Has the election got you feeling like you’re on the edge?
Well here’s a way to step off and fly!
Our day began with what (we thought) was going to be a leisurely stroll along the sea cliffs of Lima.
We had heard about the veil –the Garúa — that hangs over the city, a veil that makes it seem that rain is always impending even though it literally never does rain. So we were pleasantly surprised at the beautiful blue day ahead of us.
Reaching the cliffs, the first thing we noticed was not the view, but the paragliders sailing high above the sea. Surprisingly, it was me, not David, who began the “I dare yous.”
David was not biting. Even when I triple-dog-dare him, he insisted he’d be more valuable “filming me safely from below.”
Right. I was on my own on this one.
After inquiring at the ticket booth, I was handed the most incredibly scary waiver I’d ever seen. In a nutshell, it read:
If you die, we are not to be held responsible. By signing this you agree that you were not coerced in any way to do this terrible thing.
Feeling it was too late to turn back – I had already goaded David too much and I had face to save – I signed my name and got in line.
The waiting was the hardest part. I watched the launching/landing area with rising fear. Most of the launches were as smooth as Mary Poppins’ sensible-shoes-and-umbrella takeoffs, but it was windy enough that some of the parachutes would prematurely catch air, causing some disturbing (and painful looking) backwards pulling action.
I was starting to panic. (People do this every day and do not die, people do this…)
To inject some humor into the situation, I fired off a text to middle daughter, Decibel — it’s important I keep The Spawn on their toes.
It’s getting harder and harder to faze them.
Decibel’s text provided the comic relief I needed to calm down. I turned to share it with David and lo, there was Triple-dog-dare Boy next to me in line. He had caved! Yes!
As I always do, I insisted on going first. I KNEW if anything went off the rails with David’s takeoff, I would never have the guts to get off the ground.
I persistently peppered the pilot and prep team with questions while they harnessed me in.
What is this strap for?
Did you double check the buckle?
Why is this so loose?
How am I attached to the pilot?
What keeps me from going upside-down?
And the kicker:
To my pilot: You’re going to be holding on to me, right?
Pilot Jorge: No, I will be steering.
Oh. Right.
It was no wonder that, with all of my questions, David ended up taking off before me. And it was as bad as I had imagined it.
I don’t know much about the science behind paragliding, but it looked as though his parachute prematurely caught the wind and that intense, rapid counteraction proved necessary.
RUN! Yelled his pilot. RUN!
But David’s feet were no longer on the ground. Not having a language in common with his pilot, he did the only thing he could (RUN!), in a very Wile E. Coyote-off- the-side-of-a-mountain fashion.
He was RUN!ing like a maniac in mid-air with two guys hanging on to his harness trying desperately to pull him back to Earth!
His feet touched the ground just long enough to run right off the cliff.
And disappear.
My breath caught in my throat as I imagined him cartwheeling down the cliffs attached to a stranger, stopping only for those brief moments when his parachute needed to untangle itself from the occasional twig. I couldn’t shake the Looney Tunes imagery.
Then, like the phoenix rising from the ashes, first the parachute, then David rose into view. Sweet relief was quickly followed by blinding fear.
To my pilot: I don’t want to do this anymore. Let me go back to the line.
Pilot Jorge: We already fly Berrrrronica.
Oh. Right.
WOW!
My feet were firmly off the ground.
It was amazing. Lima spread out before me in a way that could only be seen by paraglider.
Or seagull, I suppose.
I can’t say I ever fully relaxed (my legs were sticking stiffly straight in front of me the entire ride), but it was easily one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever done.
And surprising.
Everything I experienced up in the air was the exact opposite than I expected (leading to more persistent peppering of questions to my pilot); the faster we went, the smoother the ride.
The higher we went, the safer I felt.
It was actually quite tranquil up there.
The landing, however, was everything I expected.
Pilot Jorge, now catching on to my fear level (you can watch this all go down in the video above): We will be landing now. All you have to do is standing.
Me: So I don’t do anything, I just stand up.
Pilot Jorge: Yes. And we will be okay.
Me: I feel like we’re sideways, are we sideways?
Pilot Jorge: No. We are okay. We are going very slow.
Me: What? It doesn’t feel slow. (petrified laugh) No. Ayhhhhhh!
Ground crew: (something really fast in Spanish)
Me: Do you have me? Ayhhhhhh! (to myself): STAND UP! I can’t stand up!
Pilot Jorge: Is okay, is okay.
Me: THAT WAS SO FUN!
Veronica, GypsyNester.com
Want more Lima? Click here to see more of our antics!
YOUR TURN: How’d I do? Are you ready to give paragliding a go?
Some genuinely nice stuff on this website , I enjoy it.
Thanks!
This was magnificent to peruse! Kali’s for a long while been itching to have a go at paragliding, yet that seems like a horrendous plan to me.
It is actually great… once you get up in the air. The take off on the other hand….
I like this weblog very much so much superb information.
I loved reading your experience! I paraglided in Cape Town and I was pretty nervous as well. Luckily, the hill I had to run off from, was a gentle slope, not a cliff. I would have been petrified if it had been a cliff!
It was pretty crazy, but great once we were up in the air.
This was awesome to read! Kali’s always wanted to try paragliding, but that sounds like a terrible idea to me.
Your daughter’s response cracks me up. How are you texting??
I’m afraid I’m going to have to take Kali’s side on this one! 😉 TRUST ME, it’s fun!
I laughed out loud when you “mused” to Decibel that the regulations were surprisingly lax…too funny! 😛
I know, I’m a real brat! 🙂 But, as you can tell – she’s on to my antics!
Wish I’d read this before we went to Lima. Looks like a blast!
It really was! No you have a great reason to go back!
Wow you really did it! Well done! Hate those disclaimer forms you always have to fill in for supposedly safe activities…
Thanks! Agreed on the disclaimers…ugh.
Ha! I love the text to your daughter. I’m not sure I could para-glide so I admire your courage. I would be drilling the pilot with questions too.
Decibel is a hoot! I KNEW I could count on her for a bit of courage. 😉
Awesome! Para gliding freaks me out but i think I wanna try it after this article anyway haha…
Glad I could inspire you – though I was a little afraid David’s takeoff would scare folks off! GO FOR IT – it’s FUN!
Caramba! What’s next? Bungee jumping?
Please, please don’t dare me! Bungee jumping and carnival rides both make me quake in my shoes just thinking about it.
Brave, brave, brave woman! I’ve got a friend working on me for parasailing, not much progress (I’m totally paranoid about it).
Good for you! Awesome memories to be sure!
Just don’t take David with you! I swear after his takeoff I was ready to bolt. I was probably running in mid-air too. 😉 Seriously though, you should try it- gotta conquer those fears!
OMG, Veronica, and here I thought I was brave to go on a zip line in Mexico!! You AMAZE me, and your post made me laugh aloud for the first time all day–thanks for that!
YAY! I love that I made you laugh – you made my day! I haven’t zipped lined yet, is it fun? I’ve heard of a place where monkeys chase you and I want to do it there (but I can’t remember where it is!)