Some 20 years ago, skiing was considered the elitist sport and mountain resorts did not welcome the “nuisance” crazy sport called snowboarding. But that has all changed when adventurous men and women of the 80’s craving for an exhilarating downhill ride wanted more. By 1998 and due to its global popularity, snowboarding was officially welcomed into the Winter Olympics.

Getting On Board

Last week, I, along with my husband, youngest daughter, and some relatives checked in to North America’s #1 mountain resort, Whistler BlackComb for a 10-day winter vacation. We are fortunate members of Club Intrawest, a premier resort club in Canada with network of resorts located in Whistler, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Florida and Mexico. (I suggest you sit for a briefing to know more about Club Intrawest‘ privileges which are great for you and your family. And oh, you may want to mention my name so we can share a glass of my favorite pina colada as a referral token.)

I know how to ski, but snowboarding is a complete stranger to me. What I do know however, is that it was often considered more dangerous than skiing. Nevertheless, I mustered up the strength to learn something new – after all, that is typically Jhet. In my mind, I listed the reasons why I should get my feet on the board:

1. My goal is to learn a new sport. Not just to try, but to learn.
2. I see a lot of snowboarders jumping off the mountain and that looks like fun.
3. My two daughters are into snowboarding, so why shouldn’t I?
4. My family is with me and we are cheerleading each other, nothing beats a greater environment than that.

First things first, the gears. Snowboarding outfit and equipment are quite costly. A complete set which include the board, gloves, wrist protector, and boots for starters would cost anywhere from $600-1000++. So better take this new sports to heart. Once I invested on these, I knew I have to be committed. There are variety of shops up the resort to buy your gears from, you also have the option to rent while you are in Whistler.

My lessons were set the second day. I am both excited and apprehensive, already convinced that with fun comes bruises, and body aches. A friend wrote “snowboarding is difficult to learn but once you get the hang of it, you’ll never go back skiing again.” Avid skiers, on the other hand, say, “Skiing is better than snowboarding. If you want to get hurt, go snowboarding. Snowboarders are a nuisance in the mountain, it’s for the crazy people.”

That sounds pretty controversial doesn’t it? But up there, everyone was friendly and was willing to share the slopes whether on snowboard or ski. For me, it’s all about preference and what gives me more fun. Stick to whichever sport suits you. But hey, there’s no harm in learning both.

My instructor, Leif, a young Australian snowboarder, taught me the basics: how to ride the board, balance my body, and observe safety precautions. For beginners, hiring an instructor is highly recommended because statistics show that four to six per thousand persons get seriously injured each day. Don’t be scared, just watch your speed. Whistler happens to have the best variety of instructors from the world over – Australian, Japanese, Koreans, Canadians, French, German – pick yours.

After my snowboarding lecture and actual lessons on the snow, my body was already aching. The negative 24 degrees made it worst, my first time in 23 years living in Canada! I thought, why am I switching from ski to the board when I was able to do the green, the blue runs, and even the black diamond? These are the easiest, intermediate, and advanced level of difficulty of skiing, respectively.

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First there was my bucket list. I just returned from the doctor’s clinic where I was told of a shocking news: there is “cancer” brewing in my body.  That evening, the movie “The Bucket List” which stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman was on. The two great actors portrayed terminally ill men on a road trip with a list of things to fulfill. Now that I have this “health opportunity”, I told myself it would be nice to make my own bucket list.

Instead of succumbing to surgery and chemical infusions right away, I went to Optimum Health Institute in San Diego, California – a holistic healing center that promotes body, mind and spiritual wellness.  There, I met a few new friends who invited me to go on outdoor adventures. During the course of our conversations, I mentioned skydiving not knowing we were in the vicinity of a skydiving school, Parachute Center. And four weeks after my diagnosis, there I was making a freefall at 13,000 feet high!

Check out my AWESOME skydiving adventure video below:

3,960 meters above ground, 60 seconds of freefall at 270km/hour, four minutes descent with a parachute, it was indeed a dive of faith! As one website puts it “Skydiving is probably the most dangerous and toughest of all the extreme sports. What began as a weird imagination of the inquisitive minds in search of human’s ability to fly, is today an established form of recreation and also extremely satisfying experience for the adventurous”.

This happened in 2008 and I am blessed that I am still well today. So what will make you go for the jump? Here are seven reasons why:

1. Skydiving is a leap of faith, literally.

After a  nerve wracking wait and a few minutes of lessons, I went to the plane. All I do is to take a leap of faith and jump. It is good to trust your instructor and find one who will make you feel at ease. Chris, my 6-foot tandem skydiver said it was his 13th jump for the day, so I felt he sure can get me through this.

2. Skydiving beats all amusement park rides.

I can’t even contain myself from screaming on top of my lungs. It was pure joy and bliss. Imagine you are in a roller coaster, but it’s three times the adrenalin rush!

3. Skydiving can teach you to overcome your fear.

I fear heights, I fear jumping, I even fear high slides, and did I say I fear roller coasters? Was I afraid at the time I jumped? Yes I was! I was afraid, but I jumped anyway! Skydiving taught me one important lesson, and that is to do the things that I am afraid of.

4. Skydiving makes you feel truly alive.

The pilot will not wait for you to change your mind. You got to jump when it’s your turn to jump. When it was finally my turn, note that I was the only amateur female skydiver, the most petite and the cutest too (hahaha), my only choice was to go through the open door. And when I did, I felt the gust of wind, the strong breeze – I was one with the clouds. The sun above me, the ground so small below,  I never felt so alive.

5. Skydiving relives your childhood wanna-be.

We all wanted to fly like Superman. Once I was up in the air freely floating, I felt like a child playing super hero – but this time truly flying! I was soaring across the clouds, on top of the horizon, the trees, the buildings, watching cars moving below.

6. Skydiving makes you a conqueror.

With every core of my being, every inch of my body awaken and floating up in the air, I experienced a bird’s eye view of the world. I was flying like a majestic eagle, on top of the world singing my heart away with a deep sense of gratitude. I am proud to have conquered my fear and accomplish such a great feat.

My instructor thank me in fact for making one of the most empowering and enjoyable jump for him because I was singing all the way down. Typically Jhet.

7. Skydiving reminds how precious life is.

My daughter told me there were fatalities in skydiving. I know that there is a chance for things to go wrong. But after that “smooth” touch down and giving my tandem a big thank you hug, I am reminded that I was just given a second life. That experience made me want to live better.

As a word of caution, skydiving is not for everyone. If you have a heart condition, it is best to wait until your doctor says so. There are also weight limitations. You may want to check it out with a skydiving school.

Would I do it again? Sure, when opportunity arise. Better yet and hopefully with my two daughters when they are ready.

What would you do today if you were brave? Skydive? I appreciate your answers and comment.