Whether it was trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering and (later) skydiving, I have always been an outdoors enthusiast - and that too from a young age. Flying has always been the one thing that gave me the feeling of freedom and of being independent. When we introduced paragliding in India, we trained at a site in Himachal called Billing, which till date remains one of the most popular spots for advanced pilots. The sheer wonder of having a flying machine that literally fits in a rucksack was amazing! Thus began my journey with paragliding. Over the years I have flown in various places, from the mountains of India and Nepal to the slopes of Ooty and Pune, and from the rolling dales of England to the seashores of Cyprus, Bali and Israel. Variety is something I look forward to and each site offers a unique challenge. Though there have been some close shaves, I have never had any major problems while flying. I believe it is always better to be safe than sorry in any adventure sport! .