Experiencing the ultimate

In the end of January, Bally Talwar rang up to say that I can go for the skydiving camp and the ground training starts on 1 Feb in Ahemadabad. Was slightly foxed as there was no time at all and it came as a total surprise. While I was mulling over it, he rang up again and said I can go to Deesa for ground training on 6 feb for 3 days with a jump on either 9th or 10th. I was ecstatic and booked my train tickets to Palanpur, the nearest railway station for 5th.
Now that my dream was about to become a reality, the mind started playing its games. Reminding me I had 2 small childen, we are financially secure but if something happens to me that security vanishes, dreams of the parachute not opening and 100s of such thoughts. There were times when I nearly rang up Bally to call the whole thing of. What stopped me was my dream and my self respect. How could I live with myself if I backed of now? What helped me was a meditation technique I had learned recently at the lovely ashram of Swami Paramhansa Nithyananda at Bidadi near Bangalore. The technique is based on being 'un - clutched'. It's a magnificent technique(will talk about it some other time) and it put everything in total perspective. I got back my mental frame and as 5 feb arrived I got on Ashram express at The cantt. at 3.30 pm.
I was off on a magnificent and unique adventure.
It was not to be!! As the train was nearing Rewari, I got a call from my wife telling me to come back to Delhi as there was an interview at my son's school for his admission to class 1 and both parents had to be present. Was shell shocked again. I nearly told my wife to go for the interview alone, however, if for some reason my son was not selected, I would always nurse the guilt. With a heavy heart I got of at Rewari and took a cab back to Delhi. I informed wingco Thapar and Bally about the problem and see what best could be done and whether it would be ok if I reached on 6 night and be there for the ground training on 7 & 8. Bally called back to say it was ok but I should positively reach by 6 night. Happiness again.
On reacing home I went on the net and booked my ticket by Jetlite for 5 in the evening on 6th for Ahemadabad. My wife wasn't happy to see me go once again and put my life in jeopardy again, but after a bit of grumbling she agreed.
Next morning I realised that I didn't have anything to wear. Rushed to Gopinath bazaar and picked up a black dungaree. Came home changed and went for the interview. It turned out to be a formality. Came home and left for the airport at 3.30 pm. while checking in was informed that the flight was delayed by 2 1/2 hours. Thapar had informed me that one of the instructors called Meena would also be on the same flight and we should go to deesa together. I got in touch with him and then went and had a couple of beers. Time passed and soon we were on the flight. Reached shortly before 9. I met Meena on the plane. I had asked my brother to arrange a cab for me from ahemadabad airport to Deesa and it was waiting. Both of us got on and we were off. Meena warmed my heart by getting a half of whisky. there is no better way to pass time on a road journey and before we knew it, we had arrived at deesa. Bally was waiting at the Gujarat Agricultural guest house, and after a bit of talk went to sleep anticipating an unmatchable experience