The Way Back from Brad Sander on Vimeo.
So the day after I run out of tape but have a great flight. I land in Mastuj, near Booni, to visit the Ul Mulk family. Kushwaquat Ul Mulk was the last royal governor of upper Chitral, he is an amazing man and at 96 still does everything for himself, speaks flawless english and has an incredible spirit. I figure any chance you can hang out with a 96 year old who is still mentally sharp your bound to learn something, it's his strong spirit that keeps him young and I always look foreward to seeing him. His son Sikander is now the elected governor of the same area and was my host when I first arrived to Booni May 2007, as the captain of the polo team he will be playing in the Shandur festival in July but I'll leave by then. So here's my bed the second night of my return Bivy flight!
And now I'm back in the US and suddenly the world fades away, for some reason in this country it's easy to believe we are the only the only ones that matter. It's reflected in the news and in conversations and peoples attitudes, to say the least it's hard to convey where I've been and what I've been doing. I am trying to spread the message that my Pakistani friends have given me, "Go back to your country and tell them we are now what they see on TV" I swear that's what people in Pakistan say all the time, that and, "Your from America? Well, we don't like your government but we know you are good people."
Ok so I'm trying to pass that on. I've had a great time visiting friends and going to 2 family reunions. I haven't had a summer in the US in 8 years without being busy working on a fire crew and it's been nice enough to be here but I'm ready to leave now. What else? Oh why did I come back to the US instead of stay in Pakistan which was my plan.. well, my Dad had a paragliding accident here, he broke his back because he messed up a landing. Lucky it wasn't severe, surgery to fuse 3 vertebrae together and a quick recovery, he's in amazing shape for 66, and he's doing everything for himself. We go to the gym most days and he does his usual cardio/weight machine workout, minus lateral twisting motions, which he'll add in a month or two. So he's very lucky and I'm greatful, prognosis is for a full recovery and no limited motion. He's not sure if he'll fly solo again but he doesn't have to decide right now, for sure he'll make more trips to Asia and we'll fly tandem together. So that's why I'm back here.
What else? too much to tell, I was sponsored by Ozone paragliders and recieved a new lightweight Addict 2! It's the glider I would have bought if I had money so that worked out pretty well, I almost bought Luc Armant's light Addict 1 last winter after his epic himalayan bivy flight. For those pilots wanting sponsorship here's my advice, fly a glider you love, buy what you think is the best tandem on the market which also happens to be from the same company (Ozone Magnum). Then do something unique like fly really high and far in some remote far off country. Then write an email asking for a wing. Sweet!!! The world makes sense sometimes!
And the vultures? Well there is progress on that front too. This year there will be a vulture restaurant in Pokhara and we will be working to save the remaining vultures in Asia. There are some hurdles but it will get done... You can all help contact me to find out how, mainly it's money but there are other needs also.
So for that and more stay posted.. just a few more days and I get on that plane to Pakistan!!!
