Daily Log

 

Mike's Pilot Log: South to South Adventure

Mike's Log

Click on first entry and then page through...

99-03-14

I was not yet able to comprehend that I was in South America

99-03-15

We were on a truck headed towards General Rodriguez

99-03-16

We set about opening Olivier's trike crate and unloading all his kit

99-03-17

Olivier laughed about how good the Argentinean meat 

99-03-27

We managed to get airborne by 8:30 am with a great tailwind

99-03-28

We flew to a glider airfield called America

99-03-29

We were starting to get flying fit and used to our new way of life.

99-03-30

We were now into Patagonia. We hadn't planned to fly this far south

99-03-31

Argentina is extremely expensive

99-04-01

St Martine de Los Andes is a very beautiful tourist town

99-04-02

In the foothills of the Andes

99-04-03

The terrain below looked scary

99-04-05

Olivier´s Spanish is getting better by the day – mine is about non-existent..

99-04-06

It's been almost impossible to wake up early in Argentina...

99-04-07

It was a lazy day...

99-04-08

OK, the rule is ….. do exactly what ATC tell us to do!!!

99-04-09

...a majestic peak sticking into the sky on it's own...

99-04-10

We woke really late – 11 am...

99-04-11

We seem to be drinking red wine as our main source of sustainance

99-04-12

...apparently Olivier got lucky with a pretty Dutch girl..

99-04-13

We woke very early ….. 7:30 am

99-04-14

It took us an hour and a half to get ready...

99-04-15

The whole world around us was ours alone.

99-04-16

Up ahead Arica and food beckoned.

99-04-17

Landed up drinking and talking to travellers and locals.

99-04-18

Decided to experience the desert properly...

99-04-19

Enjoyed the morning in the desert.

99-04-20

Within 15 minutes we could see the runway at Tacna.

99-04-21

Border hassles in Peru.

99-04-25

Our flight to Nazca was short and sweet.

99-04-26

From high up the lines are just as impressive.

99-04-27

A lazy day, washing, writing, resting.

99-04-28

A commercial flight to Cusco.

99-04-29

I felt enchanted with this place...

99-04-30

We lay on the grass and dreamed of flying...

99-05-01

Olivier thought he had left his wallet in the hotel...

99-05-02

Our routing took us straight over the city of Lima...

99-05-03

We landed at Chimboti...

99-05-04

...we would spend 5 years in jail if we did that!

99-05-05

We took off from Chiclayo at 8am.

99-05-06

In the air we asked for authorisation to fly to Guayaquil.

99-05-07

...we caught a taxi to the Colombian Consulate.

99-05-08

Olivier has become very good at dealing with the bureaucrats...

99-05-09

In Colombia, near guerrilla territory, slightly drunk...

99-05-10

...the only way to be sure of surviving would be using the parachute.

99-05-11

I undid my belt and gave the camera a quick brown-eye!

99-05-12

We are in the newspaper, with pictures, but no hairy arse ….

99-05-16

...great memories of Cali and the great Colombians we met

99-05-17

SOUTH AMERICA WAS COMPLETED...

99-05-18

A lazy day... resting in Panama City.

99-05-19

Cleared customs and immigration and flew on to Costa Rica..

99-05-20

Took off for Pavas Airport, San Jose, at 8:30 am.

99-05-21

Great first rest day.

99-05-22

Rested on the beach ….. some people are so lucky!

99-05-25

When all else fails read the manual!

99-05-26

Somehow managed to eat a whole chilli at dinner...nearly killed me.

99-05-27

We intended flying to the active volcano called Arena...

99-05-28

I spent some time tanning, today.

99-05-29

Olivier and Nancy disappeared in Olivier's trike...

99-05-30

Two of the trucks had cows in them...

99-05-31

Olivier hardly slept the whole night...

99-06-01

I decided that it was about time I had a shave.

99-06-02

So, our schedule is now a bit behind.

99-06-06

We crossed the border into Nicaragua

99-06-07

We were soon over El Salvador

99-06-08

Whenever we can, we prefer to sleep in the open.

99-06-09

We took off for the final 25 km of the day, to Palenque.

99-06-14

Palenque was a good stop...

99-06-15

Landed on the beach road about 50 km north of La Pesca.

99-06-16

We took off and flew back into Mexico.

99-06-17

Off from Matamoros, flew over the border to Brownsville, Texas

99-06-18

On to Galveston … airport too big...

99-06-19

A South African flag flying over one of the beachfront houses!

99-06-20

Happy Fathers Day, Dad!

99-06-21

In the evening we walked up and down Bourbon Street....

99-06-22

Got my transponder and radio fixed.

99-06-24

Flying in the USA is a whole new aviation experience

99-06-25

We are now into the Eastern Time Zone

99-06-26

First Flight airfield in the town of Kill Devil Hills

99-06-27

In the late afternoon we met GW

99-06-28

The thought of flying across the north Atlantic is quite daunting

99-06-29

At Woodbine we descended into the wild air near the ground.

99-06-30

Spent the day at Woodbine airport.

99-07-01

...landed in Millers Field State Park.

99-07-02

We took a train into Manhattan.

99-07-03

In the afternoon we wandered around Manhattan...

99-07-04

Independance Day (USA).

99-07-05

...took off to fly around the Statue of Liberty..

99-07-06

Cold front hit us and temperatures plummeted.

99-07-09

Before flying into Canada, you have to call a toll free number...

99-07-10

I started driving towards Buffalo

99-07-11

Cofffeeeee!

99-07-12

By 10:30 am I had my visa...

99-07-13

Olivier had decided to rather wait for me!

99-07-14

Waited for the CO2 bottles..

99-07-16

Olivier was at home yakking away in French.

99-07-17

Quebec City.

99-07-18

"Lets hit the road, Jack".

99-07-19

In the evening we had a few beers...

99-07-20

Last year Brian Milton did this alone …

99-07-21

Ahead of us lay the northern areas of Quebec.

99-07-22

We checked the temperature of the seawater in the Hudson Strait.

99-07-23

What an amazing sight, what an amazing place!

99-07-24

In my left top pocket is the IPERB (emergency location beacon).

99-07-25

It was pitch dark …. I couldn't see a thing anywhere.

99-07-29

OK, maybe Monday!

99-07-30

A good Canadian breakfast!

99-07-31

I am getting a bit nervous about the flight.

99-08-01

First thing I did was phone the weather office.

99-08-02

There is nothing we can do – just wait.

99-08-04

Looked like we had a break at last

99-08-05

Could see Greenland from 200 km away

99-08-06

We took off and headed straight towards the ice cap.

99-08-07

Landed at Reyjavik after an 8 hour 25 minute flight.

99-08-08

The last 100 km to Hofn was incredible.

99-08-09

Delighted to have made the north Atlantic without a single problem!

99-08-10

Somehow the flying seemed so easy after the last few weeks...

99-08-11

Olivier took off again in search of a pub.

99-08-12

It was the worst visibility we had to deal with so far...

99-08-26

I took Charmaine and Alexandra to Heathrow.

99-08-27

The alarm was much too loud and much too early...

99-08-28

We sat in the restaurant and drank coffee and waited...

99-08-29

At 1:50 pm Greg and I took off for the racetrack

99-08-30

We had two Mirage fighters fly in front of us

99-08-31

My son, Gregory, is really starting to enjoy the flying.

99-09-01

Maybe there are a few pilots who would like to fly with us?

99-09-08

Our week in Geneva……we had an incredible time...

99-09-09

We landed at Avignon main airport and met Alain Petit

99-09-10

We slept on the floor in the hangar.

99-09-11

We drove to Biarritz 100 km away and checked into a hotel.

99-09-12

After packing the trikes, we took off for Spain.

99-09-13

Olivier bought me a pair of Ray Ban sunglasses.

99-09-14

On the northern border of Portugal, we descended...

99-09-15

Olivier made a tomato and onion salad, with cold meat...

99-09-16

Some police arrived and asked us for our papers.

99-09-17

I lay in my sleeping bag and watched a beautiful orange sunrise.

99-09-18

In the evening there were 10 of us at the dinner table.

99-09-19

I estimated the wind to be about 120 km/h.

99-09-20

Alexandra is 7 years old today.

99-09-21

The trikes were full and heavy, the take-off roll so long...

99-09-22

I had my left ear pierced. Heyyyy!

99-09-23

Within a few hours we had our visas.

99-09-24

The chap who had to approve our visas wasn't there...

99-09-29

Enjoy your travels, Greg, have fun.

99-09-30

We had been given the green light to fly further south in Morocco.

99-10-01

We were unable to fly on...

99-10-02

The 400 km we covered today felt like nothing...

99-10-05

Olivier and I each have a magic flying carpet...

99-10-06

The Cobra man put two Egyptian Cobras near my trike.

99-10-07

Everywhere we go the police and the military already know about us.

99-10-08

A good days flying, although one of our toughest.

99-10-09

Many of these people see travellers like us as a target.

99-10-10

We lay on our carpets listening to music from Olivier's small radio

99-10-11

It had been an amazing day's flying in the dust!

99-10-12

We booked into a little hotel made entirely out of mud.

99-10-13

It was fascinating to see the way the people lived, the houses...

99-10-14

Amazing, amazing, amazing!

99-10-15

Olivier had an interesting although tiring day

99-10-16

This news is VERY fresh.

99-10-17

It's my eldest son, Stuart's birthday today.

99-10-18

We were at the Nigerian embassy at 9 am

99-10-19

The locals were very friendly, respectful and cheerful.

99-10-20

Have nearly done half of Africa.

99-10-21

All our travels in this town are by mobilette (small scooters)...

99-10-22

...after another one and a half hours we had our visas!

99-10-23

The months that we have been on the go for have taken toll on me

99-10-24

"My gauge is showing zero, f*ck, I have to land immediately."

99-10-25

Olivier wished me happy birthday – 46 today!

99-10-26

The Captain of the Gendarmerie (national police) wanted to see us.

99-10-27

A bad and challenging piece of Africa was behind us.

99-10-28

We have to get visas again. Congo and Angola.

99-11-02

For the last 5 days we have been royally taken care of.

99-11-03

Again Olivier said he felt he may be getting malaria.

99-11-04

In the middle of the night he woke up with the shivers.

99-11-08

Olivier is better. He lay in bed for 2 whole days...

99-11-09

Luanda is actually a very big city, lots of big buildings.

99-11-10

The flight was just over 4 hours – we passed over Benguela.

99-11-11

Olivier's birthday! 43 today!

99-11-12

...women walking around there would've put Dolly Parton to shame

99-11-13

Olivier was just a bright light off to my left...

99-11-14

Our great friends Andre and Martine came running out...

99-11-15

A few days rest before my boet (brother) arrives.

99-11-19

My brother, Graham, arrived at 6:30 pm from Cape Town.

99-11-20

The wide-open areas of the Namib Desert lay ahead of us...

99-11-21

We slept in the hangar...

99-11-22

We stayed below the mist and headed inland.

99-11-23

We spent the day filming, swimming and relaxing.

99-11-24

The beautiful southern part of Namibia was special to see.

99-11-25

The Atlantic glistened in the distance on our right.

99-11-26

Eventually, with Cape Town and Table Mountain in sight we landed...

99-11-27

Our last day into Cape Town...

99-11-28

We spent time with family and friends...

99-12-02

I flew back to Johannesburg over the next 3 days.

99-12-03

After an hour we flew into heavy rain and low clouds.

99-12-04

My daughter, Alexandra, flew the last 200 km to my home airfield.

99-12-15

Olivier and I had our official arrival in Johannesburg.


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