Paragliding off Mount Gaisberg in the Austrian Alps

September 2021 : Paragliding is something I always wanted to try. Having a fear of heights, I wasn't the best candidate for it . But somehow gathering all the courage that I possibly could , I decided to take the leap of faith for the first time during my Austrian getaway. It wasn't an easy decision especially when the agency asks you to sign a document that they weren't responsible for my death if something went downhill.

After dipping my feet and spending a few hours at Fuschl Am See and Wolfgangsee , two gorgeous alpine lakes nestled amongst the Austrian Alps, I headed for my Paragliding rendezvous point which was on top of the Mount Gaisberg

Austrian countryside

Fuschl Am See

Fuschl Am See

Redbull HQ in the quiet countryside of Fuschl

Austrian Alps range from Mount Gaisberg

Selfie with the pilot post landing

Paragliding off Mt. Gaisberg

My pilot was a rugged Austrian guy with long hair in his mid-forties . His decades of paragliding experience didn't do much to calm my senses. We were gearing up for the jump and he had to help me with my suit as I a bit lost having no clue where to start . After being all buckled, it was debrief time. The guide told me to keep one thing in mind which was absolutely critical . It went something like this:

‘’After we both starting running towards the edge of the cliff , Do NOT slow down or stop as that could complicate the jump due to insufficient air flow“

This concerned me a bit because I was recovering from an ankle twist only a few weeks back and just got out of physiotherapy. I could barely walk a few weeks ago and the doctor advised not to apply too much force on my ankle for atleast few months . In retrospect I think my doctor wouldn't have been very happy with my decision. But anyways it was too late now to back-off as there was a big crowd that had gathered behind me. There was a view point not far from us but the crowd seemed more interested in my jump for some reason. Maybe they smelled a bit of entertainment realising that I was an amateur. It looked as if this was all fun for them especially the young kids. Some of them even started yelling at me to jump quickly. Peer pressure is the last thing I wanted in that already tense situation.

Fortunately ,the launch was successful and it took a few seconds to realise that I was air-borne . This was because fear was overshadowing all my other emotions. But once I got comfortable , it was pure bliss. The sense of freedom when you are in the air is something hard to describe.