NATIONAL NEWS - One more tick to go and 84 year old granny Anne de Ruig’s bucket list is completed.
'There were only two wishes left lying in my bucket – a tandem parachute jump and an absail. I heard that there would be sky diving over a long weekend at the Tzaneen airfield and immediately investigated. I had heard of one person who could perhaps help. This was our local chief of the Electricity Department. I was allowed through the guards to visit him.
He was encouraging and gave me a lot of background information. Then he put me in touch with Bossie Kruger, the local go-between for the visiting Parys Skydivers. He was also encouraging.
Bossie told me to turn up at the airfield at any time and take my place in the queue. That was easy.
Dion and I drove out on Friday morning and were astounded by the number of people already there. It looked like total confusion with everyone milling about and a strong buzz permeating the area. One of the instructors, a handsome young man, a Tandem Master called Corne Myburg, with over 4000 jumps to his credit, called the hopeful jumpers to a briefing outside. He patiently explained the whole procedure and how we were to behave to ensure a smooth jump. I wasn't sure how much of it went in.
