Indoor skydiving is brilliant, but even though I had a mind-blowing time I wish I knew just one thing before I went into the flight chamber.
Going abroad for a trip is regularly the highlight of any person’s year and these trips are made even better if you get to explore the new location to your heart’s content and tick off some stuff on your bucket list.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows that skydiving is about the only extreme activity I would terrify/delight myself with.
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So, in a giant leap forward towards this goal, I decided to try my hand at going in the world’s biggest indoor skydiving flight chamber in Abu Dhabi, on Yas Island in the UAE.
While on the trip I stayed at the 5* Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island hotel; home to a pool, spa, gym, and more food options than I could ever imagine.
Thinking back to it, did I need an entire buffet consisting of your fry up and international breakfast classics, fruit and salad options, cereals, pancakes and just about all else you could imagine? No probably not... but I ate it all and I wouldn’t change a damn thing.
Thankfully it didn't weigh me down or dampen my flying abilities and the flight chamber experience was memorable for all the right reasons, if you get what I mean.
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The entertainment destination Yas Island is home to other impressive attractions like Ferrari World and Warner Bros World which made for brilliant days out.
While I was over there for a week, I still didn’t have enough time to visit all the attractions, including its Formula 1 race track or its True Links golf course - but maybe next time if I'm lucky!
Thankfully the skydiving experience was certainly a high point, pun fully intended and I was able to get great footage and photos of the experience.
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In fact, one video I have been showing off to any of my friends who are daft enough to reply, is of me flipping and flailing in my first time at... well flying.
And as daunting and fun the experience, sorted by Travel Republic, was, I wish somebody, anybody, had told me just how damn difficult it actually is to do.
While you might believe yourself a natural, it is hard not to flail about out of natural instinct. As well as this, following instructions also proves difficult as the deafening roar of the wind prevents any actual oral communication.
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Before entering the chamber, I saw the demonstrators strutting their stuff, like elegant mythical fairytale creatures controlling their bodies as if they had mastered the element of wind effortlessly.
I thought to myself, seems easy enough – hold my non-alcoholic beer and let me get in there and become master of the wind myself.
And then I found I was about as elegant as Shrek free-falling, while yelling at those fairytale creatures to get out of his swamp.
Just like anything new, the experience was fraught with excitement and fear, and I can’t recommend it enough because there isn’t much like getting blasted with a ridiculous amount of air to the point of levitation and flight.
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As the guide takes you up higher in the chamber it is admittedly quite an exhilarating feeling that's hard to put into words.
The demonstration from the instructor I received at the end really made it clear that man *IS* meant to fly, and when you get good, there are no limits to how graceful and impressive you can make it look.
With that being said, I would certainly do it again, again and again, if not as a prelude to skydiving out of an actual plane, then at least as an attempt to master my body movements to move like a superhero as I enter and leave the chamber.
After realizing my flying potential capabilities, it was off home to my glamorous hotel room with a view of the pool and sweet dreams about more flying adventures ahead of a lovely morning swim.
For those looking to go to Yas Island and try the experience yourself there are a host of Travel Republic package deals available to get you to the UAE entertainment destination.
5 nights Bed & Breakfast
Departing 21st November 2024
Direct flights with Etihad Airways from LHR
From £621pp
Add a Yas 3 Park Explorer ticket from £105pp
Based on 2 adults
4* Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi - Yas Island
5 nights Bed and Breakfast
Departing 20th November 2024
Direct flights with Etihad Airways from LHR
From £814PP
Add a Yas 3 Park Explorer ticket from £105pp
Based on 2 adults
5* Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island
5 nights Bed and Breakfast
Departing 21st November 2024
Direct flights with Etihad Airways from LHR
Includes Savings on stay and free daily single entry to Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld or Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi (one park per day).
From £615pp
Based on 2 adults & 2 children under 12 yrs
Travel Republic booking details
Bookings made more than 100 days out will qualify for Travel Republic's low deposit scheme, with deposits starting from just £99. They also offer flexible payment plan options including PayPal Pay in Three.
Hotel and park ticket details
Some hotels already include park tickets, while others are included in specific rooms types. See below:
Included in hotel booking:
WB
Hilton
Included with specific room types:
W
Rixos
Crowne Plaza
Centro
Park Inn
Other hotels in Abu Dhabi
Tickets can be purchased post-room selection via the holiday extras page.
Gerrard Kaonga