Paraglidding in Pokhara

Yet again we go back in time to Pokhara. As I have recounted in a previous post, we stayed in the Banana Garden Lodge, Trekked and ate. After a couple of days we were joined by Max, after his 3 day treking along part of the Annupurna trail. Pokhara is the starting/End point of the Annupurna Trail. A very popular trekking route - I did not realise that the Annupurna peak is at 8091m, compared to Everest’s 8850m. We also met again with Carrie. Another popular activity that Pokhara is famous for around the world is Paraglidding. Both Kia and Max decided to have a go – with a pilot and not solo of course. On the day, Max flight was at 9.30 am and Kia at 12.30pm. I decided that I will try Paraglidding at some other point during my travel – Australia or NZ – I decided to wait for both of them at the landing zone to take photos. Not the easiest task. They were at least a half dozen paraglidders in the sky at one time and it is impossible to tell who's who. I had to take photos of every damn paraglidding landing to make sure I got Max and Kia – lucky only close to the time they were expected to Land. Max flight was for 30 minutes and Kia for a hour. A hour and hundreds of photos later Max landed. Kia recorded the launch of Max towards the heavens.

As we eagerly awaited Kia’s landing we ate a well deserved brunch in a restaurant next to the landing zone. As we contemplate life and other important subject such as to order or not another sandwich, Max noticed that in the garden at the back, were kept eagles and other birds of prey. Later on, whilst back at the landing zone, I noticed a guy calling in an eagle. We both went up to talk to him, he was from the UK and that he owned with 2 other partners the restaurant. The restaurant was not his main activity but was part of the complex which included the eagles and birds of prey. He is trained in the art of falconry – the use of birds of prey to hunt. He is using this skill to train the birds not to hunt but to fly with Paraglidders to assist them to find the hot rising air. The centre is also a sanctuary for birds rescued from human captivity and the wild.

During the wait, Max entertained the local kids. He was a big attraction.

Then we waited and waited and waited for Kia - which may not been supprising for those who have experience in meeting Italians - taking photo after photo of landing after landing. After a couple of hour from take off, the pilot of Max flight landed. He told us that Kia’s pilot probably just landed somewhere, which was very common with the hour long flight. No point waiting then, I think by this time - and for a few days afterwards - I could not bare the sight of a paraglidder. We headed back to the paraglidding centre. Just after we arrived Kia showed up a few hours after she landed on a small trail in the middle of nowhere. She took 3 buses to get back. The only photos of her flight is of her feet dangling above the Nepalese countryside.

Max and Kia truly enjoyed their experience and would recommend it. Coincidently as I have been typing this Kia read a paragraph in her book which sums up her experience

‘I have journeyed as an Eagle – and he was soaring suddenly aloft as if winged…feeling the way of resting on the wind and tilting round rhe rising columns of air, of sweeping and soaring, of looking down of patchwork-green hills capped with dark trees, and a winding, glinting river between.’