Colombia (Around the World Trip)

June 22 - July 4 - Bucaramanga

I know this story has said COMING SOON! just about forever now. Sorry about that...getting home was fun and distracting, and I haven't gotten around to doing my final updates until now. However, there isn't much to tell concerning Colombia, so I don't have much to write. I was looking forward to Colombia the entire trip, because it meant (besides the fact that we would be getting home soon!) that I would be learning how to Paraglide!!! We spent almost two weeks in Bucaramanga, and every day while Rob hung out at the pool, I would take a bus ride up to the fly site to attempt to learn to fly. The weather in the area is very consistent for paragliding and almost every morning and afternoon of the year, the winds would kick up to an appropriate strength and I could start to practice. I will never forget the moment of lifting off on my first solo ride and hearing only the wind in my ears and seeing the ground disappear below me. It was amazing, and from that moment, I was hooked. Over the two weeks, I ended up taking over 40 flights, some of them only 5 minute descents to the landing zone, but a few longer flights as well. When the sun and warmth were creating thermals, it was possible to soar almost up to cloud level and be just a tiny speck in the sky. And in the afternoons, the winds giving lift over the ridges let us cruise back and forth along the edge of the mountain, and I stayed in the air for over an hour. Rob came up to the fly site to watch all the pilots take off and land, and even took a tandem ride one of my instructors, loving every minute of it. A few times when the wind would let up, I would barely scrape my feet over his head as I soared along the ridge. Words cannot describe how cool it is to fly, and these aren't even coming close. All I can say is, try it, if you ever have the chance!