Some things cannot be stopped.
And flying seems to be one of those things.
I was told it would be addictive. I had not realized it would be that compelling.
I may have said it before, but I will say it again: flying is a different kind of high. It is a calming, relaxing, peaceful elation. And I happen to need that sort of unwinding these days.
So as planned, I looked up paragliding in Dubai and found a fantastic group on Facebook: Dubai Paragliders. These guys happen to be some of the nicest and fun people out there!
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| 5am, in my car :) Photo: R. Abouzeid |
Like a proper addict, I woke up at 5am, in the dark, got ready and drove for over an hour to get to that take-off site in the desert. Crazy? Not really because it ended up being such a treat! Worth every minute I spent in my car in the dark. Bonus suprise: I got a fantastic view of the sun rising over the highway. Priceless.
The site is actually Real Expeditions' camp.
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| Arriving at the camp Photo: R. Abouzeid |
They do much more than just paragliding there and they are in the process of adding new activities which sound absolutely fantastic! Aside from your regular hiking and camping, there will be horseback riding around some beautiful surroundings. All of which are kids and family friendly which is exactly what I love to hear!
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| Posing. Just because. LOL Photo: R. Abouzeid |
At the camp, I got to meet all the guys and Captain Tamás who was gearing up for three tandem flights that morning. He is a seasoned pilot with years of experience under his belt both in aircraft and paragliding flights.
The take off site sits in the beautiful desert of Sharjah, where a rocky mountain called Fossil Rock overlooks endless dunes of the most beautiful orange sand. This would be a once in a lifetime experience for any paraglider as usually, the natural settings for this sport is radically different.
We were lucky that morning, the wind was on side and we managed to fly for a decent time. To be fair, with mediocre weather conditions in Ehden, some of us could only fly for about 15 minutes so I guess, if we managed that same duration in the UAE, that was quite rewarding.
I was particularly fortunate as when it was my turn, the wind conditions allowed us to go a bit higher and even play a little bit. I will not say we went as far as venturing into air acrobatics (my stomach remains grateful) but Tamás did go a little wild and, well, I think the video speaks for itself (I apologize for the high pitch screaming. ahem).
Overall, the experience was fantastic and I am now more and more inclined to take lessons. Tandem is fun but it is not a sustainable flying routine and I think I will have to explore how and when I can commit to some serious paragliding classes.
If you too are interested in exploring the desert or flying in the UAE, get in touch with these guys! They will take good care of you and I promise you will go home with exceptional memories.
The complete album of my morning with them is available on Facebook.
Dubai Paragliders
Real Expeditions
Call: +971.56.5452588
Facebook: Dubai Paragliders & Real Expeditions
Instagram: Dubai Paragliders & Real Expeditions
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| Getting ready to fly Photo: R. Abouzeid |
The take off site sits in the beautiful desert of Sharjah, where a rocky mountain called Fossil Rock overlooks endless dunes of the most beautiful orange sand. This would be a once in a lifetime experience for any paraglider as usually, the natural settings for this sport is radically different.
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Photo: R. Abouzeid |
I was particularly fortunate as when it was my turn, the wind conditions allowed us to go a bit higher and even play a little bit. I will not say we went as far as venturing into air acrobatics (my stomach remains grateful) but Tamás did go a little wild and, well, I think the video speaks for itself (I apologize for the high pitch screaming. ahem).
Spinning over the Dunes
Video: R. Abouzeid
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| Captain on top of things! Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Almost ready to let go of the winch way down below! Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| Chilling up above Photo: R. Abouzeid |
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| No feeling like flying! Photo: R. Abouzeid |
Overall, the experience was fantastic and I am now more and more inclined to take lessons. Tandem is fun but it is not a sustainable flying routine and I think I will have to explore how and when I can commit to some serious paragliding classes.
If you too are interested in exploring the desert or flying in the UAE, get in touch with these guys! They will take good care of you and I promise you will go home with exceptional memories.
The complete album of my morning with them is available on Facebook.
Dubai Paragliders
Real Expeditions
Call: +971.56.5452588
Facebook: Dubai Paragliders & Real Expeditions
Instagram: Dubai Paragliders & Real Expeditions
I flew, I blogged:
Ehden 2017 (1)
Ehden 2017 (2)
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