19 April 2009

Singing in the Clouds

Dash: What you are about to do means I will lose my work.  Do you understand that?
Guy: What?
Dash: You are about to unplug my computer without asking me first.
Guy: ummmmm...[unplugs computer]...[awkward smile]
Dash: Whatever...go nuts [ walks out to make a cup of tea and somehow try to relax]
 
I just thought you might like to get the events leading up to this entry, just so you know where my head's at.  We appear to have moved into a building that is neither complete, safe or comfortable.  It turns one's thoughts to better times.
 
Like perhaps when Lauren and I recently visited Pokhara.  One of the highlights was when I ran off the side of a mountain with nothing but a Frenchman named Benoit and a parachute strapped to my back.  I was not committing suicide, I was in fact going paragliding and if I could sum it up it one word that would be hol-chocolate-ships-in-an-ice-cream-sundae!  Its not everyday that you run off the side of a mountain with a Frenchman named Benoit strapped to your back, in fact, it was an absolute first for me.
 
We couldn't see any mountains for the pollution but it was great to be up over the lake with the eagles soaring on thermal updrafts  We cruised around for half an hour and then dropped 500m straight at the lake in a thrilling couple of seconds. My only warning was '"put yo' 'andz 'ere" and bam.  I was screaming like an 8year-old on his first rollercoaster as we rushed toward certain death in a flaming (minus the flames) spiral!  ARRRRRGH!
 
Obviously we didn't die, and we landed with a rather majestic plop next to Lauren and her lunatic Dutchman, who had apparently been singing to the clouds.  

4 comments:

Kez said...

Wow, unplugging your computer? That's criminal! No wonder your mind drifted into the clouds...literally :)
I don't think I could hurl myself off a cliff or off anything really...
goes against my survival instincts! I guess that's the thrill?

Skye said...

Hey Dash! Glad to see the perplexities that are the AYAD world are continuing nicely in sunny Kathmandu! As for the paragliding, I did the same in NZ oh so long ago. Nothing can quite sum up the feeling of absolute freedom when you race towards that cliff, trusting in nothing but a piece of canvas and a guy strapped to your back, then lift up above it all - figuratively and literally! Its absolutely fantastic! I can also relate to the sprial of death... I thought my head was going to get sucked right off with the force of descent. And yes, I too squeeled for grim life. Ahh what fun!!

Spear The Almighty said...

Dude that sounds awesome. I don't know if I have the guts for stuff like that. I think my conservative strategy of "not jumping of high objects" have served me well in the past. I'm still alive aren't I? :)

Dash said...

I don't know Spear. There's a lot to be said for jumping off high objects. I have sometimes climbed up them then jumped off them, sometimes I have just jumped off them without a frenchman strapped to my back, just a harness and a rope some guy told me was safe.

I think jumping out of a plane and off a bridge will remain on my todo list for now.

Skye, thanks for making such regular appearances! And Kez, you won't knbow till you've tried!