PARAGLIDING IN THE PHILIPPINES
CARMONA, CAVITE
Have you ever had something you really wanted to learn but found so hard to do? During my Paragliding Beginner’s Course, I found kiting so hard to do.
Kiting is managing and sustaining a paraglider overhead in the wind by pulling the brakes correctly. It’s more often known as ‘ground handling’.
For the life of me, I couldn’t pull up my glider in the air for more than 3 seconds. So for the 2 weeks of my training, all I did was watch others balance their wings. I happily cheered for them then sulked in the background.
When I got home after completing my course, the first thing I did was to give my fat legs what it was clamoring for…
But the next days following this, I had this uneasy feeling, knowing that I have left something unfinished.
So I woke up one day, packed my bag and travelled back to the fly site. Our instructor wasn’t there anymore but I had my fellow students Tony and Rainier waiting for me. They made it their mission to teach me to kite in a day.
Tony’s tips were very helpful:
- Wait for a good steady wind or you’ll just waste your time.
- Whip it! Pull like you’re in control, let your wings obey you.
- It takes only one “aha” moment and you’ll get it.
For hours all I heard was Tony shouting at me, “get your arse in the wind.” Whenever I failed, Rainier was so patient in fixing and re-fixing my dead wings.
After a day of moving my butt back and forth, being blown by the wind, and cursing at my harness and brakes, I finally got my “aha” moment!
The moment I had my glider up in the air for more than 10 seconds, I heard the cows cheering and I felt like I was ready for war. Haha.
I still have so many skills to learn, but if this is war, I have taken one wall down and am marching ahead to the next hurdle.
#FatLegsFly #DepressionKills #TheDepressedChristian #EmbracingBipolarDisorder #BeautifullyBipolar #OvercomingSuicide #MentalHealthAwareness
VIOLETOLOGY 