For almost a year now we’d heard rumours of the indoor skydiving coming to Dubai and we were very excited about it. Personally, I am a bit of a chicken when it comes to adrenaline activities. I’m a keen snowboarder, because snow is usually soft to land on when I fall but I hate heights, speed, rollercoasters, planes, waltzers, bungees, helicopters, parachutes and anything that takes me out of my comfort zone (i.e. my living room).

So, it was with great trepidation that I agreed to have a go at iFly, the new indoor skydiving experience at Mirdif City Centre. I’ve been up there most of the weekend, hanging out with footballing legend, Kevin Keegan. In fact, I had just finished doing a circuit of Kev’s “Soccer Circus” with the man himself. I’m sure he’d agree that neither of us are as nimble as we used to be. The difference is he’s twenty years older and playing for ten hours a day. I only had a quick go.

After thanking Kevin for his hospitality (and I should say he is one of the most pleasant, accommodating personalities I’ve ever met), I was taken through the iFly training programme, which is very short. A quick instruction DVD and a bit of advice from iFly instructor, Chris, on making the big-X and hand signals he might use (there are only three to remember), then I was into the jumpsuit. Earplugs were stuck into my brain, helmet and eye-protection were secured, high-fives were administered and then me and my fellow-flyers were taken into the iFly thingy.

If you haven’t seen iFly yet, there are two vertical wind tunnels. When you look at them from ground level, they kind of look like two big food blenders. When you get in there, those with vertigo need to take a deep breath and trust the instructor. You stand at the entrance to the perspex tube and the guy on the side turns up the wind. Through the helmet and earplugs you hear the noise. Below you is a mesh fence then nothing but a big hole. It was a bit nerve-wracking for me. As I already said, I have phobias and heights is one of the biggies.

The good news is the instructors are brilliant. They totally put you at ease. I put my fists below my chin, looked up and leaned forward. A second later I was flying. Okay, if you’ve watch the video, I wasn’t exactly flying, I was flailing around like a rag-doll. How do I describe the feeling? Well, I can’t really. It’s not uncomfortable and not scary at all. Again, the instructors are there constantly signalling what you need to do to find your balance.

After a short time, I was guided back out whilst my group each had a turn in rotation, then I was back in. This time the wind-speed was whacked right up. My instructor grabbed me and suddenly I was shot up in the air. Again, check it out in the video. I disappear off-screen. It’s quite a rush but not too scary. Plenty of adrenaline though. I was thrown up then dropped down several times and all I could do was grin.

I saw kids on there, too. Kids who said they were too nervous to do the inflatable “hamster balls” in other malls were doing iFly without a care. It’s very amusing too watch. Not forgetting that the whole time you’re in there, cameras are snapping away and video is running, all of which can be purchased on the way out. Luckily the iFly team take enough snaps that you should get at least one where your double-chin isn’t folded over your nose.

A big thank you to the guys and girls at iFLY for a memorable experience. I’ll definitely be doing it again (at least until I can pull off the move on the end of my video). For all the details and information on iFLY, click HERE.