Hang Gliding in Rio De Janeiro
Driving up the mountain, my hang-gliding guide Paulo explained he had to run to a dentist appointment right after we landed, and I’d have to wait for him on a quiet beach where celebrities frequent. Dreadful. But I obliged. We passed a few celebrity houses - notably, architect Oscar Niemeyer who designed the U.N. building (died at age 104… tortoise!). Paulo has been a hang-gliding instructor for 30+ years, and he also speaks fantastic English - which is rare in Brazil, and a major plus when communicating with someone who literally has your life in their hands.
At the top of the mountain Paulo assembled the glide near the ledge of the cliff. This was his new glide with only 12 flights under its belt. He handed me a helmet. Very reassuring. Paulo double-checked a few cables and straps - and apparently deemed it all flight-worthy. Also reassuring. We stepped onto the platform which stretched for 20 feet and then stopped-cold at the edge of infinity. We started running off the cliff and ZWOOOM! off we went, swooping through the air like a bird!
Watch us take-off:
At the top of the mountain Paulo assembled the glide near the ledge of the cliff. This was his new glide with only 12 flights under its belt. He handed me a helmet. Very reassuring. Paulo double-checked a few cables and straps - and apparently deemed it all flight-worthy. Also reassuring. We stepped onto the platform which stretched for 20 feet and then stopped-cold at the edge of infinity. We started running off the cliff and ZWOOOM! off we went, swooping through the air like a bird!
Watch us take-off:
After swooping around beautiful Rio De Janeiro, we landed swiftly on the beach, and Paulo ran off to his dentist appointment. It was one of those pegs under a false tooth that older people have to deal with. With time to kill, I walked the beach looking for Adriana Lima (Victoria's Secret model from Brazil) but only to find a pack of boogie-boarders doing tricks and flips off the waves. It was getting hot on the boardwalk, and I knew just the cure… an ice cold coconut with a straw :)
More Duff Tales:
- Spiderdan visits La Paz
- Mustache Sacrifice in The Great Blue Hole
- Sun-downer in Ipanema
- Unplugged in Cabo Polonio
Also check out the lovely Suzanne's photo blog: