It has always been my belief that everyone should experience at least one awe-inspiring event throughout their lives. It could be swimming with dolphins or sharks, learning to fly an aeroplane or standing at the top of one of the biggest buildings in the world. For me, and for two of my best friends, David Ruddick and Alistair Foden, it was sky diving.

It's an experience that many people would never dare to do, but is undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking. 'You're jumping out of plane?! You're insane!' was one of the first responses I received. Watching the world from two and a half miles in the air, in the knowledge that any moment now you will plummet approximately 6000ft at around 120mph, puts you in some doubt as to whether you are, in fact, mentally stable at all.

The worst part of sky diving is the anticipation - and the very long wait beforehand, if you're unlucky. Unfortunately, arriving at 8.15am on a busy day meant a wait of almost seven hours before we even changed into our - very fashionable - jumpsuits.

Any fear that had drifted away into boredom sprung back to life as we waited for the aeroplane to land. What if it all goes horribly wrong? What if the parachute doesn't open? The chances of this are remotely slim, with parachutes worth £8000 that open automatically at a certain altitude. But the "what if" questions firmly lodge themselves in your mind, regardless of what you've been told.

It was finally time, at 3.15pm, to board the small aircraft that we knew we would never be landing in. I had the small misfortune of sitting next to the door, a definite cause for shock when it opens at 11,500ft.

As David left the plane, I had never felt such rigid fear in my life. Within one second, he was among the clouds and gone from view - it's hard to believe how fast you fall. Now it was my turn. The biggest moment of my life - and by far the most terrifying.

For a moment, my legs dangled over the edge of the plane... and then we were off, with my stomach left somewhere around the aircraft. It's impossible to imagine the feeling of falling at that kind of speed without experiencing it. I could liken it to the fastest rollercoaster in the world going horribly out of control, but that wouldn't even begin to describe it.

It's breathtaking - literally. The wind flies past you as you fall to what, in that moment, seems like your imminent death. About half a minute passes in what seems like half an hour before the parachute finally opens and suddenly, everything feels a great deal safer.

The air went completely silent, and I could see miles and miles of Cambridgeshire gradually getting closer as we floated gently downwards. It's strangely peaceful, despite still being a mile above the ground and making good speed.

Landing is another part of the process that can be somewhat foreboding. However, it took less effort and was certainly more comfortable than I expected.

Suddenly, it was all over. I had successfully fallen two and a half miles and lived to tell the tale; a feat my mother refused to believe I would ever achieve.

One of the most rewarding parts of the experience, other than our certificates, pictures and of course the knowledge that we'd done it, was that we had done it for charity. So far, we have raised over £1000 for Oxfam, a substantial amount that could save thousands of lives in third-world countries.

If you would like to sponsor us, please log on to http://www.justgiving.com/skydivecad.

You want to read what goes on in the exciting world of Clazz? Then go to Chasing-Secrets.net for my blog. :-p