16 March 2023

Paragliding.

Not much of note has been happening in my life these past few days so I have nothing of any significance to report. I am desperate to undertake more long country  walks but recent weather has been uninviting - with greyness to the fore and vibrant colours back in the paint box.

For tonight's blogpost, rather than rabbiting on about nothing in particular I have decided to simply raid my past photo files and share with you three photographs from 2008 - fifteen years ago. We were in Olu Deniz, Turkey...

Lounging on sunbeds by our hotel pool, we kept seeing paragliders descending from the nearby mountain. Not only that, we noticed that they were tandem jumps - two for the price of one.

My scaredycat instinct was to mumble to myself, "I would never do that!" but Shirley was thinking different and near the end of the week we found ourselves in a battered all-terrain vehicle bumping up twisting pine forest tracks to the summit of Mount Babadag - the father mountain.

You received basic instruction from your allocated flying partner and then you were strapped to him. Taking deep breaths, we ran together down the gravelly slope above the trees  before the parachute "caught" upon the thermal breeze. Suddenly, my feet were lifted off the ground and we were flying. Up, up we soared and it was so quiet - no engine sounds or anything. You felt like an eagle.




Expertly, the flier controlled the gradual descent of the chute. We could look over the ridge to a deserted Greek village called Karakoy and then we seemed to circle above the lagoon with its defensive spit of sand. Eventually, we landed gently on a grassy lawn by the seafront promenade just outside the paragliding company's kiosk. There was no rolling over or anything like that - you just walked.

It was an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience for both of us and even now Shirley and I can hardly believe that we really did do it. Here are my big size elevens above the lagoon at Olu Deniz:-

37 comments:

  1. What an amazing experience. I have been parasailing once and that was also amazing. I hate heights but when you're up there with nothing to stand on or surrounding you it feels completely different.

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    1. I would not wish to make a habit of it but that one time was literally fantastic.

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  2. That's an experience you'll never forget and always be happy that you did it.

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    1. As I say, my instinct was not to do it but my micromanager can be very persuasive.

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  3. Bravo! You are my hero!

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    1. Get in line for the autographs dude!

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  4. The lagoon looks lovely, I could paddle around in that all day.

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    1. The lagoon was noticeably saltier than the open sea.

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  5. I am glad Shirley and you had the chance for that unique experience, and took it! Up until recently, I would have said I'd go for such a tandem flight anytime, but after the unpleasant surprise at the ziplining event last year where I chickened out at the last minute, I am not so sure of myself anymore.

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    1. I can hardly believe I said yes but I am glad that I did.

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  6. A friend of ours used to paraglide, until a few years ago when he fell from the sky. About 30 feet apparently. I believe that it hurt!! You were brave to try it!

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    1. 99% of paragliding flights end without any injury but I pity the 1%!

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  7. No, nope, never in a million years!!!

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    1. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's SuperJayCee!

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  8. I bet you were more afraid of Shirley calling you a scaredy cat.

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    1. Back home, I didn't want her talking about her chicken of a husband so I stepped up to the plate.

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  9. I thought budget airline landings could be dicey. What's next Bungee jumping from a tower crane in a pub car park?

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    1. My next challenge is to walk on water.

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  10. I'm with JayCee. If God had wanted me to fly, he'd have given me wings. But kudos to you!!

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  11. That looks like so much fun! I'd like to try it even though I'd probably chicken out at the last minute.

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    1. If you had paid your money you'd want to fly. It was worth every penny.

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  12. Wow, what an amazing adventure.

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    1. It was - but as I say - once-in-a-lifetime.

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  13. What fun YP ! We visited Olu Deniz on a day trip from our hotel in Dalyan, back in the late 1980's, but didn't see any Paragliders. Not sure that I'd want to try now, but back then I would have been first in the queue!

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    1. We went to Dalyan. I suspect that that is where I acquired a terrible E-coli bug - in the mudbaths there where bacteria fester and grow in the heat.


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  14. Aren't you glad that Mrs. P. talked you into it? What a beautiful experience.

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  15. Well, I am impressed, Neil! I could never do that.
    My oldest son tried skydiving in tandem once. He threw up in his shirt on the way down.

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    1. I bet the guy he was attached to enjoyed that!

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    2. The guy made my son throw up in his own shirt so it wouldn't blow back on him! :)

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  16. Great fun. I've done something similar over the ocean though, hooked to a boat!

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    1. I believe that that is called parascending but I have never done that.

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  17. What an amazing adventure. I never would have had the courage! Never!

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    1. When I got home I read accounts and saw a couple of videos of paragliding accidents. They certainly do happen.

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  18. I hope I never have to do that... and I have size 13 shoes which probably catch more air for a slower decent!

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Mr Pudding welcomes all genuine comments - even those with which he disagrees. However, puerile or abusive comments from anonymous contributors will continue to be given the short shrift they deserve. Any spam comments that get through Google/Blogger defences will also be quickly deleted.

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