Tag Archives: Adventure Holiday

Unattached Hang Glider Manages To Hold On

Hand Gliding Hang gliding can certainly have its scary moments but when you take to the skies for your first trip in a hang glider accompanied by an instructor you would hope that you are in safe hands. Well, an American who recently made such a trip may beg to differ.

Chris Gurksy from the USA was recently on holiday in Switzerland and decided to go hang gliding for the first time no doubt to enjoy some of the beautiful green fields as well as the mountains. Unfortunately, the adventure did not quite go according to plan due to a serious oversight.

Regrettably, his safety harness was not attached to the hang glider and this was not something that was noticed by the instructor until it was too late. The pair took off from the edge of a mountain several thousand feet tall. By the time they realized something was not quite right they were unable to stop getting airborne.

Mr Gurksy found himself holding onto a bar with one hand and with the other could be seen holding onto the back of the instructor who was having difficulty controlling the hang glider.

Apparently, both were airborne for over 2 minutes during which time Mr Gurksy was no doubt very scared and possibly thought that his life was about to come to an untimely end. Fortunately, this did not happen but when the hang glider descended Mr Gurksy’s feet hit the ground at a speed of around 45 mph and he ended up tearing his left bicep tendon. He also broke his wrist that was no doubt very painful.

Some of you may be surprised to read that Mr Gurksy would like to take to the skies again in a hang glider when he will hopefully have a more enjoyable flight. He is obviously a very brave man as, having gone through what he did that could have resulted in his death, there are possibly a lot of other people who, having had the same worrying experience, would never want to see a hang glider again. We wish him a more successful and uneventful flight when he next gets airborn in a hang glider.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have many years experience in arranging cover for a range of airsports. So, whether you are looking for cover for the first time or your existing policy is shortly up for renewal, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and have a chat with a knowledgeable member of our team who will happily obtain a no-obligation, competitive quote from one of our vetted insurers. We look forward to being of assistance to you.

20 Adventure Holidays That Were Not Available Twenty Years Ago

Easy JetTo celebrate 20 years of offering their budget airline service, easyJet has produced a list of twenty adventure holidays that they say were not available to do when they first took to the air all that time ago. Below we highlight the top 10: –

1. Stand-up paddle boarding – this involves propelling yourself along using a paddle from a canoe whilst standing on a surfboard. It has grown in popularity over the years and can be enjoyed on the sunny Algarve in Portugal.

2. Zip-lining – this thrilling adventure is now firmly established and can be enjoyed at many places around the world including the UK. However, for the ultimate adrenaline rush you could try the one in southern Italy that runs between the villages of Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano in the mountains at an altitude of up to 1,018m during which you can reach a top speed of 120km per hour.

3. Swimming in the presence of sharks – you don’t need to travel far for this one. You can scuba dive, snorkel or swim with basking sharks off the west coast of Scotland near Oban.

4. Volcano trekking – Close to Reykjavik in Iceland, you can go into the dormant Thrihnukagigur volcano to a depth of 120 metres.

5. Biking in Balkan – Cycling has witnessed an increase in popularity in recent years following the success of British cyclists at the Tour de France. The Balkan region of Croatia has proved a popular destination with the most delightful countryside to explore.

6. Wild swimming – Obviously, as the title would indicate, we are not talking about swimming at your local leisure centre. Wild swimming involves taking to the water in the sea, rivers and lakes with the islands off Sardinia’s Emerald coast in Italy being a favoured destination.

7. Kite-surfing – this thrilling activity has been around for some years now. You stand on a board and are pulled along either on the sand or sea by a kite that catches the wind. Larnaca in Cyprus is a popular venue.

8. Extreme assault courses – there are many assault courses dotted around the world often used by corporate clients for team-building purposes. Check out one offered by Tough Mudder in Wassertrudingen in Germany that covers 18 to 20 kms.

9. E-biking – this is an electrically powered bicycle making biking that little bit easier. Where better place to enjoy the experience than the beautiful Alpine foothills in Switzerland.

Fly Boarding10. Flyboarding – using a board/boots “powered” by jet-propelled water, you are able to hover several feet above the surface of the water and dive beneath the water’s surface. This can be enjoyed in a variety of places such as Tenerife but closer to hand at the National Diving and Activity Centre near Chepstow in Gloucestershire.

The other 10 adventure holidays are snowshoeing, electric mountain biking, bungee jumping, desert biking, sea kayaking, “Make like Tarzan”, caving, two-wheeled trekking, walking in Portugal and cycling in Cyprus.

Many of our customers enjoy adventure holidays and come to us to help them arrange suitable travel insurance. So, why not get in touch with a member of our team on 02380 268 351 to discuss your requirements and obtain a quotation.