"You don't know how capable you are until you travel alone". That was pretty much the premise behind this trip. The only twist though was that the primary means of transportation was a paraglider. It took 13 consecutive days flying & hiking along the Alps, but I finally was able to reach my goal of getting to Slovenia starting from Chamonix, France.
Unofficial totals were 500+ km covered by paraglider & 135 km by hiking. Five countries were visited (France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria & Slovenia). All border crossings were done in the air using some official and some not very official launches.
Saying it was tough doesn't begin to describe it, although I would do it again without hesitation. From depression to happiness and everything in between, it was really a lifetime of experiences accumulated in two weeks.
Special thanks to the manufacturers of my gear (not sponsored)!
Ozone: Delta 2 wing, which I felt was going to get ripped apart when I hit very nasty turbulence, but the wing took it like a boss. Quick to rise, efficient on glide, excellent safety / performance combination.
Karpofly: Fantom Extralight harness, compact when hiking, tons of room for storage when flying.
Advance: Comfortpack 2 rucksack, a single rip in the fabric or malfunctioning zipper would have made the trip a lot harder, but the rucksack held up intact after going through some very rough situations (while holding 27 kg).
Naviter: Oudie 3 vario, good battery lifespan, great sunlight readability, great airspace and maps in general.
Flytec: 6015 vario, old but very reliable and sensitive. No need to upgrade to a 6030 since I fly with the Oudie 3 as well, but I still carry this since I love the sound (when climbing only ;-).
