Paragliding course - Nurhan's take:

Nurhan:

Sunday was a good day in some ways.

Had discussed going flying with May, had discussed going to Bråstein with Pål and mad dog Malo... end up a bit of both!

At the mo there is a PP2 (beginners paragliding) course going on. Owing to the wind direction they had gone to the other side of Bråstein into the field at an angle. Met May there and Kin and I went to go and have a look. He eyed the gliders wielded by Master Lura and Øystein, but didn't seem bothered by them... I was a lot less bothered by them when I realised who was flying them (on the walk from the cars I commented that who ever was flying the gliders was pretty good... May had commented that these were good students!!!). Espen quashed the idea of flying from anything higher owing to the wind speed and May, Kin, and I relocated to Bråstein, where we met Pål, Hilde, + kids, + MAD DOG MALO. Bråstein was it's normal great place. Friendly, happy folk, and friendly dogs, only spoilt by regular attacks from MAD DOG MALO (Pål reads this from time to time, so have to get the digs in whilst I can!).

Back over on the other side at Bråstein, took the glider out of the car to practice ground handling. Now if this works it would mean it would be very much easier to take Kin with me to different places. A lass who wasn't flying, offered (read, 'was cajoled into') looking after him, whilst I ground handled my (for sale) glider. Now this lass was called, 'Lille Mor' (this means, "Little Mother")... What a great name! And judging how good she was with Kin, it suited her! I'm highly grateful for the help. Øystein fed him sausages! And he was quite happy to be with others, just so long as he could see me...

A couple of times gliders landed on his head, and he really didn't appear to be in the least bit fussed!

On the right of the above picture you can see him being taken up the hill by Lille Mor.

Later she had to go to the airport, so the other apprentice pilots and Øystein kept an eye on him (thanks everyone). He lay down and watch the proceedings, and for the later part of the session wasn't even tied onto anything/anyone.

I was running back and forth at the bottom of the hill, shouting instructions to folk who were floating down my way (invariably with big beaming smiles, that getting airborne for the first time does to you!). {Øystein needed someone with experience at the bottom of the practice hill, and as he couldn't find anyone else, he had to make do with me!}.

Kin had a great time, although by the end he was pretty tired.

For me it was great as I could go out and do stuff that I wanted to do, and he was fine with it.

Great day, even if I only managed three short hops on the hill and some twenty minutes ground handling!