Today seems like a perfectly fine day in Cancun to stick my feet into some lace-up boots that are strapped to a short surf-style board. Then, I’m thinking about having a high-performance jet ski, attached to aforementioned board by a tube that forces the ocean’s water through it, tow me around the sea and possibly hoist me a story off the water.
Just a random idea.
I have always been a fan of The Jetsons futuristic cartoons, secretly fantasizing about being the daughter Judy and taking my flying space car to Orbit High School. Flyboarding seems to be the closet thing to making my Jetsons fantasy a reality. Plus, it would be a great addition to my list of the top things to do before you die.
We met our Jetpack Adventures MX instructors at the Marina Cocos watersport stand which was located on the beach of the Intercontinental Presidente. A variety of ocean toys can be rented here, but we were there for only one reason, to Flyboard.
When we arrived, we headed straight for the water where they attached our feet into boots that were attached to a board, much like a snow board. A tube was attached from our feet to the jet ski, this is what would be propelling us into the air.
We were then given safety helmets which were equipped with speakers inside so the jet ski operator could coach us during our flight.
I was just grateful to have my head protected by something.
We were then warned, “You will fall, but try to dive into the water when you do. Don’t do a side belly flop.” It actually wasn’t until my last fall that I was actually able to execute that gracefully.
We started the adventure by getting in a superman position with our bellies facing the water, a position I was familiar with because of zip lining in the Costa Rican rain forest.
Then we were instructed to keep our legs straight and try not to fall. Sounds easy enough.
When my very patient instructor Alex told me to get ready, I went from the standard superman position to pointing my legs straight down towards the bottom of the ocean. He was controlling the throttle, therefore controlling my height in the air. As my legs became vertical with the water, the throttle got louder and I was pushed into the air.
That lasted a half a second until I tipped over sideways back into the water.
“Remember to keep your legs straight, Annette.” I heard through my speakered helmet. Got it.
The second attempt lasted three quarters of a second. “Don’t give up Annette.” He doesn’t know me that well, I’m not a quitter, though this scheduled twenty minute ride was beginning to seem really long.
The third, fourth and fifth attempts looked the same as the first. It wasn’t pretty. Then, towards the end of my twenty minute lesson, something clicked. I used my yoga skills to find a focus point on land.
Balance was key in this tricky extreme water sport and I found it…for about five seconds.
Meanwhile, the husband found found his balance in about half the time and was able to go twice as high. Damn him.
After my session the instructor reminded me that this is a sport, which takes time to learn and perfect.
Maybe next time I will be doing impressive flyboarding tricks. Maybe. Either way, It turned out to be a great addition to my list of the top things to do before you die.
Traveling Soon? Use my Favorite Resources for Booking Your Trip!
Book Your Flight
Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine, because it checks dozens of airlines so you can easily find the best fare deals. You can also select ‘cheapest month’ to find the lowest fares for your destination (I use this all the time!).
Book Your Accommodations
I use both Booking.com and Expedia for hotels, because each offers a couple different hotel choices and I like to compare the reviews on each one. If you have a group or are looking for more of a home atmosphere, head over to VRBO or AirBNB that has houses, apartments and even just a room for rent in every price range.
Book Your Rental Car
If love the freedom to explore like I do, driving from place to place is the best option! I always book with Discover Cars for the best prices and top brand options.
Book Some Fun Tours!
Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engines for cool bucket list experiences! Each one can have different tours, so check both—why limit yourself, right?
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel can be unpredictable. Whether it’s a last-minute cancellation, an injury, or (ugh) theft, things happen. That’s why I recommend never leaving the country without travel insurance. Here are my faves: Safety Wing and World Nomads.
Get Packing & Travel Essentials Ready
Check out the Bucket List Journey Amazon Store to find all my favorite travel essentials. Everything from Packing cubes, to travel adapters and toiletry containers to walking shoes.
*Lastly, check travel.state.gov for visa requirements and safety information.
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Mexico’s Xochimilco Canals: A Guide to Riding on a Trajinera Gondola
Villa Del Palmar Loreto: A Resort Hotel for Your Baja Mexico Bucket List
Zip Line into a Cenote in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico
Swim With Whale Sharks. Cancun, Mexico.
Tour the Tulum Mayan Ruins in Mexico
Flyboarding definitely deserves a high spot on my bucket list. It seems really fun. Hopefully, next time I travel, it will be to somewhere with flyboarding!