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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
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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...
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|
99-04-07
|
It was a lazy day...
|
|
99-04-08
|
OK, the rule is ….. do exactly what ATC tell us to do!!!
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|
99-04-09
|
...a majestic peak sticking into the sky on it's own...
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|
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.
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|
99-04-16
|
Up ahead Arica and food beckoned.
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|
99-04-17
|
Landed up drinking and talking to travellers and locals.
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|
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.
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|
99-04-21
|
Border hassles in Peru.
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|
99-04-25
|
Our flight to Nazca was short and sweet.
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|
99-04-26
|
From high up the lines are just as impressive.
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|
99-04-27
|
A lazy day, washing, writing, resting.
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|
99-04-28
|
A commercial flight to Cusco.
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|
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...
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|
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.
|