I was workin on a normal weekday in office, when all of a sudden as if from nowhere a friend asked me if I wud like to go Paragliding! This was enough for my horses to gallop (in the imaginary fields of) thru the adventure the sport has to offer... The next thing I know, my friend has already planned it all up!
So early morning on the 19th of November 2006, our gang of wild adventure junkies set from the heart of Pune city, some on their bikes and the rest in the Qualis v hired, towards Kamshet, 60 kms from the city on the old Pune-Mumbai highway. On the way I heard scary exaggerated 2nd hand versions of stories of people who had tried their hand at this sport... how v have to run real fast n jump off the cliff along with the Pilot in perfect sync so as to 'take-off'. I was preparing myself for the adventure! Also, it seems just the day before, half the people had to return back wid only disappointment due to lack of proper wind conditions :(
V reached the site at around 10.30 following some adventure- A couple on one of r bikes had had a fall at a steep curve in their enthusiasm of photography. That just proves it - 'No pains, no gains' ;) No1 was hurt and it was a laugh laugh situation :D .. but 1 from which to learn a lesson. 'Jan hai to jahan hai!'
V saw a small crowd of enthusiasts already set to fly wid! But no1 yet in the air above us other than birds and bees. V then heard the wind conditions werent gud enough yet and this gave us a slight setback. But that did not stop us from admiring the beauty around us. V were all playin in the lap of Mother Nature. V had already had a mini collection of photos by then and v didnot stop there.
Finally after an hour of playin around, the pilots called us for instructions and demo of the experience that awaited us. Awright!! So we were finally all set to go! Fly like a bird high in the space up above the earth reaching for the sky :)
The coordinator for us that day, Anita called us 1 by 1, the parameter for the call being our weight! :O :-? Well v had 2 gliders ready for us: for the 2 weight ranges v were in, the divider being around the number 70. V were going in for "Tandem Flight". This is where the "Pilot" has all the controls and v tag along for a joy-ride. These gliders are designed to fly like aeroplanes with the pilot maneouring them. They can go right n left n up n down with even the speed controls in the hands of the pilot. Of course the winds have a share in the controls too. :D But thts where the pilots' experience & talent comes into picture.
My friend who had planned it all got the righteous first chance to go - he was the heaviest among all of us :p As he got ready to fly, v saw with anxious eyes from a distance. Of course the paparazzi were all set - all cams out n clicking! :) The harness was more like a beanbag. Yes! It was like v were goin to be seated in r royal easy chairs as the pilot would take us thru the ride v were der for. Alongside the stage was being set for the take-off. The glider was unfolded and (laid down open) spread open on the ground. Over a hundred thin strings came out of tht glider making me admire the technology n mechanism that those Xtream thin strings had a life of approx 300 hours of flight with 2 savaris! The Pilot got all strapped in and so was my friend. I was surprised to c that the glider took off just as soon as it was raised by 2 people. The wind was enough to give it the necessary kick. There was no need for the run!! V saw him zoom in the sky go in furious half-circles like a pendulum. V were all so excited, whistling and clapping. But soon (well within 10 mins) his time in the air was done. It was time for him to get back to the earth. As he landed again v were all ready to capture the moment in pics/vids. His feet touched the ground and the glider followed behind him as if the sumbody just left a long piece of cloth from atop a building. It came down artistically just as they show in bollywood song sequences. :D
Slowly n steadily v started flying depending on the number called out by the pilots. Lookin at the weight range being called out I thot it would be my chance next. But suddenly the pilot called a very low number : n i continued waiting. Only lookin at the colorful birds above my head, spining, spreadin their wings to capture the space. The birds after settling back down on the ground were raving about the experience.
Then there were solo rider as well. Some of them had a tough time takin-off. Thats when I realised its the skill that our pilots showed in that smooth take-off my gang was having.
Finally after more than half of us were done, mera number agaya. I got all strapped up and ready to fly with the helmet losely fit on my head. As I took-off, I expected some fear, some butterflies in my stomach... but wait - there was none! This was awesumly smooth! Just put my head down and wat do I c.. Everybody else was smaller than ants! I must have been around 1200-1500 ft above ground level. The flight site itself was @ a height of 700 ft n I was almost another 500-700 ft above that. That was some sight. The green valley with small patches of brown soil looked lovely. The fields in different shades of green further ahead filled in my sight. I was totally takin it all in! My pilot Avi, is an ex-Air Force pilot. V started a conversation with introductions and then general information about what I was just doing. :) That just enriched my experience up der in the sky. Shortly into my flight Avi gave me instructions to sit even more royally.. as in to put my 1 leg over the other as he would shout out the direction v have to take. So on 'Left' I had to put my right leg on the left and this action combined with him pulling the string controls would take a high speed left turn. Wo!! this was completely awesum! V did these Lefts n Rights continuously for a while to gimme enuf thrills. But ye dil mange more! Next he pulled the strings in both his hands down to take us low. V went right below the take-off site into the valley close enuf that I could c some shadows down in the greens. As I realized tht 1 down there was indeed mine! I said out loud "My shadow on the Mountain!" Avi said that very much sounded like a title to an article. This is wat gave me an idea to write about this exhilarating experiance. :) V continued r flight next following a birdie as it went straight up and right n then disappeared in the distance.Avi was almost about to take me bak to the floor when I was wondering if I could get the controls in my hands. So sweet of him to actually agree. I tried my hands at glider n tasted wat is flying in the true sense :) Well after all that it was time for me to cum bak to reality. To walk on the ground. :D I approached my gang below and flew over their heads to the side of the site where v landed. My friends better have a great video of it ;)
Before it was 4, all 14 of us finally finished r short sequences of flights. This definitely called for a pic of the entire gang with the co-ordinator Anita, pilots Avi n Tanaji, n Ajay n Dhawal, the guys that helped with the gliders. That done v started back towards r vehicles, envying the solo pilots who were still floating around in the sky. V all promised to be back soon, probably to go thru the couse. Yey! :D
So early morning on the 19th of November 2006, our gang of wild adventure junkies set from the heart of Pune city, some on their bikes and the rest in the Qualis v hired, towards Kamshet, 60 kms from the city on the old Pune-Mumbai highway. On the way I heard scary exaggerated 2nd hand versions of stories of people who had tried their hand at this sport... how v have to run real fast n jump off the cliff along with the Pilot in perfect sync so as to 'take-off'. I was preparing myself for the adventure! Also, it seems just the day before, half the people had to return back wid only disappointment due to lack of proper wind conditions :(
V reached the site at around 10.30 following some adventure- A couple on one of r bikes had had a fall at a steep curve in their enthusiasm of photography. That just proves it - 'No pains, no gains' ;) No1 was hurt and it was a laugh laugh situation :D .. but 1 from which to learn a lesson. 'Jan hai to jahan hai!'
V saw a small crowd of enthusiasts already set to fly wid! But no1 yet in the air above us other than birds and bees. V then heard the wind conditions werent gud enough yet and this gave us a slight setback. But that did not stop us from admiring the beauty around us. V were all playin in the lap of Mother Nature. V had already had a mini collection of photos by then and v didnot stop there.
Finally after an hour of playin around, the pilots called us for instructions and demo of the experience that awaited us. Awright!! So we were finally all set to go! Fly like a bird high in the space up above the earth reaching for the sky :)
The coordinator for us that day, Anita called us 1 by 1, the parameter for the call being our weight! :O :-? Well v had 2 gliders ready for us: for the 2 weight ranges v were in, the divider being around the number 70. V were going in for "Tandem Flight". This is where the "Pilot" has all the controls and v tag along for a joy-ride. These gliders are designed to fly like aeroplanes with the pilot maneouring them. They can go right n left n up n down with even the speed controls in the hands of the pilot. Of course the winds have a share in the controls too. :D But thts where the pilots' experience & talent comes into picture.
My friend who had planned it all got the righteous first chance to go - he was the heaviest among all of us :p As he got ready to fly, v saw with anxious eyes from a distance. Of course the paparazzi were all set - all cams out n clicking! :) The harness was more like a beanbag. Yes! It was like v were goin to be seated in r royal easy chairs as the pilot would take us thru the ride v were der for. Alongside the stage was being set for the take-off. The glider was unfolded and (laid down open) spread open on the ground. Over a hundred thin strings came out of tht glider making me admire the technology n mechanism that those Xtream thin strings had a life of approx 300 hours of flight with 2 savaris! The Pilot got all strapped in and so was my friend. I was surprised to c that the glider took off just as soon as it was raised by 2 people. The wind was enough to give it the necessary kick. There was no need for the run!! V saw him zoom in the sky go in furious half-circles like a pendulum. V were all so excited, whistling and clapping. But soon (well within 10 mins) his time in the air was done. It was time for him to get back to the earth. As he landed again v were all ready to capture the moment in pics/vids. His feet touched the ground and the glider followed behind him as if the sumbody just left a long piece of cloth from atop a building. It came down artistically just as they show in bollywood song sequences. :D
Slowly n steadily v started flying depending on the number called out by the pilots. Lookin at the weight range being called out I thot it would be my chance next. But suddenly the pilot called a very low number : n i continued waiting. Only lookin at the colorful birds above my head, spining, spreadin their wings to capture the space. The birds after settling back down on the ground were raving about the experience.
Then there were solo rider as well. Some of them had a tough time takin-off. Thats when I realised its the skill that our pilots showed in that smooth take-off my gang was having.
Finally after more than half of us were done, mera number agaya. I got all strapped up and ready to fly with the helmet losely fit on my head. As I took-off, I expected some fear, some butterflies in my stomach... but wait - there was none! This was awesumly smooth! Just put my head down and wat do I c.. Everybody else was smaller than ants! I must have been around 1200-1500 ft above ground level. The flight site itself was @ a height of 700 ft n I was almost another 500-700 ft above that. That was some sight. The green valley with small patches of brown soil looked lovely. The fields in different shades of green further ahead filled in my sight. I was totally takin it all in! My pilot Avi, is an ex-Air Force pilot. V started a conversation with introductions and then general information about what I was just doing. :) That just enriched my experience up der in the sky. Shortly into my flight Avi gave me instructions to sit even more royally.. as in to put my 1 leg over the other as he would shout out the direction v have to take. So on 'Left' I had to put my right leg on the left and this action combined with him pulling the string controls would take a high speed left turn. Wo!! this was completely awesum! V did these Lefts n Rights continuously for a while to gimme enuf thrills. But ye dil mange more! Next he pulled the strings in both his hands down to take us low. V went right below the take-off site into the valley close enuf that I could c some shadows down in the greens. As I realized tht 1 down there was indeed mine! I said out loud "My shadow on the Mountain!" Avi said that very much sounded like a title to an article. This is wat gave me an idea to write about this exhilarating experiance. :) V continued r flight next following a birdie as it went straight up and right n then disappeared in the distance.Avi was almost about to take me bak to the floor when I was wondering if I could get the controls in my hands. So sweet of him to actually agree. I tried my hands at glider n tasted wat is flying in the true sense :) Well after all that it was time for me to cum bak to reality. To walk on the ground. :D I approached my gang below and flew over their heads to the side of the site where v landed. My friends better have a great video of it ;)
Before it was 4, all 14 of us finally finished r short sequences of flights. This definitely called for a pic of the entire gang with the co-ordinator Anita, pilots Avi n Tanaji, n Ajay n Dhawal, the guys that helped with the gliders. That done v started back towards r vehicles, envying the solo pilots who were still floating around in the sky. V all promised to be back soon, probably to go thru the couse. Yey! :D
