Where Eagles Dare...

  Pokhara, Nepal
Saturday, October 6, 2007

lake phewa sunset 2

I've spent the past fewdays, post-trek, relaxing by the calm waters of Lake Phewa here in Pokhara.
"Seen it from the ground," I thought to myself, "time for a different perspective!"

me & johnny

shadow of my glider

So this morning I climbed up to the viewpoint up at Sarangkot from where the cool lake beckoned enticingly below. I wanted to get closer. So I threw myself off the mountain... strapped into a harness, as part of a paraglider, with the pilot strapped in behind me, of course! Not that this did much to assuage the terror as I followed orders...
"O.k., walk...now run...fast, off the edge...GO!"


But, on cue, the lines tightened, the canopy billowed up and suddenly we were airborne, me like a cartoon character with my legs still frantically 'running' in midair. What a rush! What a sensation! For thirty minutes we floated high over Pokhara, with my pilot, Johnny, focussed on the eagles cruising beside and then below us, as he expertly turned us around to catch the thermals and then soar up on them. (Sergio, my flying friend, I wish you had been piloting us, you would have loved it!)

other glider 2

paragliding!

After the shock of realising I was actually flying, there were a few panic-stricken seconds as I processed the fact that a webbing harness, a few strings and a flimsy piece of fabric were all that stopped me from free-falling huindreds of feet to the rice terraces below. Then I looked around me at the view up high and relaxed into the sense of freedom. The mountains were playing hide and seek in the cloud again and they won: no big peaks on display today. But the terraced foothills and the glittering lake were enough for me. Maybe I'll catch the big snowy guys next time...

coming in to land

A HUGE thankyou to Jeanette, Claire, Anna and Natasha, whose birthday dollars paid for this thrill and sent me "flying without wings" - sorry, but I couldn't resist a chees y Westlife quote as it's for you Sligo girls! Thanks a million!