Camilla on paragliding with Nirvana Adventures, Native Place, and making a difference
Female bonding in the landing field
Paragliding in Kamshet, India: ”The thought of travelling to India had never crossed my mind. Paragliding gave me the opportunity to come – and I just loved it” said Camilla. “I have never seen such hospitality, warmth and live for today happiness.”
Camilla completed her beginner paragliding course in 2010 and accompanied her paraglider husband Novak on a pg holiday to Kamshet, India the same year. People told her she needed to gain more experience before taking on such a trip but she signed up for the adventure never the less.
About the flying: She found the flying stable and good for beginners too. Today with 3 years of flying experience under her belt she is she is even more appreciative. “I have grown with the place and there is still so much to discover” she enthuses. “I feel l secure and confident when I am here”
Discussion in the Native Place garden
- Packing Packing ?
The India Experience: “I feel at home at the Native Place guesthouse, such an amazing place to live in full of warmth and hospitality not at all like a hotel. We enjoy the Indian food, and the interactions at Native Place, the wild tropical garden, sunset over the lake, evening on the terrace with all the pilots & students and the relaxed, and warm, happy holiday atmosphere.”
“Everyone in this year’s group says it is the best trip they have ever had -great flying, delicious food, warm ambiance and good company.”
Camilla with her correspondents Neelam and Kiran
At the landing: “I am a social person – I enjoy the contact with the children at the landing. It is a joy to see them running about happily in the sunshine. We look forward to interacting with them at the end of each flying day. We are able to see their needs and although one cannot help everyone it is possible to touch some of them and share simple joys.” Camilla takes the time to write letters to some of the children.
Make a difference: The friendships formed on the landing field led to them wanting to make a small difference. “We are all very happy to give something back.” she said. “Sanjay Rao took us to visit the local school last year – we wanted to see the infrastructure of the school that takes care of so many village children.”
After discussing with the teachers and spending time with the school children they decided to put together a fund towards a projector for the school. This would give the kids of class 10 access to interactive tutorials thus putting them in a better position to do well in this crucial examination year. Camilla took charge and asked friends, family and pg pilots to contribute and made it happen! “We are all very happy” she said. “We wanted so much to give something back – this made sense – the school is close to Nirvana Adventures and we can see, feel the kids, school. Not like Red Cross or some big NGO where the money goes into a black hole
Camilla Ljungberg visits India along with instructor & guide Peder Dryssen of PG school Aventyrscenter Sweden. Peder guides pg holidays all over the world and his annual trip to Kamshet, India has been on for the past 8 years. He says that unlike the other trips he takes around the world, at the end of each India PG trip at least half of the group signs up for next year! Catch up with them at www.aventyrscenter.se
And on the 7th day she flew
Hi All,
Sanjay, Sunith and I drove up from Mumbai to Kamshet on the 9th of November with the happy intention of spending the entire Diwali break in Kamshet. I had only just returned from a week long permaculture course and had my head full of plans for the garden. All through the week I slaved in the garden (happily) saying bye to the paragliding students and pilots each morning as they left for the flying site. Each evening we gathered on the roof at dinner and I listened to the excited reporting of each ones experiences.
Sunith checks his vario
Saturday the weather was exceptionally good and pilots gained enough altitude to leave the hill and head for home. Ravi, Bandya, Sandeep, Doc Pathak (yes he is in the house) and our very own 16 year’ old Sunith Rao braved the instability and got all the way back to Govitri the nearest village to Native Place. Sunith had only just got his first vario the day before and boy had he made good use of it.
Waiting to step into the sky
Sunday saw me ditching the peace of the Native Place garden and scurrying off to the site. I could not stay away from the excitement no more. Colin was visiting from Brunei, Nikhil and Nisha drove up from Mumbai, Doc had arrived the previous day from Pipalkoti and Algeliki and Jannis from Greece, Gregory from the US, Jose from Hyderabad, Ben from the UK, Emil from the Koh Tao … the list goes on. A happy group of paragliding pilots all hung out on the hillside waiting for the wind to calm down a bit and embrace our wings. It was wonderful to be in the air again. I can never get over that million dollar post landing expansive feeling that lingers on, making you feel like you are walking on air and the whole world is beautiful
Peace Bliss & Happy Landings
Astrid Rao
Nirvana Adventures End of Paragliding Season Party 2012
The Gonshubai Devi Shrine, Shelar site, Kamshet
We closed the flying season at Kamshet with our traditional end of season party on the 9/10th weekend of June. Saturday began with an early morning trip to the Shelar site to pay our respects to the Devi on the hills. We walked up to the shrine in silence, said a prayer, lingered a while to enjoy the view before running down the hillside and driving back to Native Place to wait for the Shelar village kids to arrive.
The plan was to give the kids a new experience and for this we enlisted the services of team building professionals to take them through the mountain adventure experience that we offer our corporate clients.
learning the ropes
The day was full of excitement and joy with the kids having a blast with all the fun activities and pilots landing up through the day. In the evening it was just pilots – dancing, chatting, bonding and firefly gazing.
Our way of saying ‘thank you all’ for a wonderful flying season.
Click here to see more pictures.
Click here to check out last year’s end of season blog.
Peace Bliss & Happy Landings
Astrid, Sanjay & all at Nirvana Adventures
Kamshet in the rains: We made plans to meet at Native Place during the monsoon to enjoy the rains, streams and waterfalls as well as the verdant shades of the hills all around. So those of you who missed this occasion keep a look out for the announcement of the next event: ‘Discover Kamshet in the rains’
Rediscovering Nirvana
Rediscovering Nirvana
Hi All,
I received the XC mag just before we drove up to Kamshet on Friday and the first thing that caught my eye was David Obura’s article titled ‘Rediscovering Nirvana” David had taken a long break from paragliding and last year he visited us at Kamshet to spend a week flying in hospitable conditions and get his groove back.
I myself was getting back to Kamshet and paragliding after a gap of 3 long months and that weekend I too rediscovered Nirvana. The afternoon flying at Shelar was incredibly smooth. It’s the kind of conditions that lull you into easy going mode.
Looking for the Skylords
I soared about close to the cliff peeping into the vulture and falcons nests in the rock, screeching out to a cheeky peregrine falcon who simply ignored me – guess my diction was not up to the mark, this is how it must feel to be a raptor I thought – soaring on top of the food chain a sky lord overlooking the entire scene with eyes that don’t blink and with nothing to concern you at all. Soon Sunith got airborne and in my heart I felt a little flutter as I saw him gain altitude and shrink into the large sky. Is this what the mama bird feel when her fledglings leave the nest. Nah! Not possible – they don’t have worries – that is reserved for us lesser humans who lack faith in our own wings. I shrugged off the feeling and smiled. There sure was a lot to smile about including watching an incredible sunset and moonrise almost simultaneously.
FlyNirvana and go home to Native Place
Time flies too you know! Not long ago our son Sunith was a toddler running barefoot across the fields and hills with the village boys for company. Today he has finished his grade 10 examination ( it’s what kept me away from Kamshet for 3 months) and is flying high with those very boys.
And things change too you know! Last year it was the road that came up all the way to the site, before that it was the vultures that left their roosting area in the cliffs in large numbers, and this year it is the windmills have sprouted on the tops of the ridges. But paragliding goes on as usual. And every one lands at sunset. And then it’s time for the FlyNirvana family to head back home to Native Place our lovely base built for pilots to come home to after a sunny day at the site.
Peace Bliss & Happy Landings
Astrid Rao
Calvin experiences free flight with Nirvana Adventures
Ravi Shelar & Calvin - getting ready to fly
I have waited a long long time for this….my first flight
. I have been going to Native Place for as long as I can remember and have seen Anand Mama (uncle), Jan Mami (aunty) and Dada (dad) learning to fly and have had a good many laughs at the many many funny landings of Anand Mama. I have climbed Shinde hill and Shelar hill multiple times in the hope to fulfil my flying dreams. I had been after my dada who has been promising me a flight with Ravi Mama for ages and I had almost given up hope till last Saturday when we made it to Kamshet in Jan Mami’s brand new car.
Parawaiting is fun
I climbed Shelar hill and was really excited at fulfilling my dreams of becoming a pilot. At take-off, I had to wait quite a bit as winds were cross and I was wondering why all those Pilot Mamas were sitting down and feeling so sad while Kavya and I were having so much fun. My dada says that this is called Parawaiting….well, Parawaiting is fun!!! Kavya and I danced and explored the place with my Mom.
Finally, after a lot of waiting, Ravi Mama called me to get ready. Ravi mama looked serious as he went about checking all the straps while I was excited and a little bit scared, but Ravi Mama made me feel OK and put the helmet and harness on me. Dada was more excited than me and was running around clicking photographs. I was of course having the time of my life since I would finally make the run for my flying dreams to take off.
I'm ready to fly
Nirvana Kids
As I came for landing, Anand mama, Kavita mami & Jan mami came running to meet me and they all seemed super excited. I had ofcourse completed my first flight and as a good pilot who had done his first flight, danced around the landing field. I saluted Ravi Mama for the flight and then waited for Dad and Mom to come down the hill. I want to do this again sometime soon. Dada has promised to bring me back here for a few days during my summer holidays.
And no offence to my grandparents, but I would rather go to this Native Place than to Goa or Bangalore.
The only thing I did not understand was when I told my Mom that since I am now a pilot, I will have beer instead of milk. All hell broke loose and dad and Anand mama ran away. These grown-ups have funny ways !
Calvin
Ghost written by Anand Mama aka Anand Palekar