August 20, 2008
Mario is a character! If you’re ever in Swakop call him for a good time. He was our paragliding instructor today.
First he gave us this huge spiel about how we might not even get off the ground today and after he’d made us uncertain if we wanted to do it anymore, he tells us that our chances for flying are good. Uhm, okay.
We drove out to the dunes in his VW mini-bus and set up our camp right across from the ocean. The gliders are huge and nylon and heavy. BriAnne and I took turns carrying one up the dune. Then you lay it out, take the reigns in your hands, run forward and kind of jump into the wind, which lifts you up and up and before you know it you are 40 meters off the ground and kicking your legs in the air. It was so awesome. Mario is down below yelling directions at you, after about a minute you land on the sand. I sat down with the glider still open behind me. Unfortunately the wind picked up and dragged me on my back across the bottom of the dune. Mario had to come and get me so I didn’t get blown away.
He said our flying was good- we’re naturals, but I bet he says that to all the girls. Actually, I could really get into this paragliding thing.