Well, I have skydived for the first (and not last) time in my life and I must say that it was AWESOME.

I have done my skydive in Wollongong (NSW), about 1.5 hours from Sydney, Australia. The company who operates this “adrenaline provider” is Skydive The Beach Sydney. The instructors are great and very professional and last but not least they know exactly how to chill you out.

Once we got at the check-in and received the proper clothing we were transported to the airport (approx. 20 min). The flight to the 14,000 feet (4.2km, terminal velocity 200km/h) lasts about 25-30 minutes. Thereafter, as soon as a small green light turnes on, you jump out! The free fall lasts 60 seconds (for me were like 10 seconds) and as soon the parachute is open, you still fly for about 5 minutes before landing.

It is very difficult to describe the emotions, sensations, fears, speed and the adrenaline rush you get it, with only words. Therefore, some pictures and the two videos below suit perfectly for this purpose.

Well it is time to stop using powerless words… enjoy the videos and the pictures.
See you on the next update from Downunder.

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They did it and they’ll play the final on Sunday at 20:00 in Berlin!!!

FORZA AZZURRI

Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow these teams are fighting for the trip to the Berlin final:

• Italy vs. Germany (Tuesday, 21:00 in Dortmnud)
• France vs. Portugal (Wednesday, 21:00 in Munich)

Let’s hope that Italy defeats the Germans!!!

FORZA AZZURRI

Another big shocker today, besides Ghana’s victory, was the historical game played by Australia which lead to their advance to the next round. On a nervy night, Croatia opened the scoring through Darijo Srna’s second-minute free-kick. Craig Moore drew Australia level from the penalty spot on 38 minutes but the balance swung back Croatia’s way when Niko Kovac’s shot was fumbled by Zeljko Zalac in the 56th minute. However, Harry Kewell struck the decisive second Australian goal 11 minutes from time. Passions overflowed in the final minutes with referee Graham Poll issuing red cards to Croatia’s Dario Simic and Josip Simunic and Australia’s Brett Emerton, who now will miss Australia’s second round match with Italy on Monday. The match was very physical and all together the referee issued 24 warnings. The Australians went into the final group match two points ahead of Croatia and only needed a draw to reach the last sixteen. Stuttgart played host to a night of unforgettable drama, where both sides could have progressed to the second round at different stages, but at the end it was Australia who were celebrating and heading to Kaiserslautern to face Italy on Monday.

Ghana’s 2-1 victory over the USA in Nuremberg booked their place in the Round of 16 and left Bruce Arena’s men facing an earlier than expected flight home from the FIFA World Cup™ finals. Ghana captain Appiah grabbed back momentum from the Americans just before half-time after Clint Dempsey had scored in the 43rd minute to equalize. Ghana’s Haminu Draman opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. US defender Oguchi Onyewu tackled Ghana forward Razak Pimpong from behind in the penalty area, the foul setting up Appiah, a former Juventus midfielder, for a scoring blast that found the net to the left of US goalkeeper Kasey Keller.
Needing two second-half goals for any hope of advancing, US coach Bruce Arena brought on 22-year-old forward Eddie Johnson in the 61st minute and attacking midfielder Bobby Convey in the 74th to spark offence. Ghana’s defence was equal to the challenge, though not without several players tumbling to the ground after contact to derisive whistles from US supporters.Draman was carried off on a stretcher with an ice pack on the front of his upper right leg, leaving a 10-man Ghana to deal with the desperate US attack for several minutes until Alex Tachie-Mensah replaced him in the 80th minute. Dempsey netted the first US goal of the tournament off a brilliant cross from DaMarcus Beasley to energize the 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists.Draman, who replaced yellow-card suspended midfielder Sulley Muntari, stole the ball from US captain Claudio Reyna and raced in alone on Keller from the right side, then flicked a right-footed shot past him inside the far post. Reyna was stretchered off the field after the play but returned to the field until the 43rd minute when Ben Olsen replaced him. Reyna’s left knee was treated on the sidelines. Muntari and Asamoah Gyan, who both scored in Ghana’s win over the Czechs, were both suspended for the match for accumulated yellow cards. The same fate awaits Black Stars midfielder Michael Essien for the next match. The Chelsea star drew a yellow in the fifth minute for a foul on Reyna, his second booking of the tournament. And so the Black Stars move to the round of 16 for the first time and will face the champion defenders, Brazil.