How lucky can you get?
Erika and Bertram dream of bivouac flying in India, but time is short, cloudbase is low and the paraglider is tangled. Not a good situation, but a little magic makes for an unexpectedly successful flight. Later, they discover 'who' it was that had shown them the way.
The wind was getting lighter every day, and we took off with our fully loaded harnesses only to find several lines stubbornly tangled around Bertram’s C-handles. It wasn’t a dramatic situation, but it seemed impossible that we would be able to climb up again from lower down.
Bir Billing – the Bassano of India. A magical place in quiet November: endless forested ridges, the climate and the people have their own special charm. The view of the high, remote mountains is impressive and frightening at the same time. What happened was not what we had planned. We had wanted to top- land a few kilometres further along the ridge and bivouac one last time – but things turned out differently.
More flying is probably not meant to be, I thought. Maybe it's better this way, rationalising the doubts. Top-landing involves risk, and India is not the place to expect a quick rescue. Of course, there
was disappointment. My partner's flight home was the day after tomorrow. Cloudbase was only just above our intended bivouac site. Today – right now – was simply the last chance for this dream flight.
While I was trying to come to terms with the situation, Bertram's wing suddenly snapped open and he was soon cranking up in a thermal! Was this supposed to happen? The careful scratching under cloudbase began, and Bertram unerringly found every thermal. In the end, we landed one after the other in perfect wind. I let out a cheer – of joy, relief, gratitude? Definitely all three.
What followed was waves of euphoria: “There's no one else here! Here's some wood for a warming fire! Have you ever seen so many stars? And the sea of lights in the valley! How unbelievably quiet it is. How indescribable!
How lucky can you get? More than I thought. Bertram had had one of those unique flights: he’d followed a vulture from the first thermal – it was going our way. Magic!
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Jil Schmid
Jil is a passionate alpinist and hike & fly pilot. As a former member of the Swiss Women's SAC expedition team, she has already completed numerous ascents from Switzerland to southern Greenland.