Frequent Flyers Project #2 - Paragliding in Nepal

Version française ci-dessous

Nepal… An epicenter of dramatic news that moved everyone of us so deeply. We were there exactly one year ago to fly around Pokhara and trek in the surroundings of Manaslu and Gorkha… Perrine had already been working on a development project in the villages of the Annapurna Conservation Area, and has found herself a welcoming family, many acquaintances, and loving friends. We realize how devastated all these villages are now… Our Nepalese guide Rajendra, who testifies in our film, is fortunately safe and sound, but now sleeps under a tent with his family. He understandably worries about not being able to work this year because of the lack of tourists. How is the local population going to endure the three month monsoon period without being able to work in the fields or even shelter from the rain? Short term survival and access to drinking water are absolutely critical for all of these remote villages that don’t attract any media attention or even any medical assistance.

We therefore asked ourselves if it was pertinent to release our film in such a context. But we have finally decided to show it because we are convinced tourism is one one of the major factors in rebuilding Nepal. The country’s people have lost a great deal but certainly not their kindness, their warm sense of welcome or the beauty of their environment. So open the door of Nepal….. and you’ll want to come back!

Paragliding in Nepal means discovering its many facets. When landing in remote valleys, we have always been met with an enthusiastic, warm and interested welcome. Our encounters with a smiling people attached to their cultural heritage and values remain deeply engraved in our heart. We not only met local pilots and discovered beautiful flying sites but also people in love with Nepal and its emblematic birds. Birds of prey, eagles and vultures often share the airspace with paragliders in these remote mountain ranges. Scott Mason is very passionate about birds of prey, especially vultures. He has created a bird of prey rehab centre in Pokhara: The Parahawking Project.

If you wish to help the Nepalese, there are many ways you can participate: urgency assistance (medical or infrastructure), or rebuilding projects (drinking water networks, roads, agricultural undertakings)… Everything is important. Doctors without Borders or the Red Cross are the main medical actors on the spot. These well known and well equipped organizations are very efficient and reactive in the short term. But it is also important to help all organizations working on long term projects, such as housing, roads, water networks, and help to farmers deprived of any harvesting this year.

Here are the links to directly help the population, via recognized local associations:

• Karma Flights via The Cloudbase Foundation is a long established organization in Nepal, managed by paraglider pilots and helps people in very remote locations.
   
• Nepal Mountain Mobil Hospital focuses on medical asistance in remote nepalese valleys. It is managed by Dr. Pierre SOETE.
   
• Karuna Shechen runs health projects as well as education and social services for underprivileged populations in India, Tibet and Nepal.

Don’t hesitate to relay and communicate on these actions. Talking about Nepal and boosting tourism are the best ways to help rebuild the country. Our thoughts and prayers to all victims of these earthquakes.

 

SOUNDTRACK

LinkRust
"Two sil beat" - "Da linkrust Lama"" - "Let me step up" - "Hail to the sunrise" - "Waking up" - "Miles away"
https://soundcloud.com/linkrust

Zikali
"Kavalti"
http://www.zikali.com

SPOTS WHERE TO FLY

We did two great flights around Pokhara valley. One is about 75km (Sarangkot - Sardi Khola - Panchase - Pokhara) and the other one is 35km (Sirkot - Pokhara). But there is so much to do in terms of XC flying !
- Pokhara (28.260850, 83.973012)
- Sirkot (28.021082, 83.729253)
- Bandipur (27.931764, 84.413881)

PILOT ADVICES

- Best period to fly : March to May is a very good period for cross country, with strong thermals and very unstable conditions. The cloud base can reach more than 5000m on the good days! The only problem is the view: you just see absolutely nothing. Mornings are clear, but it starts to be very cloudy from 11am, so don't expect to see one mountain when you're flying...

- October to January looks the best season to fly there, with great sceneries of the mountains all day long. But the lower take-offs are quite stable though, so you might have to hike-up (Korchon for instance) if you want to start above the stability. November is the best season, but very crowdy around Pokhara (I mean, veeeery crowdy...)

- Don't come to Nepal to do huge flights between June and September, it's the monsoon season!

- Don't hesitate to exit from the "paragliding-oppression" in Sarangkot. Jumping behind (Green Wall, Sardi Khola…) is quite easy and way less crowded.

- Altitude is quite a deal. You can feel it when you are flying, although you are struggling above the jungle (at 3000m high…) The forest frontier is more than 4000m, so it can influence your flying skills while you don't expect it.

- XC flying and bivy-flying is great adventure to do around Annapurna and Manaslu. If you are not very experienced pilot, be sure to get in touch with the guys who work and fly there. Our advices: David Arrufat at Blue Sky Paragliding (http://www.paragliding-nepal.com) and "The Great Babu" Sunuwar, the guy who took-off from the Everest and then paddled down to the sea! (http://www.babuadventure.com)

- If you want to have such a great experience with the birds of prey, be sure to visit Scott Mason in Pokhara. This guy is really involved in the vulture conservation, and he can bring you into the air with a vulture landing on your hand! (http://www.parahawking.com)

- Pay attention that you may need a Trekking Permit (ACAP or MCAP) if you land in the Parks. If you get caught by the guards walking in the Park without a permit, you will get a fine for this.

- People in Nepal are very, very friendly. Always. Don't hesitate to learn three words of Nepali : "Namaste" (Hello), "Tik-Cha?" (how are you?), "Danielbath" (thank you), "Ramrosa" (it's beautiful), or at least give a smile when you see people. Hindu culture are very different than Western Countries, but respect and smile are the keys for communication bases.

- Giving money (or chocolate) to children is quite a problem around the cities. When you land around Pokhara, many kids come and want to pack your glider... Keep in mind that if they earn too much money in packing wings, they won't go to school anymore.

- And last (but not least) all information about weather forecast and cloud formation in this movie are NOT a rule for every day, in any situation!! As a pilot, you have to be aware of the forecast of the day and the local conditions.


So there you go, don’t hesitate to visit this wonderful country, you will never regret it!!

And be sure to like our Facebook page for the next movies to come! (https://www.facebook.com/Frequent.Flyers.Paragliding)

VERSION FRANÇAISE

Népal... au centre d'une actualité dramatique qui nous a profondément touchés. Nous y étions il y a exactement un an pour voler autour de Pokhara et marcher dans la région du Manaslu, Gorkha... Perrine avait déjà travaillé six mois sur un projet de développement dans les villages de l'Annapurna Conservation Area, elle a désormais une famille d'accueil, beaucoup d'attaches et de liens affectifs. Nous réalisons au fur et à mesure des témoignages à quel point ces villes et surtout ces villages ont été réduits à néant… Rajendra, notre guide Népalais qui témoigne dans notre film est heureusement sain et sauf, mais dort aujourd'hui sous une tente avec sa famille. Il s'inquiète de ne pas réussir à travailler cette année par manque de touristes. Comment les villageois vont-ils vivre les trois prochains mois de mousson, sans pouvoir cultiver les champs ou même s'abriter de la pluie? La question de la survie à moyen terme et de l'accès à l'eau potable est critique pour ces villages reculés, loin de toute médiatisation voire même de médicalisation.

La question s'est évidemment posée de la pertinence de diffuser notre film dans ce contexte. Nous avons cependant décidé de le montrer, car nous sommes convaincus qu'un moteur performant de reconstruction du Népal est le maintien d'un tourisme important et régulier. Les népalais ont perdu beaucoup, mais certainement pas leur gentillesse, leur accueil chaleureux et la beauté de leur environnement. N'hésitez donc pas à ouvrir la porte du Népal… vous y reviendrez!

Voyager avec son parapente au Népal, c'est découvrir ses visages! Posés parfois au fond de petites vallées, nous avons reçu un accueil local toujours touchant, enthousiaste et bien sûr curieux! Nos rencontres avec cette population, attachée à ses valeurs, sa culture et son sourire sont gravées en nous. Nous avons aussi fait la connaissance non seulement de pilotes locaux et de magnifiques sites de vol, mais aussi des amoureux du Népal et de ses oiseaux emblématiques. Les rapaces, aigles et vautours accompagnent et guident souvent les parapentistes dans ces contrées montagneuses et reculées. Scott Mason est un passionné des rapaces et particulièrement des vautours. Il a créé un centre de réhabilitation des rapaces à Pokhara, le Parahawking project.




Si vous souhaitez aider la population Népalaise, il existe différentes façons d'intervenir : l'aide d'urgence (médicale, infrastructures), ou l'aide de reconstruction (réseaux d'eau, routes, agriculture...). Toutes sont importantes! Médecins sans Frontières, Médecins du Monde, la Croix-Rouge, interviennent principalement pour l'urgence médicale. Organisés, reconnus et bien équipés, ils sont très efficaces et réactifs sur le court terme. Mais il est également important de soutenir les associations s'engageant à aider sur le long terme: pour la reconstruction des habitats, des routes et des réseaux d'eau, pour l'aide aux paysans qui n'auront pas de récolte cette année, etc.

Voici des liens pour aider directement les communautés, via des associations locales dont l'action est reconnue:

- "Karma Flights" via "The Cloudbase Foundation" est une association gérée par des parapentistes, implantée depuis longtemps au Népal, qui aide les populations en difficulté dans les endroits reculés.

- "Nepal Mountain Mobil Hospital" se concentre sur les soins des vallées reculées du Népal. Elle est gérée par le Docteur Pierre Soete.

- "Karuna Shechen" gère des projets spécialisés dans les soins de santé et les services éducatifs et sociaux pour les populations défavorisées en Inde, au Népal et au Tibet.


N'hésitez pas à relayer, communiquer sur ces actions. Parler du Népal mais aussi relancer le tourisme est la meilleure chose que nous pouvons faire pour reconstruire ce magnifique pays.