On 27th July, Marbella’s 1st and original online magazine, marbellas.com will be celebrating 6 years in cyberspace, and to celebrate they sharing the love with you, with six sensational prize giveaways to help you squeeze the very most out of the magnificent Marbella summer!
With a host of scintillating events and activities coming up, Marbella’s summer is more action packed than ever before. At marbellas.com the following fantastic prizes are up for grabs…
Canyoning with Team Xtreme feature on Marbellas.com
Once again marbellas.com follows adrenalin junkie Babak Alimordian and one of his TeamXtreme groups of fun seekers for another big adventure, this time up in the mountains of Almuñeca.
Another early start; meeting at La Cañada shopping centre at 7am on a Sunday morning, there were more than a few blurry eyes on the gaggle of athletes, wannabe athletes and not-a-hope athletes. Most of the group were novices when it comes to canyoning, and one or two didn’t really know what they were actually letting themselves in for. Well, for those out there who don’t know either here is the Oxford English Dictionary definition: “Canyoning pronunciation; /kanj0ning/ (also canyoneering) noun; the sport of jumping into fast-flowing mountain streams and allowing oneself to be carried downstream at high speed.” Well no worries there then…
Nature rush
As Babak’s team left the rendezvous at 7.15am and headed East towards Malaga the sun was just peeking over the horizon and gradually rose like a huge orange space hopper in the sky (except without the smiley face). The first taste of an amazing dose of nature coming on this Sunday.
Wet suits and crash hats
Having spent almost two hours in the small convoy of cars and vans, a pan con tomate breakfast in a small venta at the foot hills of the mountain range above Almuñeca made a welcoming stop. Before long everyone was fueled up and eager to make the final assent to the top of the mountains where the river started it dive down the Mediterranean some 3 or 4 kilometers below. On leaving the venta, about 20 sets of wetsuits, helmets and harnesses were laid out for collection in the car park. Again there were quite a few who hadn’t even worn a wet suit before, let alone an abseiling harness so struggling into the rubber inner tube was quite a task in itself. Once everyone was dressed, the group were further squeezed, this time into the two mini buses for the climb to the top.
Souring Buzzards
A wake of Buzzards glided across the sun which now was rising fast in the sky. The silence was only broken by a faint breeze and the clinking of the abseiling hooks around the waists of the rubber clad canyoneers. The days rules were set out by the leading professional guide, Alex, who ironically had a thin face resembling that of a mountain goat; defined cheek bones, large dark eyes and a sharp jaw complete with goatee beard.
A line of black figures filed down the mountain pass towards the river which could be heard in the distance crashing down between the one mountain and the next. Some paused to smell the wild herds growing along the path, Rosemary, Thyme, Mint and Lavender. Arriving at the river the air was fresh, and the water in the small, almost purpose made pool was icy cold to the touch but the wet suits worked well to keep the skin warm as everyone gingerly had their first taste of water from the Sierras.
Abseiling
Canyoning with TeamXtreme is not entirely as the dictionary definition would lead to believe, there is no being washed down the river at high speed, in fact the journey is fairly slow, but by no means without exercise. Arriving at the first major drop of about 50 feet threw some of the group and wasn’t made much easier by the deluge of gushing water which crashes down on the head of person on the ropes. But although the initial few steps are intimidating the technique of descending soon becomes fairly easy and even invigorating, helped enormously by the mountain goat, Alex.
No turning back
One by one the Canyoneers arrived safely at the bottom of the waterfall and continued on following the river down the mountain. Next came the first jump. A couple of meters after squeezing between to rocks there was a sheer drop of 15 feet with a water small pool at the bottom. 15 feet may not sound like much but when looking down into a pool the size of a small Marbella Jacuzzi, it seems much more difficult to just launch off. But, there is no turning back, forward is the only way, so one by one everyone had to jump. Some took longer than others but with a cheer for every splash eventually the whole team was down. Wading through the water and gaining confidence with each new jump the moral, support and camaraderie increased as the day went on. One of the group however, did found himself hanging upside down, dangling on the rope with feet in the air and his helmet filled with water. No harm down though and the sight was quite the most humorous part of the day. With each twist and turn of the river there was someone to help if the going got tough.
Finding civilisation
After about 4 1/2 hours of jumping, hanging, sliding, splashing, swimming and wading a dog was heard barking and the troop felt that civilisation and life was just around the corner. It was only then that some realised they had been so absorbed in the experience of the day and the beauty of the nature and the surrounding, they had totally taken their minds off the world they had left at 7am in La Cañada.
For a dose of pure escapism we would highly recommend a TeamXtreme Canyoning experience. Oliver, Jarlath, Gillian, Sandra, Hannah, Augusto, Caroline, Babak, Juan, Audrey, Craig, Alex the goat , Patricio and Gary were the TeamXtreme on this particular Sunday.
Contact Babak Alimoradian at www.TeamXtreme.es for more details about the next Cayoning trip or any other of the many activities he has on offer.
There are some experiences in life which are never forgotten. Your first kiss, your wedding day, the birth of your first child and for some, your first sky dive.
Autumn 2010 08.00 hrs – Hotel Palacio Sevilla
10 friends from Marbella meet in the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Each one staring at their plate with similar thoughts, “Should I be eating? Is this wise? Will I feel sick? But I need the food to give me strength, I need to feed the butterflies in my stomach…” After half a slice of toast, some second rate tea and a spoonful of fruit the transport awaits and it’s time to leave.
08.45 hrs
Cloudy day, fog in fact. Perhaps the whole day will be canceled? The car continues on it’s way to the airstrip without hesitation. There is an eerie silence compared with the alcohol induced banter of the previous evening.
09.10 hrs – Aerodromo de Juliana
The morning mists seem to be lifting, and as the vehicle pulls into the car park it seems like there has already been some activity in the the skies above Sevilla. The 10 friends make their way to the registration office lead by Team Xtreme leader Babak Albordian. Shakily holding the sky diving branded biro the required details are filled in and signed… Name, date of birth, insurance details, emergency telephone number…. next of kin?
09.30 hrs
Suddenly a call comes across from Ainoa, the jump controller. There is a space in the next jump leaving in 16 minutes, “Who’s ready for the briefing? We need one more”. Ana, an unsuspecting pretty young Spanish girl from the group is selected and marched away with her dive partner to be given her instructions, jump suit, goggles and leather skull cap hat. The team feel their throats go dry as she disappears into the aircraft hanger.
10.05 hrs
Ana and a batch of sky divers and photographers file across the runway to the awaiting plane with the rather disconcerting registration HAV-OC. Within seconds the aircraft is lifting towards the sky.
10.10 hrs
The remaining nine members of Team Xtreme sit, eyes to the sky on a well worn wooden bench at the landing zone. Somewhere above the scattered clouds the distant hum of the planes motors can be heard. No sign of parachutes. As the minutes tick by the feeling of anticipation grows stronger. Suddenly there is a shout, “There they are!” Gradually the same people who had only minutes before disappeared into the sky were coming back to Earth. As they appeared larger and larger the next group were selected to go for their briefing.
10.28 hrs
Ana and her tandem professional sky diving partner land safely and Ana runs towards the awaiting team, arms aloft with a huge smile. Emotion kicks in, tears are in her eyes as she realises the magnitude of what she has just achieved. She can’t find the words to express how it felt and what it was like.
10.40 hrs
The briefing is short but precise. There seems to be a lot to remember and the worries turn to being able to remember all that is required by the tandem partner. Pulling the harness tight at the right time, moving along the bench, crossing the arms before the jump, lifting the legs off the floor of the plane and hanging in the harness, putting the goggles on correctly, uncrossing the arms after leaving the plane, crossing them again before the parachute is pulled ….
11.05 hrs
The next four are ready. In the same way as before the adrenalin seekers troop across the runway protecting their eyes from the dust kicked up by the propellers. One by one they get in the winged machine. Professionals, virgin divers, photographer/ film men. Packed like sardines there is no comfort here, there are two benches, the ceiling is low and space is minimal.
11.10 hrs
The Earth is left behind and through the small scratched window the Spanish fincas, trees and fields get smaller. Dan the camera man removes his crash helmet with stills and video camera attached. Over the noise of the engines and wind, pointing the video camera back he gives the thumbs up and shouts something like “are you ready?”. Not really… Passing through the clouds and still climbing there is far too much time to reflect. “What are we doing here? Why am I doing this?”. Pete, the instructor in his pink jumpsuit and Star Wars style helmet taps his altimeter and shows it to his companion. 5,000 ft and the plane is far above the clouds… only another 10,000 ft to climb.
11.25 hrs – 15,000 ft
The door is opened. Wind enters the carcass of the plane but there seems to be little air to breath. Is this nerves, an adrenalin release or a lack of oxygen? The photographer is perched on a ledge outside the aircraft as the first tandem positions themselves to go. The three people suddenly disappear. The line of people are rapidly shifted along the bench nearer and nearer to the gaping hole of the side of the plane and the next group are ready. Gone. Wind rushes around, eyes look down towards the emptiness, the clouds and the Earth five kilometers below. Dan is ready, the feet are off the ground, the harness takes the weight and arms are crossed as per the briefing.
11.27 hrs
The tandem flips over in mid air and faces the plane as it seems to disappear rapidly into the sky. The duo is rights itself and faces earthwards. Flying through the air at 125 miles an hour it is difficult to smile for the camera, the skin flaps around the mouth and neck. Dan flies with ease up and down and around the tandem sky divers. Adrenalin kicks in as the clouds get ever closer. 60 seconds and 10,000 feet pass before Pete gives the signal to cross the arms again, although it only seems like only ten seconds since leaving the plane. This is the moment of truth … There is a welcome tug and the parachute has opened, legs and feet swing to a vertical position..
The goggles are are pushed back and the ground below becomes clear like never seen before. Passing between the clouds this is as close as it gets to being a bird… to really flying. The panic feels like it’s over and the rest is like a ride in a pram. Six minutes of gliding through the air, seeing at the fincas, the cars, the fields getting slowly bigger again.
11.32 hrs
With feet raised in the air the tandem makes a soft landing and the euphoria is immense. Cheers from the awaiting spectators, hugs all round…. What an experience… Sky dive achieved.
Enjoy The Sky Dive Jump Film for yourself:-
Team Xtreme Sky Diving group were:-
Babak Alimoradian (Dir. TeamXtreme),
Gary Edwards (Photographer)
Andy Chapell (Proprietor Molino del Santo Hotel, Ronda)
Gary Garcia (Real Estate)
Ana Alonso (Photographer)
Carol Mailer
Hannah Murray (Radio Presenter TRE)
Sandra Mole
Robert Sánchez Saavedra (Lawyer – Lawyers of Spain)
Gary Edwards personally raised Over 800 Euros for charity, 790 Euros of which was donated to help the much needed Cancer Hospice, Cudeca on the Costa del Sol, and £64 to the Marie Curie Hospice in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Gary would like to thank all those who so generously donated, knowing he was helping people in need, made the whole experience that much more enjoyable for him.
Team Xtreme is now featured by Marbellas. com in it´s business directory.
Marbellas.com is the first online magazine in Marbella, operating in cyberspace since 27 July 2005. The brain child of well-known editor and media expert, Louise Cook Edwards and photographer, Gary Edwards, the blueprint for marbellas.com was made in the year 2000.
With a dynamic, magazine style format, marbellas.com delivers inspiring, quality lifestyle information and features to a wide internet audience. With an average monthly readership of 60,000 people, marbellas.com’s content appeals to both visitors and residents alike. Categorized into Who, What, Where, Living and Business, with a broad spectrum of sections on fashion, trends, events, restaurants, nightlife, gastronomy, trips, who’s who, attractions, what’s on, live weathercam and a comprehensive business listing, marbellas.com brings readers freshly-squeezed information, updated daily.
Team Xtreme creates group adventure holidays and corporate events in Andalucía ( Spain) that are packed with exhilarating activities that will make you feel energised and inspired.
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