Imagine yourself swinging more than 100 feet above the ocean. As the boat stops, you steadily flow downwards and just when you are about to plunge into the water, the boat zooms again swinging you back into the air.

This is the exhilarating sport of parasailing where you get to fly like a bird with your wings open to capture an experience of a lifetime.

The rider is hitched to a parachute like canopy called as parasail which in turn is attached to a motorboat or a jeep in parasailing.  As the vehicle moves, the parasail soars into the air. All you have to do is snap yourself into a comfortable harness attached to the parasail and enjoy free flying as the vehicle speeds away. Depending upon the length of the tow rope connecting the vehicle to the parasail one can fly up to hundreds of feet in the air.

Parasailing primarily is of two types- Terrestrial and Aquatic. In aquatic parasailing the parasail is attached to a motorboat whereas in terrestrial it’s attached to a jeep. Whatever the type be, the sheer thrill and excitement offered by this sport makes it a popular family sport as well as a hot favorite amongst adventure enthusiasts.

These days parasailing is more of a joyride than a sport. With some basic training and equipments in hand one can experience the thrills offered by it. Some necessary equipment required for parasailing are a parasail chute, harness, rope, yoke, carabineers and a vehicle to which the sail is attached.

India offers a plethora of locations for parasailing. In Maharashtra there is Matheran and Kamshet. Then there are some spectacular beaches in Goa for this sport. Himachal Pradesh in North India encompasses a number of parasailing locations like Kangra Valley, Garhwal, Solan and Kullu. Moving West, Rajasthan again offers wonderful locations like Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. Uttranchal is another good location for parasailing in India.

Parasailing provides an enthralling experience where one can transform into a human kite fulfilling the lust of free flying. But make sure to take all precautions so that your parasailing experience is contended and complete. Always use good quality licensed equipments and practice with a certified parasailing company.

So now billowing high into the blue sky is no longer a dream. Try parasailing and feel the vast blue at a hand stretch distance.

Backpack technology: American Chiropractic Association

Not only do kids of today pack heavy schoolbooks into their backpacks, many of them also strap popular electronic devices as laptop computers, cellular phones, MP3 players, CD players, and personal digital assistants (PDA) specially designed compartments inside their backpacks.

This improvement in backpack technology has brought about a greater awareness of the dangers of young, developing bodies wearing backpacks that are too heavy. For example, school textbooks are the heaviest they have ever been. So what happens to our kids’ bodies when they haul these heavy books and other personal effects directly on their backs? Two new studies may help to answer that very question.

The first study, published in the May 2003 issue of the journal Spine, found that the use of backpacks during the school day and the weights of the backpacks associated with back pain. And a second, presented by researcher Dr. Heidi Orloff at a May 28, 2003 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in San Francisco, concluded that children actually hunch their bodies forward and lower their heads to accommodate the burden of wearing heavy backpacks.

This news comes as no surprise to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), which for years has educated the public on backpack “ergonomics.”

“In my own practice, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining about back, neck and shoulder pain,” said Dr. Scott Bautch, immediate past president of the ACA’s Council on Occupational Health. “The first question I ask these patients is, ‘Do you carry a backpack to school?’ Almost always, they answer ‘yes.’”

As part of its effort to help alleviate this growing problem, the ACA offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.

- The backpack should weigh no more than 10 percent of a child’s bodyweight.
- The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline it will increase the weight on the shoulders, causing your child
to lean forward.
- A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Pack pointy or bulky objects away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.
- Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry the heavier the backpack will be.
- Wear both shoulder straps to distribute the weight of the backpack evenly.
- Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps can dig into your child’s shoulders.
- Shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can befitted to your child’s body.

Home Cleaning

- All bags should be washed and dried in an oversized, commercial washer and
dryer. Use a front load, tumble washer, NOT a top loading, agitator machine.
Agitator washers can eat your bag!
- Wash all insulations in cold or warm water.
Dishwashing liquid is good for washing bags with down or Polarguard insulation.

Just be careful not to use too much dish soap.

- Do not “Dry Clean” bags. Dry Cleaning solution is a petroleum-based solvent
that will “coat” the insulation and prevent it from re-lofting.

Down fill bags

- Down bags should be dried thoroughly at a MEDIUM heat setting.
- Pull the bag out during the drying process and “break up” the wet clumps of down
so that they can dry completely. Be careful when pulling the clumps apart so
you don’t damage the down.
- Make sure the bag is completely dry to avoid mildew. This could take 2-3 hours.

Synthetic fill bags

- Synthetic fibers won’t clump together during washing like down so there aren’t
any clumps to break apart while drying.
- We recommend adding a fabric softener to the final rinse cycle to retain the
aesthetics of synthetic fibers.
- Dry at a LOW heat setting and make sure the bag is completely dry.

Storage

- Sleeping bags should be aired out and dry before storing.
- Store the bag by hanging or loosely rolling.
- Keep in a cool, dry place.
- Never store a sleeping bag in its stuff sack or tightly compressed

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