Life from a different angle

Carving- spinning around at high speeds

 

The air pushes my body, everything is upside down. We’re spinning around. It is so fast that I can hardly make out anything apart from the face of the other person carving around with me. I am nervous but enjoying myself so much. We’re in Voss, at the extremesports week, and this is indoor skydiving.

 

Sun and fun

A week ago I returned from the Extremesportsweek in Voss, Norway. It is a great festival where athletes from around the world come to practice their sport, and a lot of people come to try out new sports or just party. Ever since the first Extremesportsweek I have been going there. It was the one and only compulsory stop of the summer. The rest of the time, my base jumping partner in crime; Karina Hollekim, and I, would cruise around, and follow the sun and the fun. Since we both stopped base jumping we haven’t been going on road trips anymore. This summer we decided to do a little road trip reunion, only this time with each our child in the car. It was so good to be together again. We were singing out load to children’s songs in the car, and were excited as always as we approached Voss.

 

Flying- same same but different

Nothing can beat the feeling of leaping of a cliff, but indoor skydiving comes pretty close to it. Yeah you miss the nature experience in the wind tunnel, base jumping has so many great aspects to it, but the risk was never a very sexy aspect of it to me. I never though the sport was worth dying for, but took the risk anyway. Just like driving a car. It isn’t worth dying in a traffic accident, but you take the risk anyway.

In the tunnel I can hit the wall pretty hard, but still walk away alive. It’s a perfect activity for a mother; safe, but oh so much fun. I love flying. I always have. Feeling the air against my body is like coming home. No matter if I am jumping from a plane or flying in the tunnel. I belong there. I used to belong in the mountains, but not any more. At least not in free fall close to a wall, or close to the ground.

 

Even better

One of the main events at the extremesports week is the base jumping in Gudvangen. I don’t know how many times Karina and I have flown up (in helicopter) and down (base jumping) that mountain, but I can assure you it is a lot. This year we were just hanging out, watching the other jumpers. A third friend, Charlotte and her kid had joined us for the trip, and we were all camping out in the grass where the jumpers would take off and land. It felt so natural to be there. There were so many good old friends to talk too, and so much good vibe. But it also felt natural to be in this new role. Life has changed, and it should. There is a time and place for everything. I don’t miss the base jumping. I still enjoy life so much. Maybe even more than before. A friend told me once that kids are like the elixir of life. I think he was right. Because it is even better than before.

 

Below are some pictures from our mummy & kiddo road trip to Voss:

Karina and me with the kids

Sebastian is happy as long as he can get an ice cream or two- almost done with number one here

Yup, I’m cool and I fly in the wind tunnel

Checking out airplanes with a really cool pilot while mummy skydives

Probably having just as much fun checking out the airplanes as mommy who is skydiving.

Charlotte, Karina and me with the kids in Gudvangen watching the base jumping

The whole mummy & kiddo- road trip crew in the wind tunnel. Charlotte also got her first free fall time in.

My kid. A bit scary with all the wind, but so proud afterwards

The gangster squad hanging out at the Extreme sports week