Rio Paragliding : One heck of an experience

I have been harping in my previous post about how beautifull Rio is and have been shunned for writing just a few lines like a schoolboy, so i thought i should do some justice and write about at least one of the things in detail. One week is a short time for any place to see all the sights, explore all the facets, but there are somethings that you just have to do. Hand gliding was on the top of my list. Unfortunately the place where its done, Pedra De Gaeve, the mountain, was a fair distance away from where i was staying, Copacabana beach. While in the first weekend i had decided to do the other "must do" sites of Christ the redemptor and sugar loaf, i wanted to save the best for the last.
I was to fly out of Rio on Sunday afternoon, so saturday i planned to jump. Thanks to my colleague (Luiz) in office who helped me fix up the pilot who could take me for a flight (its a tandem jump), and drove me to this place at the base of the mountain. I was all excited and ready. The drive to this place was wonderfull through a road going along side the sea. We passed Ipenema beach enroute and also a few tunnels. It was like a discovery channel travel show with smooth tarmac to drive, sea on the left with waves crashing on the rocks just a few meters from you, and huge towering lush green mountains on your right offering terrefic views as well.The weather gods had different ideas though. The launch pad high up in the mountain was covered in clouds. It wasnt possible to jump. I was heartbroken. I was flying back to Delhi tomorrow. Marcelo (my guide), the guy who was the pilot however said that we can try again tomorrow, i wasnt too optimistic though looking at the weather, He told me that he will pick me up from my hotel the next morning.
Click on images below to enlarge
The road along the coast in the bottom right of the image

That whole night i could hear thunder and rain from my hotel room, my heart was sinking.I slept watching CNN and the news about Mumbai. The next morning as soon as i woke up the first thing i did was look out of the window, it seemed ok, still a bit cloudy. I dressed up ASAP, packed up my stuff as i had a flight to catch in the afternoon, checked out of the hotel and waited for Marcelo. Marcelo's partner arrived in a rickety old car, older than our beloved premirre padmini, and with a strange contraption on top, which i later realized was meant for carrying the glider. As we reached the base of the mountain i met Marcelo who seemed upbeat. I signed the customary death warrant with a nominal fees and we started towards the top of the mountain in the rickety old car with the glider on top. The Journey to the top was fun, we went through the Tijuaca rain forrest, very dense and beautifull.I think it was a short ride up about half an hour or 25 minutes. As soon as the engine was switched off there was complete silence just the jungle sounds..amazing...i also saw a snake he seemed to be in a hurry as he swooshed past us just a couple of feet from us into the thick undergrowth. We were the second in line to jump, but just before we did, it was training time, a few basics about do's and donts and i was ready.I was'nt scared as the atmosphere was pretty relaxed.We practiced running together matching my left leg with his right which was crucial as we were strapped in a harness together.After this was done Marcelo told me "my life depends on you", and i thought, "what!!..did he not get it the other way around". He told me that during take off if i stop running even for a moment or hesitate we will plunge from the launch pad to the mountain side below. so whatever you do "DONT STOP". That moment got my heart racing a bit. this was for real. View from the top of the launch pad My Glider I have done parasailing (with a parachute) before in Bhimtal, for that you need a good wind so that you parachute pull up before you jump off, in hand gliding however you need to run to get momentum and lift. I was strapped in and we were ready to go. The view below was already amazing, i coundt wait to fly over this beautifull city. By the time we took off the sun was out, i enjoyed every second of the 15 minute flight. It was just "Awesome" flying like a bird. Intialy we gained more height, i could feel the air currents lifting the glider as we circled the top of the mountain, then we kept circling and decending to land on the beach far below. Launchpad below as we rise on air currents terrific views to sail over The Landing was when i was most scared, just before we landed the glider swooped down VERY fast and levelled out just inches from the ground, it was hair raising, but a perfect landing in the end.

Enjoy the video from the wingtip of the glider

Mount Everest :IMAX film

I'm so intrigued that this had to be a post. This is one in a 5 part posts of an IMAX film on mount everest by National geographic shot just a few days after the 96 everest tragedy. Climbing this behenoth is tough enough and achieving the feat of making a film in those conditions is really amazing. So enjoy..

Into thin Air -Jon Krauker -my thoughts

A chilling account of the tragedy that took place on the mount everest in 1996.the infamous year with the highest number of fatalities. I found it a very honest narration of the authors opnions without a bias, but it is a hotly contested one, with professional reputations at stake. The book gives us a glimpse of what Everest would be like, and enthuses in me atleast, a sense of adventure that i always want to pursue. Despite the dark side of fatalities, the sheer real life drama of people not making it safley and dieying only meters away from safety is chilling.

I can only imagine what summit fever must be like and what that altitude would do to the human body.

apart from the actual tragedy it gives a veruy clear idea on what such an expedition would be like, its almost like living through the climb with Jon Krauker.

i am gripped with everest fever now and reading up on the net about it, it is a and a must read for any adventure seeker