8-26

     I do not want to leave Switzerland!  It is so beautiful here!  I mean, could anything be better than a lake set between white-peaked mountains, creamy Swiss chocolate, and people who love life?
     In Interlaken, people (visitors and locals) live life to the fullest and to the extreme. This is at least what I have noticed.  People do everything here- from flying like flying squirrels in flying squirrel suits to whitewater rafting to cliff jumping to cliff diving to climbing entire mountains to biking through rough terrain to paragliding.
     I went paragliding. :-)  Two days ago I went paragliding for my 21st birthday.  It was much better than getting drunk I can assure you.  It was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life.
    I climbed into a van with seven other men and women. These men and women were from all over the globe. One of the women I spoke with was even from Denmark.  I told her my last name, and she recognized it as being a town in Denmark- Jellinge.  I'm famous!!! :-)
   The van continued to climb and climb the mountain.  I did not think it would ever stop!  The view from the van only became more spectacular the more we ascended the mountain.  When we reached our destination, we climbed out of the van, were given long backpacks to wear, and then we were assigned a pilot who wold end up taking off with us.  We then had to hike over a short hill to get to our are for take-off.  Eep!  It was so exciting!  On our walk, I learned my pilot is Jon's age (31) and has been paragliding for 14 years.  He also lives on the mountainside- not bad if I do say so myself!
     My pilot strapped me up, attached himself to me, told me to begin walking  He then told me to freeze.  And then we sprinted!  We sprinted into the air!  WE WERE OFF!  (I was surprised I wasn't more frightened than I was.  I must have had complete trust in the pilot, because the feeling was normal as I took off flying with him)
    I was flying.
    I was fying high.
    I looked down.  My feet were dangling free, and below me was a view I could not even dream of seeing.  I'll try my best to put it into words-
    I was in the midst of a valley surrounded by white-peaked mountains, trees seven stories high, two lakes the color of robin's eggs, an ancient building with a steeple peaking through the trees (this was a restaurant said my pilot).  The buildings below me looked like toys.  There is no way they were real.  The sun was shining.  The skies were blue.  While looking around at all this glory, my pilot was telling me to smile for pictures, and smile I sure did!
     Toward the end of the ride, he asked me if I would like a smooth landing or a "roller coaster" landing.  I felt better than ever, so I said, "bring on the 'roller coaster'!"  Soon I was twisting and turning through the air.  I felt my stomach leap like it does when I am on a roller coaster- hence the name haha.  The "roller coaster" was so much fun, and this is coming from a girl who doesn't even like going on rides.