Paragliding back to the UK...

Ms Redmond doin' a paraglide all up in the air!




Okay, so the title is misleading! No- we didn't paraglide all the way back to the UK. We did catch a plane or two (one of which upgraded us to First Class darling- get in! Fully reclining seats, mmm!) After a relatively short wait in the airport, a few too many vigorous and intimate friskings and a film or two, Kaz and I touched down in Heathrow at 6am on Saturday. We were half an hour early and after scoffing an M&S sarnie and drinking some smoothie we had Kaz and myself home and safe by 9.30am- we had a very good run! Our return was made complete later in the day when our home-coming was celebrated with sausage and mash, wine and a film with Amy, Quint, Tom and Ben. Just like we'd never left!




Before we disappear off the blog forever and leave it to El Ricardo to fill with tales of hemp, daal bhat and monkey muggings in India, I want to put up some pics of Kaz and I paragliding in Pokhara. It was our final exciting activity before we reluctantly caught another terrible bus back to Kathmandu to fly home. Through some elaborate exchange rate calculations and by paying some of our fee in dollars and the rest in rupees- we somehow managed to pay less than we should have for a half an hour flight. We caught a perilously rickety bus up to the top of the hill and to the panicky cries of "do they have shoes? They don't have shoes! Where are their shoes?" we skipped over to two diddly Nepalese men in our flip-flops. Little did they know we had shoes in our bags- panic over!





After a brief explanation of what would happen for take off- don't run, don't jump, don't sit down... we were strapped in and stood waiting for the wind to pick up. Before long Kaz's parachute was up and she'd walked quickly to the edge of the cliff where she was immediately lifted up and out into the air over the paddy fields and out towards the other hills nearer to Pokhara. A minute or two later I followed, although I hadn't felt nervous at all there was a brief moment of panic as I went to put my foot down and I'd run out of ground to tred on- but I was soon whipped up into the air to follow Lady Ka Ka, floating about on the thermals.

Once in the air the whole experience was so calm and so relaxing. It felt strangely natural to rise and fall on the different currents in the air. At times my feet felt like they were almost going to brush the trees as the parachute glided gently down, then we'd catch a thermal and you'd feel the chute fill again, lifting you swiftly up again high above the hills and out towards the lake. In the distance you could see the Annapurna Range, with its pointed snowy peaks just breaking through the top of the clouds. I could have stayed up there all day and I know Kaz loved it too. Definitely an experience I'd repeat if I had the opportunity. After landing back on firm ground I had a little read up about paragliding and apparently Pokhara is one of the most popular and beautiful places you can do it, so we were extra pleased we'd decided to do it! Now we just have to get rich so we can take it up as a hobby.... we can always dream...

So... Goodbye! I'm home and boring again now, so I'll leave Rich to tantalise you with tales of his travels (Miss you already TinyPants!)

Thanks for reading! Sadie xxx