Monday 4 January 2010
Highlights: Paragliding over the Sacred Valley of the Incas

I finally managed to eat some food for breakfast so I must be getting over the bug / food poisoning. Andrew managed to convince Karen to sign up for paragliding today so off all three of us went at 9.30 am. The hour drive out to the jumping point was interesting enough and reminded me of how we three did a hike in Sucre not long along. The wind wasn’t that strong so we had to wait for the toilet paper radar to blow (I’m not joking).

Karen needed to go first given how nervous she was but this meant waiting quite a long time for the wind. To paraglide you need to run down a hill and hope you take off before you hit the edge. Paragliding is done with a controller whose words you must follow, Karen actually said ‘no’ when she was told to run but really didn’t have must choice in the matter. Suddenly Karen’s concern went to delight as she went up into the air for her joy flight.

Andrew went next without any problems, soaring a couple hundred meters above the ground. I was next and for the first time I felt a little nervous when Andrew returned. I was determined to take off fast and run, however this plan lead to me running on the spot as I pulled against the chute, apparently it looked very funny. For my turn it was very windy and I went up quickly and very high. The trip was great, after the start all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride, brilliant.

After dinner at the recommended ‘Jacks’ at which I could not finish my meal again, I used the night to finally uploaded some of my photos, tomorrow sees a city tour which includes the Inca ruins around the city which I’m looking forward to.