In Search of the Perfect Blueberry Muffin

Yeah, I know that’s a long title but it’s been too long since I’ve updated this blog.  And now it’s late in the evening here in Ahmedabad and I have an early call for the flight on Monday, 20 Dec to Muscat, Oman.  Can’t seem to get it all done during these layovers.

The flight from Chiang Mai to Kolkata got a late start due to a Holiday that nobody could identify.  Got away at the last moment of my clearance limit, flew along the required airway to the south, then turned west to enter Myanmar.  I had actually wanted to land there but with the recent elections it was to be very difficult.  But their ATC folks gave me a shortcut up to the northwest towards Dhaka, Bangladesh to shorten the flight a bit.  The downside of that was some LBPC’s…Little Black Puffy Clouds…rain clouds that looked quite menacing.  Skirted most of them and washed the aircraft in the rest.  No cockpit leaks so that test is now complete.

Arrived at Kolkata in hazy conditions about half an hour after darkness fell.  It was actually quite pretty from the air.  Then I landed.  Big, busy international airport but had a grand welcoming committee from the Taj Hotel Group and AirTaj catering folks.  Wow…great folks and a most magnificent hotel–the Taj Bengal.  3 nights there in splendor, everything very first class.  There is more to this story but that will come later.

After the 3 nights it was off to Nagpur, the orange growing capital of India.  I chose it because it is in the center of India and had AVGAS, which is not found everywhere anymore.  3 nights there as well and off to Ahmedabad to another wonderful welcome from the Taj hotel folks.  The hotel manager had organized a press conference.  The Red Rockette is a rock star!  I’m just a camp follower wandering around with her.  Many photos and interviews,  plus TV stuff as well.  Numerous articles appeared the next morning and she made the TV news that evening.  Another 3 nights here in Ahmedabad, the home of Ghandi.  Getting away rather late in the morning due to a runway closure which I cannot avoid.  We will fly up over Karachi and westward along the Pakistan coast, then turn southwest to avoid Iranian airspace direct to Muscat, Oman.  I’ll be spending nearly a week there with old friends who have a daughter working on the organizing committee of the Muscat Asian Beach Games.  They are visiting her at the same time as my visit…amazing how things work out.  All this known only because of the internet.  A wonderful thing to make my journey more interesting all the time.

After Christmas it will be off to Bahrain for a few days, then across Saudi Arabia to Amman, Jordan.  I’ll spend nearly a week there in order to do some touring down Petra way and other interesting places.  Then finally off to Cyprus, exact time unknown at the moment.  And so it goes.          Wandering Windsock

PS: Remember, all who wander are not lost.  An old friend reminded me of that today.

It’s Friday, 10 Oct 2010 here in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  The alarm rang at 0500, a shower, and another delightful breakfast served by Apple, the Thai wife of Tony Waddoup of the UK.  They’re the operators of the countryside Baan Chuenjai Guesthouse near the little airfield called NOK.  All meals are taken outside on the “bandstand”…Tony is a musician.  Got to the airfield very early, created a good deal of sweat loading the Red Rockette, and finally got airborne, having avoided the cows but NOT their pies,  on the way to Chiang Mai airport to clear Customs, etc before leaving for Kolkata, India….or so I thought.

A very long story short, the clearance I thought I had was not, indeed, in effect today. Overflight of Myanmar and Bangladesh and entry clearance to India were all in order. However, the Thai clearance was not.  After a flurry of phone calls and a long period of waiting, I realized it was too late to head off on a 6 hour flight to a strange airport with poor visibility.  Adding to the complication…it’s a Thai holiday.  I asked a Thai lady what the holiday was celebrating and she raced off to find a calendar with the info.

So it was back to the aircraft, completed a great deal of organizing, locked her up and off to a hotel.  So hopefully the flight will be more successful on Saturday, Thailand time.  And so it goes.

Windsock, a few pounds lighter due to sweating away many gremlins

Still out in the country about 10 miles southeast of Chiang Mai.  After a great deal of drama with the Thai flight clearance folks a few days back after arriving from Cambodia, I finally was released to fly the 10 miles to little NOK airfield.  However, I have no further clearance to fly locally so the Red Rockette sits in a nice hangar at NOK.  I, on the other hand, am enjoying the taste treats of a wonderful chef, Apple, the lady of the house.  Her husband, Tony, and I have been fed to the max with wonderful Thai home cooking.  Apple has often taught Thai cooking in many places, including London.  True to her name, she makes an outstanding apple pie served with homemade ice cream.  Dinner this evening was Green Curry with Chicken and veggies.  Yummy.

Their B&B, Baan Chuenjai Guesthouse (www.homestay-at-chiangmai.com) is a work in progress.  They are about 2 weeks away from completing the new house on the property.  They are open now but at reduced capacity.  It’s a nice place to relax and work on the rest of my journey but yet be close to the airport for work on the Red Rockette.  Tony is Thailands only certified Glider Instructor so we have much in common to chat about.

The latest plan is to leave Chiang Mai next Thursday, Dec 9, for Kolkata.  You weather watchers will have noticed that the visibility in Kolkata is less than desirable.  There will some challenges coming up in the next few weeks.  All part of the game.  Looking forward to being in Muscat, Oman to visit with Bill, Betty, and Hollis Kosco during the Holiday Season.  It will be really nice to be with friends in a far off land.  Hollis works there and loves the area.  And so it goes.    Windsock

Sorry this has taken so long to get posted.  Operator error.

Huge disappointment last week as Vietnam denied entry with the Staggerwing.  The final reason was “You fly too low”.  They are accustomed to jets that fly above 20,000 feet that they can keep in radar contact.  At the 9 to 12,000 feet that I would be flying I would be out of radar contact at times.  I turned to the east from Thailand only because I wanted to visit Vietnam.  So it is very disappointing to be denied entry.  On the other hand, I have discovered the very pleasant the town of Siem Reap, Cambodia.  I waited out the Vietnam drama here, saw the famous Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom temples, the silk farm, and the largest lake in Southeast Asia, Tongle.  Visited a very interesting “Floating Village”by longboat.  All homes are on stilts due to the massive change in water level of the lake from season to season.

But now it’s time to begin heading west once again.  On Tuesday, 30 Nov, I’ll fly the Red Rockette a few hundred miles to the northwest to Chiang Mai, Thailand.  After clearing formalities, I plan to fly a whopping 12 miles or so southeast to the little NOK airport.  Some nice folks have some neat aircraft, including a Tiger Moth, and some gliders there.  I’ll waitout the overflight clearance of Myanmar and Bangladesh and onwards to India there.  I had attempted to get a clearance into Myanmar but the political situation has made it difficult.   And so it goes.

I’m in Kuala Lumpur waiting on flight clearance to Pattaya Airpark, near Bangkok, Thailand next weekend, 9-10 Oct. The weather is  still somewhat rainy but due to be less stormy soon.  But weather  everywhere is changing.  The aircraft will be test flown during the week.  This is my first go at this blog program so please forgive me if it is not up to par. I’ll get better at it as time goes on.

Cheers,  Windsock