SPORTS
D
o you want to be free like birds?
And while doing that, would you
also like to see the world from a
birds-eye-view? Paragliding gives
you the wings you have always yearned for
as well as the chance to see the world’s most
stunning views from the perfect angle.
The beauty of paragliding is that it
is relatively simple- even newcomers can
flying as if they are in first class. To kic kstart
the ascent in paragliding, non-motorized
inflatable wings manually launch you into the
air. The equipment is easy to transport, easy
to launch, and easy to land. This is a sport
where you get to have fun right away and
then continue to do so through a relatively
quick learning curve. Within just a few
days, you might be soaring for hours. Your
arms will seem like wings as they control the
paraglider above you; your flying position
is as comfortable as a recliner. The thrill
is unlike anything you’ll have ever before
experienced.
There are many different levels of
paragliding that can be pursued. Some
simply enjoy ascending to the top of a hill
normally just high enough to sled down.
Others enjoy soaring in smooth ridge lifts.
Additionally, there are also those who want
to gain thousands of feet in altitude and
fly long distances. Paragliders have flown
off almost every major peak in the United
States and Europe; even Everest has seen
the successful launch of a paraglider or
two. It is a sport where you can truly ascend
like a bird, peacefully and tranquilly, in any
environment.
George Steinmetz, a regular contributor
to National Geographic magazine, is one of
the most extreme examples of paragliders.
His first book, African Air, is a compilation
of ten years worth of stories flying in Africa,
much of it done with a motorized paraglider.
This expe-rimental aircraft is the lightest
and slowest motorized flying machine in
the world and offers a unique perspective
over remote landscapes. With his motorized
paraglider, Steinmetz flew over the Sahara,
the Gobi deserts, the Great Wall of China,
and the dunes of the Grand Erg Occidental in
northern Algeria. He says that photographing
from a paraglider rather than from a plane
gives the photographer great flexibility. If
you’re brave enough, take this advice from a
highly successful professional and make sure
that you have a camera while you are up
there. If ti makes you feel any better, he also
suggested that taking photographs will calm
you down if you ever get scared up in the air.
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THE BEAUTY OF PARAGLIDING IS
THAT IT IS RELATIVELY SIMPLEEVEN NEWCOMERS CAN FLYING AS
IF THEY ARE IN FIRST CLASS.