smooth sailing

Easter Monday April 9 2011

Yesterday (Sunday) N and I went paragliding!  It was so awesome!  It’s one of those things that has been on my bucket list.  I realized after we did it that it’s not really that crazy of a thing to do but for me I had to overcome a fairly big fear to willingly run off the edge of a cliff.  We had to hike up this fairly big hill.  It took about half an hour to get up.  Between having done nothing even remotely physically exerting in the last six months and the heat the hike nearly did me in.  A little too much curry for this girl I think.  My head was just spinning about half way up and I thought I would vomit. 

Not to mention there was a very friendly stray dog accompanying us and so not only was I actively overcoming my fear of heights but also my fear of big dogs.  The stays in the rest of India keep their distance from people.  I think most of them have been treated rough when they were puppies so they mind to themselves but the dogs here get fed under the tables at restaurants, pet and loved far too much if you ask me.  They have no social boundaries and are always much too close to me. 

Goa is gorgeous.  It’s not quite as lush as Kerala but it has lovely beaches.  The view from the hill top was quite spectacular.  It got even better from the para-glider! 

The guy taking us up from Nepal.  He does this up in the Himalayas during the summer and down in Goa during the winter, which is tourist season there.  He was a really nice friendly guy.  For those like me who don’t know much about it it’s basically like a big parachute like sail attached to a small fabric chair that you’re sort of strapped into.  You can go alone obviously but in our case there were two chairs hooked up and he was sitting behind me with his knees tucked at my side.  He guides the gliders with two handles. 

Para-sailing in Goa

The take off is quite rough and was mildly terrifying.  N went first.  I was supposed to help by holding on to them an anchoring them as the sail/parachute-thing lifted up into the air because it pulls them back.  And then I had to help push from behind as they ran off the edge of the cliff.  I was trying to video this as it happened which after the fact I realized was really stupid.  I was not able to push hard enough  and their first take off swerved into the bush.  N’s legs got cut up a bit.  My first attempt to get in the air was not as bad but my legs got twisted in the harness and we nearly toppled over. 

Once you’re up thought it’s very calm.  You are just sailing through the air.  I went para-sailing in Mexico a few years ago and that was quite rough feeling because you’re being pulled against the wind but paragliding you gently ride the currents.  We got quite high.  You have to stay over the cliffs though because as soon as you go very far over the ocean or the beach you loose height quite quickly.  That’s why it’s so good in the mountains.  I guess its’ the hot hair currents rising that lift the glider so nicely.  The view was spectacular and overall it was just such an amazing feeling to fly through the air like that.  We were both super glad we went.  It was very cool. 

We leave tonight for the Ellora Caves.  So we’re just relaxing and packing.  It’s been so lovely to have this time here to just enjoy the beach and unwind.  Although sadly I’m still as pasty as ever.  I was trying so hard to avoid being sunburned and got fried anyways only to end up just as pale as when I arrived.  N looks nice and dark.  I’m not sure how he managed a lovely golden brown since we go everywhere together.  He’s nice to look at though.  While my epidermis very loyally matches our Canadian flag: red and white. 

Dad runs the Boston Marathon exactly a week today!  I can hardly believe we’ll be back with family so soon!