Paragliding in Karme Yosef

HOLY BATMAN!

So, a friend of the anatot family asked if i would like to go paragliding with him while i was visiting. i said, of course, because i have never tried it! i had a lot of questions, and really, they all got answered. i of course know some stuff about it already. its essentially like parachuting, but not really, because the chute acts more like an airfoil once its pulled into the wind! well, the one we were going on was more like an airplane that a parachute. there was a cart you sit in, and ohh boy, did i ever have fun!

so, for the first time ever i woke up at 6am in israel. it was an early start. but, the advantage of this is that we are out getting ready to fly during golden hour. it was so beautiful out and calm. we drove about 15 min outside of town, to a field that was not being used, and set up.

so, here is us out in the middle of the field.

pulling the cart out

and here we go, this is what we were going to fly in!

a crop duster was in the vacinity and made his presence know to us. he flew over us a few times before he set to work. we made sure to keep well clear of him

here was my pilot for the day, Chaim making sure the lines werent tangled

and Chaim in front of his paraglider

and me ready for flight!

And here we go!

we took of very fast. i have a video of it, which ill upload, but ill wait till im on a real internet connection do do that.

so, once we were airborne, we flew over mini israel, which we visited a few years ago.

flew over some tanks in a museum

the hills around karme yosef in early morning

the road to jerusalem

they are currently building underground tunnels as a direct route to jerusalem! here are the portals! pretty cool

a modern looking kibbutz

collecting grapes

looking up at our chute

flying over some ruins

over a major intersection

and over a quarry. small compared to mines, but huge for where it is located

looking out over Chaim

pointing stuff out to me

now flying over karme yosef

and, the anatot house!

and amos was up and taking pictures of us as we buzzed the house

i think my favorite shot of the day

our shadow. i also love this one

corn fields

we really mostly flew over farms and orchards and everyting possible growing!

and here are the ones amos took of us

close up

flying along

and flying away!

I had such a blast doing this. i am so thankful that Chaim gave me to opportunity to try out paragliding, and in such a setting. this was really something i was not expecting out of this trip, but it was probably one of the highlights. the most amazing part is that, i do a lot of flying, relatively, and i have never felt so much like i was really flying. in gliders is all about soaring way up high, and staying up, power planes about flying from place to place, but here, i was feet over the ground, bouncing over powerlines and flying up thru valleys, and buzzing low over fields. i almost felt like i feel like i would if i was in one of my RC airplanes, flying close to the ground. it was really amazing. and ive been to village of noa’s childhood many times, but i learned so much about it this time that i ever had. and chaim made an amazing tour guide, he knows how to identify everything thats growing form the air. it really is his playground.

i think its something i could get into. in the end, we were up for an hour and ten minutes, and we were back at the house by 9am ish i think. amazing.

so, ill leave it at that, and go have a heineken as i wait my last hour for my flight home to vancouver.

till then.