VIC Mentor Update Barwon Heads August 2018

“Life is similar to a bus ride.
The journey begins when we board the bus.” 

Chirag Tulsiani, Author

Profound and practical don’t usually go well together, but that’s my aim for this month’s blog. (I’m usually better at profanity, so let’s see how it pans out.)

First to the PROFOUND…

What do you think of the bus analogy above? “The journey begins when you board the bus.”  For Aussie Bigways, that’s right now. Our bus for Perris 2019 is leaving the station and it’s time to decide if you’re stepping aboard.

Registration will open sooner than you think. Are you going to be part of this journey? Are you going to buy a ticket to a very wild ride with a destination that’s a hope rather than a certainty? There might be some unscheduled detours. The ticket price might empty your bank account. You might get thrown off just before the final stop.

It’s a ride with no guarantees and plenty of risk. But the rewards could be life changing.

Still on the profound, the next line of Tulsiani’s analogy says it all: “We meet people along our way of which some are strangers, some friends and some strangers yet to be friends.” That’s the only guarantee out of all of this, and it’s not a bad one to stake your savings on. A bunch of jumping friends recently had a getaway in the Whitsundays. There is something very special about being away together, day after day, and helping each other build something successful. Now, let’s multiply that by ten and do it on a MUCH larger scale.

Skydive Perris is like Disneyland for skydivers, with Skyvans and Otters and even a jet that may be back in the sky when we get there. It’s got a bar and pool. And hot air balloon jumps too. On top of all that, we might just come home with a record! Goose bumps, right?

OK, so on to the PRACTICAL now…

If you are coming to Perris, or thinking about coming to Perris, it really is time to get ‘Perris-ready’. I’m not talking about what socks and jocks to pack, but what you can plan for now, so you minimise the surprises in May. Things get a bit hectic when we’re over there. Now is a much better time to sort out your gear, your travel arrangements, your room-mates and your car pooling. (Half a dozen of us have already taken advantage of a Qantas sale and booked our flights. Woo hoo! It’s feeling very real now.)

Also, in BREAKING NEWS, the VTPC has agreed to our application for $4,000 to be shared between Vic-Tas participants in the training camps! This is great news as it shows we are not travelling alone. Others know how much we’re investing and they are grateful for the skills we are bringing back to the sport.

I’m planning a mid-week discussion night in the next 2-4 weeks to share information on a rage of practicalities, including:

• Perris Valley Skydiving Centre and the P3 team
• Flights, car hire and accommodation
• Food and health
• Getting your gear ‘bigway ready’
• Getting yourself ‘bigway ready’
• What’s nearby for holiday options

(Likely date is September 12 in St Kilda. TBC.)

It’s a chance to catch up, get to know each other, and for those who’ve been there before to share their experience with Perris virgins. Even if you’re still in ‘maybe’ mode, this might help you decide, one way or the other.

Bigway skydives don’t happen without a lot of planning. The same goes for building a team and getting 150 Aussies to the other side of the world.

Stay tuned for details.

Kelly Brennan – Mentor for Barwon Heads Victoria