Day 14 - Kathmandu Paragliding
What a rush! Paragliding is the closest to truly flying I've ever been.
The day started relatively early, off to Expansion's office to try (and fail) to pay by visa. So down to the ATM we all went. (Moral of the story: Nepal loves cash.) We took a long drive through upmarket suburbs, downmarket suburbs, government precincts, old parts ... the drive itself was worth the trip. Then after a brief wait we hurtled up a 4WD track in two Tata utes to the top of a hill.
I was up first. It looked like a long way down the steep bank I was about to drop myself. But the staff were very sure and experienced. Soon enough I was strapped in, and running down the bank, and about 10 seconds of scariness taking off was rapidly replaced by pure exhilaration as we soared around the hills and rode the updraughts. I feel like I'm a little old and jaded and not much blows me away now. This thing blew me away! All too soon it was over. One unique feature of Kathmandu paragliding is that the updraughts mean we can land at the same spot as we took off. So I spent the rest of the day watching others go through the same cycle of nervousness, fear, exhilaration and stunned excitement after it was done.
Chatted to one of the owners as we drove back down. The paraglider owners put the road in; now the village on top of the hill has vehicle access and can sell stuff to the paraglider tourists too. The village is known for its raksi, a millet wine, that they sell to other villages - now they can sell it more widely and easily. The paragliders are looking to expand from 2 to 8 pilots. Amazing entrepreneurship I reckon, and lots of money at risk.
There seem to be lots of Nepali who have that entrepreneurial spirit, combined with a real wish to make Nepal a better place.
Postscript: I left Kathmandu on 11 Oct around lunchtime, arriving back in NZ on 12 Oct in the late afternoon.
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