Hey adventurers! Have you ever dreamed of flying like a bird? 🦅 Well, meet Peng, a 55-year-old paraglider from China who took flight to a whole new level!
Peng was out on a regular day, testing his parachute-like glider over the beautiful Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province, China. He was flying at about 3,000 meters high—that’s already like stacking almost ten Eiffel Towers! 🗼🗼🗼
But then, something incredible happened. A super-strong wind called an “updraft” started lifting him higher and higher into the sky! 🌬️🌥️
“I wanted to come down, but I just couldn’t,” Peng said. Before he knew it, he was inside a huge storm cloud called a “cumulonimbus cloud.” These clouds can be dangerous because they have freezing temperatures and very little oxygen.
Inside the cloud, it was as cold as minus 40 degrees Celsius—that’s colder than a freezer! 🥶 Ice started forming on Peng’s face, clothes, and equipment. He didn’t have an oxygen mask, and his hands were so cold they almost froze!
Everything around him was white, and he couldn’t tell which way was up or down. “Without the compass, I wouldn’t have known which way I was going,” Peng said.
Using his compass and talking to his friends on the radio, he tried his best to get out of the cloud. Finally, he burst through and exclaimed, “I’m finally out!” 😅
When he landed safely back on the ground, Peng checked his flight data. Guess what? He had reached a height of 8,598 meters! That’s higher than Mount Everest! 🏔️
Peng has been paragliding for over four years and thought he had seen it all. But this adventure was a surprise even for him.
His amazing story reminds us that while adventure is exciting, safety always comes first. Experts say paragliders should watch out for storm clouds and sudden weather changes, especially in the mountains.
So next time you look up at the sky, remember Peng’s incredible journey. Who knows, maybe one day you’ll have your own sky-high adventure! ✨
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
