I want to go again!!!

After our lazy day it was time for our first optional activity – Paragliding!!!! of the 8 left on land 6 of us headed off to run off a mountain.



I just couldn’t wait!! We had been watching the paragliders all afternoon from the blue lagoon watching them twirl and twist above us – I was just about beside myself with excitement much to the amusement of the others.

The jeep ride up was pretty harrowing there were 7 customers and 7 pilots wedged in the back of an open jeep hanging on for dear life as we rattled and bumped and jerked our way up the mountain. There was general chatting and nattering - one of the pilots was chatting away to us – he was crazy but his banter helped everyone - calming a little for those nervous an hype those of already excited.

The jeep ride up was around 35-40 minutes with a slight pause for the crazy pilot to pick some grapes for us to eat.

Just below the take off point the jeep stopped and the pilots jumped out – and we were given the option of either ride the in the jeep or walk straight up with the pilots. Phillipa and I decided to walk up. Which was absolutely the right idea when watching the Jeep rock it’s way off to the take off point.

We discovered who our pilots where when they asked us our name and introduced themselves. Mine was the crazy one from the jeep ride up who’s name is.... errr I can't remember. Turns out he something like No 1 in Turkey and No 6 in the world. I was a bit worried what he was going to be like but there was no time to think – as he strapped me into my harness and helmet and explained how take off would work – and have 2 goes – we were first in the and then

OH my GOD!! It just took my breathe away

It’s like floating! And the view was amazing it was just on sunset and the sun was blazing the air was so clear and fresh

My pilot was fabulous – he explained that weren’t moving around a lot as we were climbing a thermal which would give me a longer flight.

On the way up in the jeep he had explained that the length of the flight would depend on the air currents. So we kept climbing higher and higher and the view was phenomenal first I could see over one mountain/hil and in the valley the beyond that eventually we climbed higher than all the other tandeum paragliders and with only single paraglider above us.

I could have stayed up there all day as it was we were up the longest out of my group – about 40-50 minutes in fact my pilot got told off for being up so long when we landed.

Just before we came into land my pilot asked if I would kike to do some tricks – hell yes! Was my answer

So he got me to hold on to the straps and said when I tell you to move your body in a certain direction move that way so I sat still and waited and then did as I was directed and then we were spinning – my legs were no longer beneath me but to my side and when I looked down there was the ocean! Better than any ride ever – even doing it in the plane – when you do a move like this paragliding is that it is so immediate you don’t just have the feel of the g-forces you have wind in your hair and the sun on your face.

While floating around up in the sky I was able to spot Lorin and call out to her – she was wearing a skirt so the bare legs were easy to spot – she said I was easy to spot in my read fleecy.

At one point my pilot just sort of stopped and had a cigarette and offered me one as well.

It was amazing to just be hanging around up there just sort of suspended in the air.

Landing was an interesting experience – you have to stand up and then run as soon as your feet hit the ground – only problem with this is that your not exactly sure when your feet will hit the ground and 2 when standing my harness came down to around my knees! But I managed a respectable landing – Lorin made the best one apparently, Kristy nearly landed on her knees and Phillipa landed with her chute over a bunch of near by sunbakers

My pilot also told me about night time flights – full moon and it’s like you can touch the sky they sound magical

Asked my pilot how he got in to paragliding and he said through his mother who is a champion sky diver – his mother took him on a tandem sky dive when he was 4 years old and he got to do his first solo one when he was 11

Photos @ Kodak