The first hour of 12th March was the same as the previous day – quick breakfast and walk to Kawaran Rafts office, feeling nervous about imminent risky aerial activities. This time, however, there was no helicopter to ride in – I was going to be in control of my own aircraft! A small bus took us to the base of an 800 foot (250 metre) hill where we were told the basics of how paragliders work, and how and where we would be landing in the field below the hill.
Even though (or perhaps because..?) I’m an experienced glider pilot, with a degree in aeronautical engineering, I was just a tiny bit concerned that this would be a solo first flight – not with an instructor. However, it seemed that the controls were so simple (2 cords to pull, to go left or right) that nothing could possibly go wrong…
Then we all got back in the bus, drove to the top of the hill, some paragliders were taken out of the back of the bus and unpacked. One of the instructors went first, explaining beforehand that he would run forwards to get the paraglider into the air above him, then slow down, look up to make sure the aerofoil had inflated correctly, then carry on running downhill until he was lifted into the air. It all sounded simple, and looked simple when he did it…
Then it was my turn… The challenge was persuading myself to run downhill fast enough, knowing that I was running much too fast to stop, and with the grassy slope getting steeper and steeper… Like the bungy jump it was a case of having faith that the paraglider would actually do what it was supposed to!
Just when it seemed inevitable that I would trip over and roll down the hill, I felt the paraglider pluck me into the air. The hill fell away below me. It was great!! I was suspended in the air and gently flew forward and down. The first instructor was in the field below, with 2 signaling bats held above his head. If he moved his right bat downward that meant I should pull my left cord, and vice versa. Thus he got me turning to the correct position to land. Just before the landing he moved both bats downward, so I pulled both cords which had the effect of slowing the paraglider and reducing the rate of descent.
I was supposed to start running before my legs actually touched the ground, in order to avoid falling flat on my face. I started running as fast as I could in the air, touched the ground, and landed flat on my face…
One member of the group was a small, but very extrovert, blonde girl from Texas. She sounded very confident, but somehow managed to turn the wrong way after takeoff… and she crashed into the hillside half way down! She was fine, had a second attempt, and managed to follow the instructions the second time, even staying on her feet during the landing.
We all went up to the top of the hill for another go, all feeling a lot more confident. I was determined to do a better landing, running as fast as my legs would go as my feet hit. I fell flat on my face again! I never have been much of a runner, and doubtless I never will be.
Then we all headed back to Queenstown, where I had a late lunch at a fish and chip shop. I went to book my trip for the next day to Milford Sound – supposedly one of New Zealand’s most beautiful fjords.
I certainly had some novel activities to report during my postcard writing that evening. With the intense excitement of the last 2 days, tiredness soon got the better of me and I had an early night.
cuando decís ” nunca seré un buen corredor” no fue así, ahora sos un muyyy buen maratonista!! y me recordó tu comentario sobre Río Gallegos, lo feo que lo encontrasté (sigue igual) y que seguramente no elegirías volver a ésta cuidad… volviste y encontraste al amor de tu vida☺! la vida tiene sorpresas dice una canción de Rubén Blades, y pir suerte a veces para bien!