The car picked us up at 9 am, right on time. We drove through heavy city traffic toward the mountains. It’s doubly hard for drivers here. Not only do they have to drive defensively among so many cars, but motorcycles that almost outnumber the cars, dash in and out, create new lanes of traffic, cut in front, and assume all road authority. Rules do not apply to them.
We passed hillsides of clustered small red brick houses and patches of tall apartment buildings far out of the heart of the city. The car started the ascent up the mountain traversing the steep hillside. After about an hour and forty miles, we arrived, 1000 meters or nearly 3300 feet above Medellin!
PARAGLIDING EXPERIENCE, in the Andes town of San Felix, Colombia.
We watched an informative video, completed all the necessary paperwork, and climbed 284 steps up the hill to the green, grassy take-off spot. Two doggies living the very best dogs’ life chased each other round and round the top of this hill in the sky. Pilots and techs fitted us with helmets and flight gear and in a few seconds, pilots shouted run and we ran to the edge of the hill. It all happened so fast, I never even saw Stan take off. When my pilot shouted run, I ran like hell but within moments our canopy filled with air, and the running became labored. Split seconds later we were airborne!!!!
The take-off was a bit exciting but once in flight, there was nothing but beauty, the freshest air, silence, and colors!!! Like flying as a raven, it was the greatest example of tranquility I have ever known. My pilot, Phillipe expertly took me down, down, near the top of a tall radio tower. Then we soared so high that I could barely see the tower down below. Color! Color! Color is the only way to describe the scene below us and all around us. The colors were rich, deep, and varied. Green!!! Green! Then the city far below with houses covering the mountainsides contrasted the green and blue sky with red clay color. Magnificent! Incredible! Scary? NO! Not in the least!! It was very relaxing! I’d do it again tomorrow! My word to you . . . Go! Do it!
And Paragliding Experience in Medellin is the company to go with!
I’m so lucky; I got a very long and high-flying ride. Phillipe picked up currents and updrafts and away we went! How fun! How incredible! Finally, we headed back to our original take-off spot and landed. All I had to do was hold my legs up. We landed gently sitting straight up.
That’s when they told me that Stan had landed in the city below. I almost shouted, “Porque??? They said no problem, weather conditions during his fight did not allow him to soar back up to the take-off spot. I kept saying “El esta ok??” El esta ok?” They said. He is fine. He just landed at our lower spot and he and his pilot are on their way back here via taxi. We learned this is a common experience, especially with the fliers who are larger than elves like me. It was completely unworldly descending those 284 steps back down the hill to the office alone. I could not help wondering, what if he’s not ok??
Thank God, Stan was fine! I heard him talking as his taxi arrived. Again, I say, thank God!
Stan loved his flight as much as I did and said, we should do this again!!!
Who knows, maybe we will jump out of a plane in a parachute next . . . with a jumpmaster, of course.
Our driver took us back to the city and instead of going to the apartment we had him drop us off at El Castillo . . . more about this later. What a wonderful day!
