PARASAILING! Yay!!! But wait, what on earth is parasailing?
Parasailing is basically being tied to a huge balloon with another guide who manages the balloon with a boat a couple of hundred feet below you which drags both of you and the balloon around for a spin above the sea.
Cool, right?
So, now about my first ever Parasailing experience! Also, my first ever Jet-skiing experience! It was bound to be scary, but it was actually really, really fun!!!
It was late afternoon when we reached the Benaulim beach, south Goa, so we were a bit early and decided to relax in a shack for a while (a.k.a. sipped coconut water), then we approached a person organizing water sports, and he explained how we could parasail, kayak in the sea, and jet ski, along with many more water sports.
Then, out of the blue, dad signed me up for parasailing. WHAAAT!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!! Noooooooo!!!!!
But what choice did I have? Dad tried to calm me and I decided to give it a try. They pulled a life jacket over me and I waddled up to the uncle tied to the balloon. He gave me a friendly smile and told me to sit on a sort of cloth swing seat, but except the two ends weren’t tied to chains, but to the thick rope connecting the balloon to the speedboat.
I sat, and was immediately trussed up and knotted securely to the ropes. The uncle pulled a few ropes, and the boat set off.
I nearly screamed in delight and pure fear. I was a hundred feet above the DEEP waters!!!
I took a few deep breaths, then looked around. The view was spectacular and every ounce of my fear vanished in an instant. I could almost see all of Goa!
Woo-hoo! This was SUPER!!!
Just then, we began descending…
Aahh! Nooo! Help! Save me! I’m gonna sink!
Just kidding! I was lowered just enough to dip my feet – then my whole legs – into the sea. We went back up and sailed around for a while, before touching down again.
I went up to a smiling dad, and asked for more. He grinned from ear to ear and agreed.
After yet another spectacular parasailing ride, I decided to try jet-skiing.
I put on another life jacket and sat on the front seat of the wet jet-ski. Another uncle told me to hold onto a red piece of cloth tied to the handles, and I did as I was told.
He stood behind me (without a life-jacket :o) and revved the engine. We were off again. This time, it wasn’t smooth sailing.
I had to hold on very tightly to the cloth and plumes of sea spray hit my face. I nearly choked, so here’s a handy hint: DO NOT keep your mouth open, even to shout ‘yay’ (Learn from my mistakes).
After I gulped the water down, I began having lots of fun. It was actually very appeasing to be zooming around on the sea on a jet-ski running so fast its almost flying.
Of course, I asked for more. Once I like something I won’t leave it alone, no matter what.
The second time was great as well, until the end where I was blinded in one eye by the salty water.
So, always remember to keep your eyes shut while jet-skiing.
Just kidding. NEVER keep your eyes shut while jet-skiing. The zooming view is awesome (the temporary blindness is just a risk you have to take).
I LOVED our little outing!
The first-time experience is really a whole new level of awesome than doing it a second time.
Enjoy!!!
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