For my first adventure day we went PARAGLIDING! We took a bus to the location (about 45 minutes away) and then in about groups of five at a time we took off! The hike up to the launch spot was a HIKE! Like at least 200 steps. We’ve been getting our workout in here because of all of the slopes and steps EVERYWHERE!
So here is how my paragliding experience went: We hiked up the steps, got hooked up, and then you ran. RAN until you could run no more (like off the edge of the mountain)! Then pow, up in the air you went with the parachute. Then, you sit back, relax, and enjoy the gorgeous view for 15 minutes! The wind died down when I went so we couldn’t go higher and kept going towards the city. My instructor pointed ahead and told me that I had to lift my legs soon and we would land on our butts. He pointed and there was a grassy patch and a dead-end road. When I went skydiving, it was the same way. We landed on the grass with our feet up. However, Felipe directed us to the road! So I tried to keep my feet up as much as possible and my heels just scrapped the road a little. But, it was a smooth landing. He started packing the parachute into a bag and was on the phone to get someone to pick us up.
We walked to the road through this broken fence and sat on the curb waiting….for about 15 minutes or so. I tried to make conversation with him, but he knew only a little English. I did find out that he has been doing this for about 15 years. I saw one of my squad mates in a different vehicle and then finally a taxi came. There was another paraglider and instructor in there too. I was in the back seat in the middle, in car with four guys who I really had no idea anything about them. And off we went!
He went tearing down the road. Swerving in and out, passing all kinds of vehicles. The driving here is reckless—not to the point of driving in India, but definitely not American driving. At one point, we were passing a car and a bus was coming the other way. We just barely squeezed through and the one guy up front looked at me to see my reaction. The whole ride I was praying for safety. The driver was just trying to get back as fast as he could—and I endured 40 minutes of this. Thankfully, we made it back alive!! Hoorah!! But, I got my adrenaline rush for the day! The paragliding was nothing—but the ride—these words can’t fully describe the adventure!
