Check out my fuller blogg on
Biggles Abroad
bigglesgsy.blogspot.com
Saturday, 11 June 2011
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Final notes from this assignment but I'll be back!
Earlier mentioned a local rooster, well having sent some very threatening thoughts over the mental airwaves last night, he has seen the error of his ways - slept solidly. It's 0830 at the ARA, swimming pool gleaming in the sun, coffee on the way, reading completed words of wisdom poised to cascade from my fingertips for my Healing & Deliverance in Mission essay, along with for notes for preaching at Zone sunday...
Well twas good to make Zone sunday and meet with Makindye & Lubowa. Good to have lunch afterwards hosted by the Betts. Lazy afternoon, somewhat overcast but managed squash, swim and gym. Tomorrow Karamoja flight and Ugandan flight medical.
May not be a windy day in Greendale (vague allusion to some BBC children's TV prog) but sure was here in Karamoja. Landing in Kotido most surprised to see the runway dancing around in front of me. At least it had the decency to stop moving for a moment so I could land. Popped into Kidepo and managed to see a range of 4 legged antelope thingies.
H'ding home tomorrow. Hopefully road will be clear at 0525, this a.m would you believe at 0625 they'd built a road block & set fire to it - what sort of enthusiasts do that before breakfast. Funnily enough on asking a couple of pedestrians if they new the back way cared to direct I'd give a lift, 4 seemed eager to assist! All adds to the mornings rich technicolour, alas didn't have presence of mind to photograph!!!
Friday, 15 April 2011
The rooster doth crow friday April 15th 2011
Just thinking what one could do a to fluffy (probably brown) rooster that is unable to recognise that one should, if there is a choice, crow an hour after sunrise rather than two before - it is written that way in the Rosters book of life!
Well it does mean I am bright eyed and bushy tailed for the Karamoja shuttle to NE Uganda this a.m. Have bonus rare visit drop off to Kidepo, a grass strip in the most northern game park of Uganda, might even see a 4 legged something or other.
...7 landings today and surprise surprise just as many take offs. Only 4 legged something seen up north was a lone tusker. Kaabong strong but variable winds on climb out kept one on ones toes as the aircraft di seem to stagger somewhat into the air. Lira was hot & sultry, density altitude went up, so re-did my calculations to make sure I really could get of - well on paper anyway, so made the strip seem shorter than I would like. Moved quite a few people today... Twas a good day.
under some fluffy white friendly clouds that had some possible developing activity, bit bumpy but all was well with the world. 9Now thi is the amazing bit 90 mins later same place, dark & sombre, dank & heavy, black ominous water laden clouds ceiling to the floor, a wall of solid water. Diverted some 25 miles south around it and must have been another 20 miles running along its edge. Where did it come from?
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Another sunny day or two in Africa and it's the rainy season
Bryan Pill Sat
Well Saturday I spent the day at the Airserve hanger by the old domestic terminal made somewhat infamous by the events recorded in the film Raid on Entebbe and Last King of Scotland. Whilst nicely painted evidence of some wild shooting all those years ago is still there - I mean shooting lumps of metal rather than celluloid.
Twas a long day at Entebbe at the Airserve hanger doing a compulsory slightly unexpected medi-vac course, the course was on how to handle pax for medi-vacs and who we can fly and who we cannot fly, as often the requests are made by medics with little aviation experience and flying at 10,000ft with someone who had a stroke that morning or a strangulated herni, is likely passing their death sentence. Got 'home at 6 - well worth the time spent. Just rather a shame I had planned this as my sermon prep day, so no chance of 12th night - spot of local Shakespearean culture has gone out the window tonight sadly! Have to say am zonked.....
Bryan Pill Sunday
Good church, fun lunch at Gerry & Moira's and enjoyable game of squash and great prayer meeting at Willisons. Bunia in the morning.
Bryan Pill monday
Glorious day crossing Lake Albert in 5X-BIL our oldest Cessna Caravan - some 21years of age. Looking down on the lake shore it looks quite idyllic, hard to believe there is a huge quantity of oil snuggled under the rocks done there. Three new airstrips have grown up over the last few years driven by the thought of 'black gold'. Sliding over the ridge into Bunia it is always nice to see the airfield but today one could see it from 20 miles a treat as most of the year this part of the Congo seems obscured in haze, smoke or it's raining but today you could see for miles.
Bryan Pill Tuesday April 12th
Pilots have one of the few jobs that duty time restrictions say 'work this long & no longer - unless you wish a paper trail or worse,' so limited by number of hours or days on duty. So timely non-flying day as feel a bit off colour, could do with a good sleep, sermon for sunday, essay needs to be in for monday, need to do some stuff for MAF-UK. NB this is not for sympathy just part of my FB 420 character blogg! Of which today this is an unexpanded copy!
Thursday, 7 April 2011
Be Safe......
Well today revolved around a Safety Seminar being run by the MAF-US Safety department. With 42 in the Guest House sitting room, thought of the Black Hole of Calcutta Sprang to mind, but all was well, glad the sky was overcast with a coolish breeze. So was an interesting day, day two tomorrow and then a Medi-Vac course on saturday. Being somewhat itinerant ...rather nice to be in the right place at the right time!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)