About Me
- Name: Patrick
- Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
I'm an Engineer working in Tyne and Wear, having moved from Belfast 3 years ago. Before the move I had never lived away from home and have had to work alot of things out for myself. I'm a big fan of Ice Hockey, in particular my team the Belfast Giants who I travel to see all over the UK. I also have a beautiful fiancee Victoria with whom I live in Gateshead. I also publish a weekly Ice Hockey Podcast with my friend Aaron, available on iTunes called A View From The Bridge
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Between July 9th and August 20th 2004, Patrick Smyth and Claire McAllister will travel between Vancouver and Toronto on a whistle-stop tour of the Worlds 2nd biggest country.
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Hows The View Up There??
Devin dropped us off early for the bus (after playing us the "Toast Song" :)) and we hooked up again with Dan and Debs for the last trip into Vancouver.
First stop was Kettle Valley Railway tunnels, all well and good but a sideshow compared to what was the big activity of the day..
Claire and Dan at the tunnels.
Now Claire is afriad of heights, I never really considered myself to be that frightened... but this was an exception.
Today Claire and I would throw ourselves out of a plane at 8500 feet in a skydive. On the way there the nerves were all too apparent on my face, yet claire was more calm and fired up for the feat.
We arrived and i was petrified, a short saftey briefing, fitted out with our jumpsuit and harnesses, we met with the instructor with which we would tandem jump and then suddenly we were in the plane....
What do you mean it doesnt matter if its ripped??
A slightly nervous smile??
Fear... Pure Fear!!!
It all seemed so quick... we accended to 8500 and like that i was being fixed to the instructor, the door was open and i was stepping out. A few seconds with one foot out of the plane on the step then...
Freefall...
An amazing feeling once we'd stopped spinning and i put my arms out i felf amazing... We seemed to only fall for about 30 seconds and the the parachute opened and everything went very quiet as we floated down to the ground. Amazing views, i got to take a video with my camera which was in my jump suit. Claire got to take some amazing pics.
Claires view of me
One of the most thrilling experiences ever. We got our certificates and for the next few hours we were buzzing.
Back in Vancouver we checked into the Samesun hostel and met up with Mary, Angelo and the Japanese girls for a quiet night of a dinner and a few drinks in Doolins bar before we hit the sack. The day had been a bit of a drain.
Patrick + Claire
First stop was Kettle Valley Railway tunnels, all well and good but a sideshow compared to what was the big activity of the day..
Claire and Dan at the tunnels.
Now Claire is afriad of heights, I never really considered myself to be that frightened... but this was an exception.
Today Claire and I would throw ourselves out of a plane at 8500 feet in a skydive. On the way there the nerves were all too apparent on my face, yet claire was more calm and fired up for the feat.
We arrived and i was petrified, a short saftey briefing, fitted out with our jumpsuit and harnesses, we met with the instructor with which we would tandem jump and then suddenly we were in the plane....
What do you mean it doesnt matter if its ripped??
A slightly nervous smile??
Fear... Pure Fear!!!
It all seemed so quick... we accended to 8500 and like that i was being fixed to the instructor, the door was open and i was stepping out. A few seconds with one foot out of the plane on the step then...
Freefall...
An amazing feeling once we'd stopped spinning and i put my arms out i felf amazing... We seemed to only fall for about 30 seconds and the the parachute opened and everything went very quiet as we floated down to the ground. Amazing views, i got to take a video with my camera which was in my jump suit. Claire got to take some amazing pics.
Claires view of me
One of the most thrilling experiences ever. We got our certificates and for the next few hours we were buzzing.
Back in Vancouver we checked into the Samesun hostel and met up with Mary, Angelo and the Japanese girls for a quiet night of a dinner and a few drinks in Doolins bar before we hit the sack. The day had been a bit of a drain.
Patrick + Claire
