I am reliably informed that there is a vault system for things you tell your parents after a suitable time has elapsed (usually years). I stumbled across this very useful system when someone, who shall remain nameless, was divulging something which had just emerged from the vault after a relatively short 12 months embargo. Apparently the theory is based on proximity..if the perpetrator survives, isn’t in gaol or otherwise incapacitated then the elapse of time reduces the size of the alleged crime/escape and also the (usually, well) deserved punishment.
Following this theory and adding to the normal ‘everything is different on holidays’ I succumbed to the lure and booked up for paragliding when I was in Pokhara. Paragliding in the Annapurnas seems like it should be on the bucket list somewhere. Also buoyed by the thought that I’m probably too old to ‘ground’ at this stage and what Mum doesn’t know beforehand she can’t get upset about. Not really an issue..I could see them all flying around and hardly any of them looked out of control, let alone falling like a stone. A good way to start the New Year I thought. Locked and loaded.
Now I have a theory about jumping out of aeroplanes which is pretty much ‘why would you’. This doesn’t count in Nepal when you’re talking about a country which is just varying degrees of steep to vertical. Every other step is about to launch you into the void. Chatty pilot, (tandem jumps..phew) trying to reassure the assembled newbies, told us that the most dangerous part of the whole thing was the drive up the hill. Would’ve been more reassuring if we hadn’t been stopped on a bend, vertical drop inches away, waiting for a truck to go past. The take off point is at Sargakot, a quaint little spot where there is a ridge exactly one house wide with near vertical drops either side. So, of course, we climbed on foot for another 10 minutes to get to the real launch spot. Was happy to see the sign with the rules governing jumping off cliffs..apart from the ‘nearest hospital’ listing….hmmm.
OK..possibly not a good time to see if ‘fear of heights’ was on my list of phobias. It’s a simple idea..when the wind catches the sail you run like mad towards the freaking cliff edge…oh shit. Then the wind catches you and off you soar…and suddenly you are one very clever dude with another beaming grin from ear to ear!
My pilot was a very personable Spaniard, Iban, who just follows the season flying every day if he can manage it. Based in Queenstown when not in Pokhara. There were a few very bored looking eagles trying to share the thermals as we corkscrewed up higher in the air. Apparently flying at about 2,000mtrs..so about 1,200 above the lake. Flying from ridge to valley (OK so that’s about 500mtrs lateral distance and several klms if you follow the ground..damn it’s steep). Still terraces for various crops up and down hillsides.
Just a little chilly but much less than on the back of a motorbike on a wet day.
The sound is really quite loud as you can be doing 35-40klms ground speed…or also going up at 2-3 metres a second in a good thermal. There is a neat little camera at the end of a telescopic pole which Iban took heaps of photos and a video…you will get the full version..beware. Appently it was a good day for flying but the height was limited a bit by the cloud base..you are not allowed to fly into the clouds..much. It is so much fun you want to rush off and have another run at it immediately…damn…had to catch a ‘plane back to Kathmandu….which was late…so had a relaxing time sitting in the sun drinking chai. Damned efficient turnaround..as the last passemger in cleared the steps the first passenger out was going up..about 10 mins on the ground tops..including refuelling and luggage. It was a free for all.
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