2010 Out with a Bang

The end of 2010 was a whirlwind of celebration, only natural for a year that was so great. For his birthday on the 30th, Radical Tom wanted to jump off of a cliff. I don't really know what compelled me to join him, but before I knew it, I was strapped to a stranger named Laurent at a point 800 meters above St. Leu. Parapente is a local pastime here; every day the sky is littered with paragliders springing from high places and lazily wafting through the sky.
Ours was a sunny afternoon tour from high above, much more peaceful and lovely than a parachute free fall would have been. We jumped from a little launch pad, easily took flight, and were instantly above it all. The best part was flying over the ocean and seeing the coral reefs far below. The water was so crystal clear, you could see down to the very depths of the water. Landing incited a little bit of nausea in all of us, but we were too aglow to care very much.
For New Year's Eve we headed to the beach. Knowing what I know now, I am going to say that I'll stick with a snowy cold Christmas. However, the beach for New Year's is definitely the way to go. A friend organized a great party at Trou d'Eau and we danced the night away under the stars. Somewhere along the line there was supposed to be a cookout, but it seems like everyone ended up drinking their dinners instead. Just kidding, ma!The best part of the whole night was midnight. Fourth of July in the U.S. would have been put to shame by the Reunion Island fireworks display. The week following Christmas was the fireworks bazaar; every street corner had its guy selling rockets, roman candles, and pretty much anything you can imagine that might possibly shoot your eye out. The result is that every man woman and child was in possession of dynamite when the clock struck twelve. We're lucky to still be here today. Hundreds of Magic Lanterns lit up the night sky, the crowds of people along the beach were cheering: it was a feast of light and love.

Dear 2010, I was quite fond of you. But 2011 seems to be able to hold its own..