Paragliding in Kazbegi: I was afraid of heights, but went for it

I was afraid of heights. Then, during our trip to Georgia, an opportunity came up to go paragliding with an instructor. These are the moments you travel for, right? But knowing that and actually deciding to take off are two different things.

The nerves started before the flight

That day we were on an excursion towards Kazbegi. Mountains changed outside the window, with stops and new views along the way. The flight became the strongest impression of the day and the most unfamiliar experience for me.

I was scared before the start. Then the familiar sense of scale seemed to disappear: trees, roads and tiny cows below. It was hard to believe I was actually up above all of it.

After landing, I called it the best ten minutes of my life. That’s how intense those first emotions were.

The beautiful view is only half the story

I got very motion sick, especially on the descent. After landing, I wanted some time to recover. We decided to skip the next climb to Gergeti Church because I didn’t have the energy or desire to continue at that point.

That belongs in an honest account of the trip too. You can have an amazing time and still end up so tired that you just want a quiet rest of the day.

What stayed with me afterwards

The excursion took about ten hours. Anya and I slept on the way back, and that became part of the story as well. Not every day ends with an energetic speech to the camera.

I’m glad I went for it. But this is my personal experience, not a promise that someone else will feel the same.

Was it worth it for me?

Yes. For the view and for the feeling of doing something I had been afraid of. And the places we didn’t have energy for that day give us a reason to return.