Where We Be
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Does it get any better than this? There are moments you cherish all your life, and these ones count big. |
| Hang Gliding -- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Well, what a way to finish off the trip, hang
gliding off the cliffs of Rio! Robin indicated it
was all me this time since she'd done this once
before in New Zealand. Yeah, sure, I was a little
nervous, but who wouldn't be? I was about to
jump off a cliff! But I was in good hands with Roy
Marra, my instructor, who's famous for having
the most tandem hang glides and paraglides in
the world at 31,000 and counting. We rehearsed
a few times once we got to the top of the cliff --
how to run side by side, how to keep running all
the way off the platform... Yikes, why am I doing
this again?
Before long it was our turn. We stood strapped
into the hang glider staring down a ramp into
oblivion. We stood there for a long time waiting
for the winds to blow just right (you want a little
headwind), then we ran down the ramp and into
space. It took nine running steps and then we
were flying, higher even than Cristo Redentor!
The views were every bit as spectacular as I'd
hoped. Rio was spread out below us, a glorious
mix of city, beaches, and mountains. Our whole
flight lasted less than ten minutes, but those
moments will stay with me forever.
gliding off the cliffs of Rio! Robin indicated it
was all me this time since she'd done this once
before in New Zealand. Yeah, sure, I was a little
nervous, but who wouldn't be? I was about to
jump off a cliff! But I was in good hands with Roy
Marra, my instructor, who's famous for having
the most tandem hang glides and paraglides in
the world at 31,000 and counting. We rehearsed
a few times once we got to the top of the cliff --
how to run side by side, how to keep running all
the way off the platform... Yikes, why am I doing
this again?
Before long it was our turn. We stood strapped
into the hang glider staring down a ramp into
oblivion. We stood there for a long time waiting
for the winds to blow just right (you want a little
headwind), then we ran down the ramp and into
space. It took nine running steps and then we
were flying, higher even than Cristo Redentor!
The views were every bit as spectacular as I'd
hoped. Rio was spread out below us, a glorious
mix of city, beaches, and mountains. Our whole
flight lasted less than ten minutes, but those
moments will stay with me forever.
| At the platform, ready to go |
| Takeoff! |
| Airborne! You can still see the platform behind us. |
| Why Rio? Because the views are AMAZING! |
| I think my instructor liked the look of happiness on my face as much as I liked the view! |
| Feeling like Superman as we soar higher on an updraft |
| Making our landing approach...wishing it could last just a little longer |
| Back on the ground, safe and sound |
| There's the beach we're gonna land on |