Friday memory: Taking flight – literally

I decided to write about my personal memories on Fridays. I do belive that memories are great teachers and mostly define us as individuals.

My jump from 2000 m ...

I knew instantly what memory should I describe on my first Friday. It was the year 2005 and I volunteered on writing an article about paragliding and canyoning for internet lifestyle pages. My husband (than my boyfriend) was working for the same company as a photographer and I knew this assignment was written all over his skin. Yeah. But I can hardly say this for myself. I don’t know why I said yes (if I remember right I even suggested it would be nice to write about adrenalin sports!!!) but probably because it’s very cool to be brave on safe chair with your morning coffee in your hand during stuff meeting …

First of all I am terrified of height. And second – I really don’t like cold. Cold plus wet plus height – that was the combination I can calmly live without. But – what a woman must do, must really do. Right? So I contacted an instructor who had a license for doing paragliding and canyoning and set the date of our arrival.

Starting point of my first paragliding jump was on Mangartsko sedlo (about 2000 m high) and I remember an instructor saying precisely instructions, but all I could see was his mouths and his serious face moving like slow motion imitation. Before I even knew it I was dressed like a spaceman, the helmet was on, we stood at the starting point and the instructor jailed: »Now!!! Run!« And I obediently run. As soon my legs left the earth I felt sick to my stomach. I guess cause of adrenaline which flew trough my veins and all the detours we made before we reached starting point.

Yep, I'm very nauseus but still smiling ...

As we landed all I could hear was my boyfriend shouting: »I didn’t catch the landing. One more time, please!« What?!? I’m sure my mind was something like this +?*AG#!!!!!! back than. And we repeated whole thing from lower level though all over again. As I landed second time, some guys (instructors helpers) were waiting for us to get us canyoning. We (of course) had to hurry because a group of adrenaline lovers were registered after my cold water experience. So we over jumped introduction and slow accustomization and begun on 50 m high waterfall named Parabola.

It looks very inocent, but this waterfall is 50 m high ...

The instructions were very stingy: »Go backward and jump, do not overthink to much!« Of course, of course.  I jumped and as waterfall first took my breath away I taught – oh my Goood!!! Why is this happening to me? Oh, yes, I wanted it. To shorten the story … When I came down and put myself into dry clothes, guys gave me strong grappa to catch my breath and to warm myself. They gave me a tap and mumbled something about brave girl and all of the sudden my boyfriend and I were alone. If you would ask him, he would say that he never saw me like that. I giggled, laught and sang all at once. I bet he thought I went crazy. I looked at him and said: »Now I can do anything!«

Do I need to say something more?

The lesson learned? Its always scary to jump into unknown. But when you get the courage to do it once, you’ll jump easier second time. And that after all the jumping and water shock – the girl always need a good boost …

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