General Info

[QUOTE=Perkele]Alcohol you can bring abroad 1 liter. At the GIG tax free you may buy 12 liters of each kind, Whisky, vodka etc., up to limit of 500 USD.

Why would you bring cigarettes? They are very cheap in Brasil.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the info. This is my 1st trip to Brazil, so I don't know how much things cost. How much do the cigarettes cost? What brands?

Also where is the GIG tax free shop once you come off the plane, or is this shop for departing Rio and heading back home.

Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks

i would like to try this:

[url]http://www.rioturismoradical.com.br/paragliding.htm[/url]

or this :

[url]www.flex1delta.com.br[/url]

they are not the same as they also take off from different places, the national park tijuca or from sao conrado, praja do pepino.

so if somebody tried it, i have 3 questions:

1 ) which is the best to have better view during the flight ?

2 ) if from na praia do pepino is better ala delta or parapentes ? ( which one gives more adrenalina or it is more nice ? )

3 ) it is better to have as memory photos or dvd ? i guess for sure dvd, but my question is, how, if it is possible, to get out of dvd photos to send later to your friends ?

thanks so much and later the report :)

[quote=lukasek]1 ) they are not the same as they also take off from different places, the national park tijuca or from sao conrado, praja do pepino. (...) which is the best to have better view during the flight?[/quote]
as far as i know, the only place to go hang-gliding (asa delta) or paragliding (parapente) in the city of rio is from pedra bonita. there is no other ramp. please note that that pedra bonita is located inside the tijuca national park, just above são conrado, so that's where the confusion possibly comes from. in all cases, you land on pepino beach... well, actually i didn't :(

[quote=lukasek]2 ) if from na praia do pepino is better ala delta or parapentes ? ( which one gives more adrenalina or it is more nice ? ):)[/quote]
i posted a story a while ago regarding my own first-hand experience with hang-gliding in rio back in 2004. enough adrenalin for me :)

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=565658&postcount=2802[/url]

as to a general assessment of hg safety:

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=322391&postcount=259[/url]

[quote=lukasek]3 ) it is better to have as memory photos or dvd ? i guess for sure dvd, but my question is, how, if it is possible, to get out of dvd photos to send later to your friends?)[/quote]
can't help with that one... unfortunately or fortunately, i didn't get an pictures or dvd during my flight, as you will certainly understand :)

ea

[quote=el austriaco]as far as i know, the only place to go hang-gliding (asa delta) or paragliding (parapente) in the city of rio is from pedra bonita. there is no other ramp. please note that that pedra bonita is located inside the tijuca national park, just above são conrado, so that's where the confusion possibly comes from. in all cases, you land on pepino beach... well, actually i didn't :(

i posted a story a while ago regarding my own first-hand experience with hang-gliding in rio back in 2004. enough adrenalin for me :)

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=565658&postcount=2802[/url]

as to a general assessment of hg safety:

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=322391&postcount=259[/url]

can't help with that one... unfortunately or fortunately, i didn't get an pictures or dvd during my flight, as you will certainly understand :)

ea[/quote]just as i was thinking off doing hand gliding on my next trip. your post has put me off (even though i have done a free fall skydiving jump from 12000 feet). might try water rafting and skuba diving instead.

i tried it last year (may 2008) and thought it was one of the coolest things i've ever done.

still, after reading austriaco's story, i realize i got into trying it without really thinking through the consequences if something should go wrong. the idea of suffering a serious injury in brazil (much less dying, yikes) sounds absolutely terrifying now that he mentions it. the only injuries i want in rio are sex injuries, lol! ;) i probably now will skip doing it again for my 2nd trip this coming may, no need to push my luck. . .

what i can tell is that when my turn came up, i waited a very long time before we ran off the platform, at least 15, maybe 20 minutes, until one of the guys working nearby told my pilot the wind was good. the other people before me were luckier, they didn't have to wait as long.

but after reading austriaco's story, i appreciate even more now that my pilot was patient and not a risk-taker.

the wait on the platform is the worst part. absolutely nerve wracking, at least for me. the idea of running off a platform at full speed seems suicidal at first, but i sprinted right off that platform, even my pilot was impressed. that's the key, you need to generate as much forward momentum as possible just in case the wind starts to die down again right after the launch.

it was fun once the long wait was over, but i did notice dead pockets of air where you're dropping instead of gliding so i think austriaco must have run into a dead pocket right from the get go and his pilot never recovered.

that's why the initial run is so important and i suspect after his incident and the others mentioned, they are more attentive to the wind conditions, considering i held up the line behind me for at least 15 minutes. . .

it would be interesting to know if there have been any recent incidents with these hang-gliders. anyone out there know?

[quote=phunluv]the wait on the platform is the worst part. absolutely nerve wracking, at least for me. the idea of running off a platform at full speed seems suicidal at first, but i sprinted right off that platform, even my pilot was impressed. that's the key, you need to generate as much forward momentum as possible just in case the wind starts to die down again right after the launch.[/quote]

my pilot was very cautious and we actually ran out three or four times before we took off. that was the scariest part - running then stopping and looking down from the cliff. however, once airborne, it was a great time. when it came time to land i spied a girl sunbathing topless on the beach below. i asked the pilot how close he could get and he just smiled and said, very close. like sully, he put the glider down smooth and steady and right next to her. my hero.

El Austriaco,

thanks so much for share it or to post it again....you wrote it so good I had the feeling to be you there....

Now I am in a big trouble, if do it or not....

I did bungee jumping from 120 metrs bridge and parashut from 3200 metrs twice in my home town and to see Rio from the sky is something I want to try...

We will see, I will let you know my decision.

Thanks again....

[QUOTE=Phunluv]
It would be interesting to know if there have been any recent incidents with these hang-gliders. Anyone out there know?[/QUOTE]
Read about the one I posted back in 2007. Pretty unbelievable:

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=602169&postcount=636[/url]

You can even see a Youtube video of the incident here:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwbPK7sCCtk&feature=related[/url]

Here's another (undated) incident, posted this January on Youtube (Aluno de Asa Delta quase perde a vida):

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78x7gJ842wY&feature=related[/url]

[QUOTE=JohnnyBraz]Just as I was thinking of doing hand gliding on my next trip. Your post has put me off.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Phunluv]I probably now will skip doing it again for my 2nd trip this coming May, no need to push my luck. . .[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Lukasek] Now I am in a big trouble, if do it or not.....[/QUOTE]
I guess the most important part is that regardless of whether you do it or not, you are comfortable with your decision, based on your own risk assessment/tolerance and full awareness of all aspects involved. I didn't write this to put people off or even scare them, not at all. As a matter of fact, here's what I wrote in an email a few years ago to another monger:

"You know, another reason I was reluctant to actually write the whole story on this board was precisely that I was concerned that people would just get scared when hearing the story in all its gory details (just like people in Rio that I met in the aftermath of all of this), and I thought that it wouldn't be fair necessarily to deny them something they truly want to do and will most likely very much enjoy. A while ago, there was a guy on this board who said "I was walking on Copa beach in the middle of the night, nothing happened, so it must be safe", and I chided him for his logic. By the same token, I have to say, the fact that I went HG and suffered an accident also doesn't mean that it is necessarily unsafe. What happened to me back in 2004 is purely anectodal and only serves to underscore what CAN happen, not necessarily what will or is even likely to happen. The only thing that I can do is put out as many verifiable facts as I have about Rio HG and let everyone else make an educated choice. But remember what they say about aviation: aviation is very safe, but if things go wrong, they usually go very wrong. I guess my story goes to drive home that point, and in my case, things didn't even go terribly wrong. "

Personally, I am with Phunluv: I wouldn't try HG myself again, maybe just because I feel that I already lucked out once, and it would feel like I'd be pushing my luck again. No worries, I'll find some other crazy stuff to do :)

Oops, I should have checked it first. Never mind...

KT

This is an urban legend. Check out the website:

[url]http://www.snopes.com/business/bank/pinalert.asp[/url]
[QUOTE=Khun Talung]I got this, might be helpful;

THE RECENT TRAGEDY OF A YOUNG WOMAN BEING KIDNAPPED AND
EVENTUALLY KILLED; AFTER SHE HAD REPEATEDLY GIVEN THE KIDNAPPER A WRONG PIN TO HER ATM CARD. IF SHE KNEW THE METHOD BELOW, SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED. SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO LET YOU KNOW.


IF YOU SHOULD EVER BE FORCED BY ROBBER TO WITHDRAW MONEY FROM
AN ATM MACHINE, YOU CAN NOTIFY THE POLICE BY ENTERING YOUR PIN # IN REVERSE.

FOR EXAMPLE IF YOUR PIN NUMBER IS 1234 THEN YOU WOULD PUT IN 4321.

THE ATM RECOGNIZES THAT YOUR PIN NUMBER IS BACKWARDS FROM THE
ATM CARD YOU PLACED IN THE MACHINE. THE MACHINE WILL STILL GIVE YOU THE MONEY YOU REQUESTED, BUT UNKNOWN TO THE ROBBER, THE POLICE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED TO HELP YOU.

THIS INFORMATION WAS RECENTLY BROADCAST ON FOX TV AND IT
STATES THAT IT IS SELDOM USED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW IT EXISTS.

PLEASE PASS THIS ALONG. You can go on snopes to verify.

KT[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Koolkid]Thanks for the info. This is my 1st trip to Brazil, so I don't know how much things cost. How much do the cigarettes cost? What brands?

Also where is the GIG tax free shop once you come off the plane, or is this shop for departing Rio and heading back home.

Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks[/QUOTE]

...20 foreign made cigarette packs. If you have a favorite brand, don´t count on the Brazilian version to be the same, bring your favorite from home. Some American cigarette brands and types are not available in Brasil.

[url]http://www.receita.fazenda.gov.br/principal/Ingles/faq.htm[/url]

There is a huge Duty Free shop in the same area as baggage claim. Liquor is cheaper here than you will pay in Rio stores. It is also cheaper than you will pay on the airline. You can shop here before you exit the customs area. There is also a separate duty free shop in the international departures area.

[QUOTE=El Austriaco]....But remember what they say about aviation: aviation is very safe, but if things go wrong, they usually go very wrong...[/QUOTE]

I totally quote this sentence...

Thanks again for your link...I will think and decide...

[quote=el austriaco]as far as i know, the only place to go hang-gliding (asa delta) or paragliding (parapente) in the city of rio is from pedra bonita. there is no other ramp. please note that that pedra bonita is located inside the tijuca national park, just above são conrado, so that's where the confusion possibly comes from. in all cases, you land on pepino beach... well, actually i didn't :(


i posted a story a while ago regarding my own first-hand experience with hang-gliding in rio back in 2004. enough adrenalin for me :)

[url]http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/showpost.php?p=565658&postcount=2802[/url]



ea[/quote]


el austriaco!! where is part 2 of the story?!! the first part was incredible, i cant wait to read what happened the next day!!

[QUOTE=Poucolouco]...20 foreign made cigarette packs. If you have a favorite brand, don´t count on the Brazilian version to be the same, bring your favorite from home. Some American cigarette brands and types are not available in Brasil.

[url]http://www.receita.fazenda.gov.br/principal/Ingles/faq.htm[/url]

There is a huge Duty Free shop in the same area as baggage claim. Liquor is cheaper here than you will pay in Rio stores. It is also cheaper than you will pay on the airline. You can shop here before you exit the customs area. There is also a separate duty free shop in the international departures area.[/QUOTE]Thanks for your help. Will probably get my hennessy and johnnie here then.

'Aviation, to any even greater degree than the sea, is unforgiving of any momentary inattention, incompetence or negligence'.

This under a photo of an old bi-plane, crashed into the only tree within sight.

In regard to hang gliding:

'Don't fly any higher than you want to fall.'

I personally knew two people who died in hang gliders. One forgot to set a pin, and it folded on him when he flared to land. The other misjudged the winds and smashed into a cliff.

KT