Air Recreation Sports in the Philippines

Summer of 2011 is expected to be rainy here in the Philippines. That's why, everybody is calling it as 'Wet Summer'. But it will never stop summer sports enthusiasts to try exciting kind of entertainment and recreation that the strong wind can bring. It can be both expensive and tedious but the feeling of contentment while you're on air will never be equaled by any amount of money.

You can forget your problems momentarily as you enjoy the air and go along with any direction it dictates you while doing something exhilarating through the following sports.

1. Hot Air Balloon - The usual location of flying huge, unique hot air balloons coming from participating nations around the world converged in Pampanga's terrain where the remnants of Mt. Pinatubo eruption (1991) serve as the ground for the festive gathering of sports enthusiasts.

How to fly the big balloon: The first thing to do is to induce cold air inside the balloon, but propane gas will follow in order to heat the cold air that will make the balloon float. The ascending stage will depend on the amount of propane gas that will be released. As you ride inside the basket attached to the balloon, you will appreciate what you see on the ground. The descending process will depend on the duration that you'll let the air inside the balloon to cool. Tha maneuavering of hot air balloon can reach up to 5, 000 feet that riders and crew will need an oxygen mask to battle the air pressure up in the sky.

2.Kite Boarding - requires the agility of a skateboard rider while flying a kite and bracing the air on the beach while riding the surf and waves. A sport participant should have a well-coordinated reflex so that he or she can simultaneously fly the kite while skateboarding on the water and fly on air from time to time then back to the water again.

Boracay is the favorite destination for kite boarders in the country. It usually started when the surf and waves are high and strong in December until March. There are training schools in the island where you can enroll and learn the ropes of this exciting sport.

I can personally boast that the 1st-ever International KiteBoarding competition in the  country was held at Bagasbas Beach, Daet, Camarines Norte on the first week of February, 2009. That's in our region, Bicol. It attracts sport enthusiasts from all over the world and it's been  a part of the tourism industry since then.

3. Parasailing - requires a parachute with a makeshift seat for the participant attached to the former. The rider will need the aid of the speedboat to make the parachute inflate as he or she will be drag on the water and fly on air later.

Filipinos are new to this kind of air recreation sport. Because of the beautiful beaches in the country, more and more amenities are added to beach resorts, one of which is the availability of parasailing sport. It's been available in Subic Bay, Pampanga; Alaminos, Pangasinan (where you can see some of the Hundred islands there); Cebu and but of course, Boracay.

Catamaran Sailing is getting noticed in the country. Aside from the ordinary wooden boats for transportation, families can rent a catamaran along with its crew for a ride at sea, near the shore. With the use of sails, you can ride it at sea and enjoy the moment with friends or family.

In Boracay, catamaran rentals are available. You can haggle for the price or it depends on the availability of the service.

It's also the same in Bohol. More and more local tourists are getting excited about this thing.

You can say that these sports are for those who can afford because of the gadgets and equipment needed. You can still join by just renting the equipment and gadgets for kite boarding and para-sailing or pay for a balloon ride.

As for the children or even some adults, they can always race to the rice field or nearby vacant lot to fly their homemade kites of different sizes and enjoy the chase and windy environment.

You'll never need money and hi-tech gadgets for it. You can make your own kite with your own design out of plastic bags or colorful Japanese papers with bamboo strips as its structure or framework. With just the use of glue for binder, you can easily make it in just an hour. Don't forget the tail (it can be long or short for the balance) and the string.

When I was a child, my father used to make a big kite (the size of the full-length of my both arms, including my chest or about 1.5 meters) with its oval-shaped head and new moon- shaped tail. The string used was big that when I hold the flying kite, as was literally carried away at the rice field. Yes! I was already floating or elevated with the kite (about a foot) when my father grabbed me laughing. I can never forget that day because I was almost carried away by a kite. Lesson learned: Never trust a big kite, just the small one.

Now, seldom I see children flying kites in our place. It's because of other entertainment media they can indulge into or maybe it's already a lost sport in my barrio.