On our last full day at the Maldives, we decided what better way to celebrate the week gone by than having a birds eye view of the Maldives? 🙂 And so we got a private paragliding trip out to sea. IT WAS WAY FUN!!!!!!!!

Was initially a little nervous because I am a total chicken and am both scared of water sports and heights. Considering paragliding is both, I was getting a bit skittish about it, though the sheer eagerness still made me want to do it. We had 3 staff (again!) manning the boat – 1 to drive, 1 to anchor, 1 to help with the paragliding. They were really lovely and very attentive, though I guess you could argue they were attentive because we were the only 2 😛

Once we sailed out to sea, they put us into the harnesses… and happily, they were crisp, new and CLEAN harnesses. Yes, I’m a little anal, I can’t stand anything old/ratty/dirty touching me, so I felt immediately at ease 😛 All strapped up, it was…. “Ladies first!” Um… OK.

So I went to the back of the boat where there’s a platform, and they already let out the canopy/parachute so it was flying in the wind, anchored by a string that I was then hooked on to. Before I knew it, it was UP UP AND AWAAAAAAY!

I was really surprised that it was so smooth and easy. I’d expected a big jerk, but because the string was tethered to the boat and simply let out gradually, it was like rising smoothly with the wind until I was high up in the air. The view, the wind, the colours…. it was breathtaking. Totally different than if you just sit in the boat and look at the view. You really do realise what a bird must feel like, gliding in the wind. It was really cool to see our resort island, and also the colours of the reef where the coral was.

We were each up for about 15-20 mins, but it felt like ages and ages. In fact, I was more than ready to come back down and was slowly winded back in, coming to a stop right on the boat. Again, was surprised as I almost expected flopping into the water, canopy and all – and that part would’ve scared me. But nope, it was easy peasy and I just plonked onto the boat, got un-harnessed, and it was all over.

Was feeling all flushed, breathless and amazed after the experience. I don’t think it’s something I’ll get to repeat again in my life. One of the most memorable experiences – flying high in the sky in the Maldives and looking at colour-perfection as far as the eye could see. Pretty mindblowing and I am so so so happy Chris decided to organise it, because it was THE best experience at the Maldives and totally totally recommended if you go!

And we’re off! It looks like I colour-saturated the photo, but it’s totally untouched!

I think these are my favourite colours in the world…

Getting all strapped in 😛

Chris’ turn

Sailing out to sea

Copping a squat and looking like I’m about to take a big dump

Aaaaiiiieeee!

A video of me taking off and screaming like a little girl 😉

(Link for China visitors)

And a freakin’ AWESOME video that Chris took whilst he was taking off

(Link for China visitors)

Far farrrr away

Drifting with the clouds

The Shangri-La in the distance

I’m taller than you now. Bwahahhahaha!

The view from the top!

The ocean was so perfectly still and a deep blue

Looking up at the canopy

Picture perfect!

Another speedboat zipping along

The Shangri-La resort

Back down to the world

Video Chris took when he was coming back down

(Link for China visitors)