Hungover Hang Gliding to be exact. I would not recommend strapping yourself to another person while gliding over hundreds of people laying on the beach while hungover. Calls for disaster.
Yes, all of this is true. Do you know what’s crazy? I drank enough vodka while in Brazil to sedate an entire Olympic team, but the night I drink a shit ton Caipirinha’s, I get the worst hangover ever. Go fucking figure.
I love my best friend to death, but sometimes we don’t always see eye to eye. We visited her family in Brasilia (the capital) for almost a week and a half before hitting Rio on our way home. My intentions when seeing a new place is to cram as much exciting stuff into a vacation as possible, while she likes to relax and just go with the flow. Thankfully, she let me take the reins when we got to Rio since we only had around 48 hours. If you read my earlier post, 48 Hours in Rio De Janerio then you will hear about all the fun stuff we did in a short amount of time. As I mention in that post, our private tour guide set up the adventure for us while we were enjoying the sunset on top of Sugar Loaf Mountain. She even scheduled for us to be picked up and dropped off at the place we were staying! Here is how it went…
10:00 am || Wake up dead
I slowly opened my blood-shot eyes to the loud sound of my best friends voice and bright lights… “It’s time to get up! We’re going to miss the pick-up time!” It took every bone in my body not to scream/throw up on her. Must have been a miracle because somehow I made it out the door on time.
Tip #1: Don’t drink heavily the night before hang gliding, you will regret it.
On the way there, the driver kept asking my friend if I was okay. As if I wasn’t in the car? I looked like a sick puppy with my head out the window, poor me. As we got closer, the feeling started to subside a bit and the scenery just kept getting better and better.
10:45 am || Arrive
WE’RE HERE! It was like Christmas in the summer. I get overly excited when I’m about to do anything exciting because there is so much unknown and anticipation leading up to it. We got the group together and headed up the mountain. The rolling hills mixed with beautiful beaches and warm, sunny weather made the ride so much more enjoyable.
11:15 am || Briefing
We each got paired with our own instructor who careful went over instructions; I sat there staring off into space wondering if I was about to puke on every beach-goer below. I quickly snapped out of it when the instructor insisted I try what he just showed me. SHIT. Like always, I pull through like a star, doing ever move and trial run perfectly. He said I was one of the best, especially for being so hungover. I waited patiently for my turn while taking in the view.
Tip #2: Wear comfy clothes that won’t dig you a wedgie from hell so you can enjoy your flight.
I wore work out pants and open-toed shoes. They are not strict on the dress code but the key if comfort! I’m sure having your circulation cut off by jeans will make your experience a bad one.
11:30 am || Take off
Finally, our turn to go! One-two andddd we’re flying.
The mountains behind me and the beach in front of me.
11:50 am || Land
When I say land, I really mean a tumbling fall into the sand. Since I had on open-toed shoes, my feet sunk into the sand and sent me rolling on the beach. It was all fun and games until the hangover settled back in my stomach.
Tip #3: Always buy professional pictures
Leave the pictures to the pros unless you are really really good with multi-tasking. I find it so hard to enjoy a moment while fumbling for my camera or GoPro. The setting might be wrong, could be out of focus or whatever the case may be, you could miss a very raw moment while trying to capture it. Pictures are sometimes included or for an extra $20-40. Spend the extra money and enjoy the view. Now, back to the story…
As quickly as I got up, I yelled at my instructor to “GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF THIS THING.” Looking back, I feel bad for being so abrupt but holy shit, the volcano was about to erupt. He unclipped me from everything and I started running up the beach. My best friend saw me from the distance and started to chase me, trying to figure out WTF I was doing. I ran across the street and into these weird, wood public bathrooms stalls that just happen to be on the side of the road. I proceed to projectile vomit the entire Brazilian trip worth of food. My friend finally catches up to me and all I can hear was laughter. People supposedly were walking by, asking her if I was okay since it sounded like I was losing a lung. After violently hurling my entire stomach, I walked out the door; head held high and we both just busted out laughing.
I know the real reason for this post is to tell you about hang gliding, but truth is, it never would have been this exciting if I didn’t add in all the disgusting details. Hang gliding is very simple and doesn’t take much courage to do. You are completely safe and the view is just amazing. Very similar to paragliding except you’re flying more like Superman. The only thing I see holding you back from taking the plunge is being scared of heights, and in that case; you’re a pussy.
Tip #4: Just go for it
Don’t let fear rob you of something amazing. DO IT!!!!
Enjoy the shit out of this story and please LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES. Next time you take a trip to Brazil, make sure you add hang gliding to your list of adventures!
OVERVIEW
Duration: 3 hours (with pick up and drop off)
Cost: $150 USD pp
Company: Just Fly
Location: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Would you recommend? Of course, just not hungover!
Have you ever been hang gliding? Have a similar hungover story that involved something exciting?? Let me know but until next time…
xox Bonvoyage Babes
Holy crap, what an experience to have! I don’t think I would have been able to go through with it if I were hungover, so bravo to you. It looks like a crazy awesome time, though. My husband has been asking for us to be more adventurous, I think I’ll tell him we should try hang gliding when we get to a place where it’s not winter. Thanks for sharing!
You totally should be more adventurous. I was not scared at all, hang gliding or paragliding are great introductions to more adrenaline filled adventures. Just don’t do it hungover haha! I went paragliding in the Swiss Alps during winter…you could try something like that! 🙂
At least you didn’t throw up on the instructor!!!! I can’t imagine hang gliding hungover 😵 sometimes I can’t imagine getting out of bed hungover
Yeah seriously! I think he was nervous that I would haha. It was our last day in Brazil so I HAD to get out of bed one way or another!
Wow, this looks so cool! Amazing photos! Must have been such an awesome experience!
Nadine Cathleen | Karateandcaviar.com
I have never laughed so much….not at you but with you because I have had so many similar experiences. I kept imagining you sailing over everyone and then barfing your guts like a seagull suffering diaherria on beach goers! Is it considered good luck to get barfed on from the heavens?
By the way, the comment about their pro pics made me think. I am usually pretty frugal with that stuff but I can imagine missing out because I am trying to take a ton of pics
hahaha that’s perfectly fine if you are laughing at me! I swear its way funnier now that its over. My best friend thought it was hilarious the whole time. I would say it’s definitely good luck 😉 But yes, I mean you are already spending the money to do it, you might as well splurge a little more and get the pictures. They know how to capture the best pictures so leave it up to them! xo
Wowzers….I would love to go there..but not sure I could handle being up there like that..ha ha..only for dare devils..what a view tho..OH MY! I want to go!!
Amazing post!!
Valerie
It really isn’t too scary, and the views make it all worth while! You should totally try it 😉
This is unreal – I love to seek adventure but this is really testing my fear of heights! It would be fun to check this off the travel bucket list, though!
That looks so cool! Definitely not something I’d want to do hungover, though 😉
Yeah for sure…I was fine in the air but as soon as I landed…it all hit me again haha.
Aaah! This looks amazing but scary! Not sure if I’d be able to get myself to do it, but it looks awesome!
Wasn’t scary at all! I felt like it was one of the safest things I’ve done…the only thing scary was thinking I could puke on people at any moment haha
This looks amazing! I definitely wouldn’t be able to do this while hungover 🙂 I paraglided in Cape Town for 5 minutes and that made me a little sick, without having had a single drink!
I love paragliding too! I did it in the Alps in the dead of winter. Doing anything hungover sucks ass but flying over hundreds of people definitely tops the list of what NOT to do haha
Hahahaha you killed me ! Geez seriously ?! You must have felt soooo bad but now it’s so fun, sorry !! Keep doing that kind of crazy stuff for us readers <3
The crazy thing was that the entire trip to Brazil, I never got hungover (I guess because I kept drinking Ketel One) but the oneeeeee time I switch to a sugar drink, my body got pissed and fought back haha. I will definitely keep up the craziness!! 😉
Wow, hang gliding would be exciting enough for an adventure but with those views! How very incredible and what a wonderful expereince!
HAHAH! I had such a good laugh at the bit you recommend NOT to do it hungover… There’s been so many things I’ve done hungover and instant regret!
On the bright side, you didn’t spew all over everyone on the beach! Imagine that. Bloody oath, the way you describe your adventure was a good laugh, on ya for being so chilled and open about it all. Looks like such a good ride though. I’ve never been hang gliding but with views like that, I may have to re-evaluate what I’m doing with my life.
Great read!
Yay! So happy I could make you laugh. Doing anything hungover besides laying in a fetal position while trying to chug Gatorade should be forbidden. But yeah thankfully I didn’t lose it all over those poor beach goers. Hopefully you stick around to read past and future posts because I am super laid back about everything I write. On a real note though, get your damn life together and go have an adventure like this one! 😉
Oh my goodness; how is this the first time I’m reading your blog?? I love the name and design! Hang gliding looks so fun yet so scary- I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to try it! 😛
I’m not sure how it’s the first time but hallelujah you found it! Thank you so so much…I really wanted something that not only stuck out, but matched my personality 😉 It was tons of fun and really nothing to be scared of!! DO ITTTTTT.
Hang gliding is on my bucket list. The hangover is most certainly not. That sounds absolutely miserable! I will say, you look great for being hungover!
OMG I almost spit my drink out at wedgie!! It is so true! There were times when I was doing things like zip lining or treetop climbing and the harness would give me a huge wedgie! Your friend chasing you … hilarious!
I swear people don’t think about those tiny details!! I hate getting a terrible wedgie and not being able to do anything about it for the entire adventure!! Yes the whole thing was hilarious I must say…won’t be doing that shit hungover again though haha.
Very impressive day for such a hangover! This absolutely on my wander-list, I’m convinced that these experiences are what those go-pros were made for, and I agree that buying the professional shots are almost always worth it, especially for such a nominal fee. Your tale made me crack up, made me thankful I’ve never felt quite that bad on vacation and made me excited to try hang gliding!
I wore my GoPro when paragliding the Swiss Alps, but ended up taking like 3 videos…it’s different though when you have both hands free, but with hang gliding you are more in a Superman position so it makes it harder to take pics. They had two GoPro’s on me for different angles so I just opted for that! Although, you could just take a 15 minute video of the whole thing haha. Definitely try it out!!
I didn’t know at all it was possible to hand glide in two! Well, thinking about it, of course, if you have to learn you can’t just start going solo, and dive into the asphalt, but it’s still amazing. And doing it above the beautiful Rio should have been a real thing!
It looks so much fun. Also I’m scared of heights, it does look pretty safe. And what a beautiful views from up there.
You sound and seem very brave!
I will have to collect all my courage before I do something like this. Great tips, I will keep the Go Pro aside for sure, can concentrate only on one thing.
This looks like an incredibly exhilarating experience! And to get to do it such a stunning location with those amazing views! Definitely one for the bucket list!
Oh man! That looks so cool!
I have always regretted that I didn’t do it when I visited Rio. I was volunteering in the city for a a month during Carnival time and in the end I was crazy out from my budget (It was my first out of six month of backpacking) so I decided to skip it to feel myself better, and my pocket too 🙂
I just wanna go back and do it now that I have seen your photos! Arggg!
Anyway did you throw up on the instructor too?!?! 😀 maybe you did but you didn’t want to write it on the blog… uhauhauha just a joke!! Lovely experience and you wrote something I think too: Don’t let fear rob you of something amazing. DO IT!!!!
Thanks for sharing it.
I want to hang glide one of these days, but I don’t think I could do it hungover. I get motion sick super easy and I’m sure that would set off all my whirly-twirlies. Kudos for sticking in there even if you did lose your lunch. 😉
Wow, this experience looks so amazing! Truth to be told, hang gliding has been my dream to tray for many years, but the more I push it further, the older I become, the less likely I feel to go for such courageous adventures 🙁
Don’t let it scare you! You should totally do it! 🙂
I loved the pictures and your narration was quite funny. Glad you did this despite your hangover. And I am sure you would do it all over again without the hangover :). As far as your tips go…completely agree with the part where you say that you need to leave the pics to the experts. I think that allows you to enjoy what you are doing without worrying about anything else. 🙂
Hang gliding is on my list of things to do, I just have to get around to doing it. Your photos looks amazing and it sounds like you had a great time. (despite being sick! )
Haha I’m not sure I would have been brave enough to go through with it if I felt that sick! The pics definitely make it seem like it was worth it though. Rio’s scenery just looks amazing 😍
It was my last day and my only chance so I had to suck it up!! So happy I did it and that I didn’t puke on everyone haha!
Wow. I am a sports and adventure enthusiast and I didn’t know a thing like hang Gliding existed. I would love to try this one day. Thanks for educating me with information and pictures.
Really??? I guess each place I go, I try to find the most thrill seeking adventure they have to offer! Glad to share some knowledge! If you know of some cool adventurous stuff then educate me as well. I am all for it!
It’s impressive that you managed to fly with the hangover. I wouldn’t have probably get out of bed. The photos look amazing and you were lucky to have such a clear sky and beautiful views over the entire beach.
I feel like I get so lucky with the weather when doing all these activities!! Honestly, since it was our last day in Rio and we were flying out later that day, I HAD TO get out of bed. Trust me it was a struggle!
Great story! It’s so cool to see everything from this perspective! Sounds like a real adventure 🙂
It is not always easy to fit everything in when planning. So who could blame anyone for not planning everything perfectly. Sometimes it is just to make the best out of the situation and it looks like you actually had a great view to enjoy. 🙂
Great story! It’s so cool to see everything from this perspective! Sounds like a real adventure 🙂
LOL hell yes all of this! Reminds me of the time I went to Angkor Wat hungover AF and the group I was with were all “omg let’s get bikes and ride around in the burning sun” and I was like “omg, let’s fck off and die”
It’s so cool your bestie and you can travel together! If I had aheart, that would pain me, two failed within the first two weeks backpacking trips with my own best friend literally wrecked our friendship to the point where we don’t even speak anymore. I’m a firm believer in that whole “you don’t really know someone until you’ve traveled together”. It’s so true! Aaaaand apparently I turned this into an Ask Alice session. *facepalm*
Thoroughly enjoyed your post, chica, wedgies and all. <3
OMG loved reading your comment. Yeah doing anything hungover sucks ass and I most likely wouldn’t have made it out of bed if it wasn’t for it being our last day. No No No, don’t get it twisted…we were in Brasilia for two weeks before that and we almost ended our friendship like 5 times. We are definitely not the ideal travel partners so we stick to short vacations and sporadic trips haha. No long term travel again! That quote is so true and I have found very few people that I can stand to be around for more than a day haha thanks babygirl <3
OMG! What a fun and honest post. There is at least one hangover day on all my trips and mine too are always ill planned. The worst was being hungover before taking a several hour bus ride in Thailand. Just thinking of the twist in the roads with the crazy driving makes me stomach turn. But this … this takes the cake. I think I would have gone with the “fuck it” attitude and pulled the sheets over my head if I knew I needed to get up and do this. Good job!
Its always at the worst time and trust me, I would have said fuck it if it wasn’t the last day and we had to get up anyway to fly home. Wow I can only imagine though the winding roads while hungover; I never get car sick but that would definitely do it! I learned my lesson though thats for sure!
Flying is something that does not come to me naturally. I have never been comfortable inside a plane. However, looking at these photographs, I think this might be a more enjoyable activity for me rather than normal flying inside those claustrophobic aircrafts.
HAHAHAHHA Omg girl this post was fantastic! You sound awesome and a great person to hang out with fyi. Back to your post, I loved it! The hang gliding experience looked amazing and I totally agree with spending the extra money for professional photos. I am glad you mentioned the pictures because yours was so amazing and I was trying to figure out if it was included in the deal or if you paid extra or if you were extreme and placed the cameras there yourself haha. Again, great post!