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I had wanted to do paragliding for ages, but never got around to it. It fascinated me, seeing someone hovering in the thermals like a bird. I’d imagined it would be very peaceful and quiet up there. Anyway, I finally committed to trying it, and will describe the experience here.
I was feeling slightly anxious when the day arrived. I am uncomfortable in high places. I don’t know if I would say I’m scared of heights, but when I’m on the balcony of a high rise apartment for example, I feel queasy when I look over the edge. Anyway, my point is that this was going to be a big thing for me. We arrived at the site on a beautiful clear afternoon. The instructor said it conditions were good, with active thermals, so we should be in the air for quite a while. There were other people there setting up, and some were already in the air. We started setting up the glider, and got into a flying suit, which somehow made me feel more ready for what I was about to do. I knew it was probably going to be cold up there. Anyway, once kitted up, it was time to head over to the take off area and get strapped into the harness in front of my instructor, Phil.
We were standing at the top of a cleared slope, with the wing up and both looking up at the canopy. It looked good, so he told me to start walking. I did, and we smoothly lifted off the ground and started rising higher. It was a very smooth takeoff and it wasn’t long at all before we were high above the trees, soaring back and forth across the mountain like an eagle. It was a truly amazing experience, it was quiet and peaceful just like I thought it would be. I had worried how I’d feel being suspended high in only a harness, but I felt safe and secure.
As we were flying back and forth, Phil was searching for thermals that we could fly into. It wasn’t long before we found one, and started to rise while the altitude meter beeped faster, indicating we were going higher. The thought did cross my mind what if we couldn’t get out of it, but we soon did. We did this for the next 30 minutes or so, catch a thermal, gently climb until it dissipated, then gradually descend until we caught the next one. The only ill effect for me the whole time was a mild case of motion sickness when we were doing some tight turns.
Now it was time for the landing. Phil told me to get ready to run as soon as we touched the ground. I think that maybe I was like a cartoon character with my legs running in mid air before we did. As we got closer to the ground, the feeling of speed increased, but when we touched we managed to keep our footing easily enough. The whole experience had been extremely enjoyable and I would definitely recommend trying it some time.