SAFA Skysailor Magazine

26 SKY SAILOR July | August 2022 by Catherine McMillan Going to Nepal, I was unaware of how frustrating the navigation of (stupid) rules and dealing with getting a Solo Flying Permit from the Nepalese authorities (who all want to be paid $) would be. The beauty of the Himalaya must first be acknowledged and going on a trip to Nepal simply to experience the grandeur of the mountains is more than reason in itself to endure the other trivial inconveniences. Please don’t be discouraged from going to this magnificently beautiful country. Just be aware that patience, payment of fees to numerous parties, and adhering to nonsensical rules is part and parcel of the journey. Before you read any of this, also please know that I ‘did the right thing’ and got myself Pokhara: A paragliding paradise or total pain in the a $$ ? a solo flight permit. However, at no point was I ever asked to show this permit to anyone! Not at launch, not at landing, not even when we were stopped for 30 minutes at the official Paragliding Police Checkpoint. In saying that, it’s not a good idea to try and bend the rules, because if you do get asked to show a permit and you don’t have one, you’re going to need to wait days for it to be processed, delaying your flying time. Permits and rules If you do not arrange your permit before you arrive, be aware that you may have to wait days for this process to happen. We waited two days and missed out on a lot of good flying time as a result. This was very frustrating! You cannot fly at Sarangkot launch before 10am or after 3pm. On the morning of our