The feeling
of freedom.
The mixed sensation
of slight panic and incredible happiness.
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| The happy face that comes with the first flight! |
Last week
the winds were finally perfect and my desire to experiment paragliding came through.
My thirty minute
flight was tandem, so my harness was attached to that of Luís, my
instructor. No need for me to do
anything other than pull my harness down after take-off, to sit more
comfortably. And even that I needed a little help with. It is difficult to explain the feeling of
flight – I loved the views of the cliffs and the sea. The quietness of the flight – no engine, just
the sound of the wind and the birds. The
calmness and the patience of Luís with my anxiousness helped me relax and enjoy
the gliding.
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| There were times I was really relaxed! |
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| The views were great! |
And it was just that – gliding, no bumps, no quirks, no sudden
drops or movements. Yet some simple
turns at first made my stomach feel a cold tightness that quickly passed. But
no flight sickness! I do recognize that
a client like me is a challenge to an instructor, but Luís' professionalism was
such that he knew what he could do with each client to maintain them happy.
This I noticed watching the people who went after me and realizing that they
were more comfortable with faster turns and movements. To each his own! We only flew in the height
of approximately 300 meters, but it was certainly high enough for me. The
take-off and landing were smooth, no bumps or discomfort there.
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The take off is smooth, straight off the cliff to
flight. No awkward jump or drop |
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| Also the landing was smooth, just like getting off of a chair |
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| The day I went there were sometimes 14 wings up in the air |
I opted to
go paragliding with Muitaventura, a company
from Sintra that organizes not only paragliding but other sports activities as
well. If you want to experience this
incredible flight, let us know or contact Muitaventura directly! I can
certainly recommend their services.
If you are
staying with us at Casa do Valle, you also have the option of our multi-activity
adventure package that includes paragliding, mountain-biking, surfing,
climbing or bouldering and hiking. Send us a mail and get more details!
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