting Highlands is also at the top of some high land and it is usually shrouded in cloud!

We were told by my nephew and in-laws that it was best to book your place as early as possible in the morning as places were limited and only around 4 to 6 persons allowed per hourly training and Sky Dive.  So, shaking with fear, I woke up early and refused to eat any food or drink anything until it was booked and over with.  We left our lovely, if somewhat compact hotel room and went to book it.  We were met with, “Sorry, there has been too much rain and as the wind tunnel is open to the elements at various places it is too wet and slippery at the bottom of the tunnel, so we have closed it!”  And when might it be open?  They said it could be days, so we walked away and I had a kind of quiet relief deep inside.

Well, we had also been told that only the instructors would be training till the weather conditions improved so after a few hours we decided to go back and just watch them training…..

…..”Ah!” said the lady at reception, “What good luck you came back.  The Sky Venture has just been reopened!”  Whoah, my stomach started to heave.  “Come back in an hour and you can fly!” she said.

That was the scariest hour I will ever live through for something I REALLY wanted to do!

Anyway, we went back after an hour, signed papers, paid the money and I left my handbag and phone with my husband (NO, he did NOT want to join me!) and taken into the back area with a young boy and a family of three (father, son and daughter).

We were prepped as to how we must be dressed, and why – all jewellery off and no flapping clothes – ear plugs in and goggles covering your eyes, all topped off with a jump suit and boots.

Our trainer told us what we must do, taught us hand signals as you would not be able to talk or be heard, and that he would be with us all of the time in case we got into trouble.  One by one we got into the tunnel, he had to pull me in as I couldn’t lie on the wind, and then he trained us one by one.  I also had to be ‘pushed’ out the exit door.  You are allowed in for around 5 minutes at a time.

Then came the ‘real’ thing.  The young boy could not get the hang of it and refused to join in at this stage.  Once again I was pulled in and started flying in the tunnel by myself, with the instructor as always near enough to help.  I had a great time, bumping against the window where my husband was standing watching and waving and smiling and then flying way up high in the tunnel then getting myself back down to the metal grid flooring.  As a grand finale, the instructor grabbed each of us by one leg and one arm and we did fast spins around and around and way up the tunnel out of view of everyone and way back down again, twice.  Then, of course, I was pushed out again at the end!

My verdict – One of the most brilliant and exciting things I have ever done in my life and I am usually not very adventurous.  I recommend it to anyone who is looking to do something DIFFERENT and it is not expensive. I have a treasured DVD of the whole hour to look back on and if I have the chance to FLY again, I most definitely will!