I sat in the very back of the white van as we slowly made our way up, up, and up, taking the switch-back curves at a steady pace as the valley below slowly disappeared. I was with five other travelers who represented a variety of demographics – gender, geography, and age. The one thing we had in common? This was our first paragliding adventure.

Perhaps if you’ve visited the Swiss Alps, you’ll recall that paragliding is extremely popular here. The weather conditions seem to be opportune a majority of the time, with dryer weather and subtle winds. In fact, Interlaken, the aforementioned valley, is considered by some to be the world capital of paragliding. Before my flight took off from Dulles, I had done some research on outdoor activities to do in the Alps, and it was clear that paragliding was an experience of choice.

Back to the white van.

As we continued on our journey to the top, our pilot/guides serenaded us with various choruses in a language that wasn’t quite identifiable. They were a friendly, jolly crew, and I soon found out Stephan (my name buddy!) would be escorting me off the mountain and into the sky. There was no safety briefing, which I found odd. Perhaps I am overly accustomed to America’s lawsuit culture, but apparently the waiver I signed when I purchased the ticket would suffice.

Fast forward 30 minutes.

Stephan was carefully laying out the equipment while he hummed quietly to himself. He got the GoPro up and running to record our adventure and seemed very excited despite the fact that he had been doing this as a fulltime job for years.

“Walk, then run, and then don’t stop running until I tell you to stop.”

Those were the only real instructions I received. Because I had been skydiving before, I had no concerns or anxious feelings. This seemed like less of an adrenaline rush and more of a relaxing, beautiful experience.

On Stephan’s count I began to walk, then run, until I was running in the air like a cartoon character.

We were up!

We were off!

I sat back in my harness and got to experience one of the most phenomenal phenomena of my life.

The sites were incredible (naturally), but so was the sensation of floating hundreds of feet about the ground. I spotted birds, boats, and lots of interesting humanmade structures down below. Stephan and I chatted for a bit, and then had moments of simply sitting in silence enjoying the natural world.

I learned how to ride thermals over the coppices of trees which dotted the valley floor. I spotted famous mountains in the distance, including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. I took deep breaths and said a prayer of gratitude for being alive.

After a surprisingly long flight (25 minutes), we neared our landing strip. Stephan expertly wove us in and amongst the buildings as we neared the grassy field. A quick snap of the chute, a short bounce, and we were standing confidently on two legs. (Stephan was impressed with the landing and said it wasn’t usually that smooth #skills).

After I gathered my belongings and applauded Stephan for his blue ribbon GoPro photos, I walked away feeling alert and alive.

What’s a trip to Switzerland without soaring in the sky?

What better way to explore natural spaces and wild places than from a birds-eye view?

What’s life if not a collection of memories and experiences with which to share with friends?

Coda.