aviation kindness

This is slightly late but i had to throw it on my blog...an act of kindness that i will never forget...makes you realise that making friends and always offering help will come back to you in spades someday....

So there i was stuck in the shit-hole that is Maputo,Mozambique.....i needed to get back to SA and because i was there towards the end of the week the only flights back home were frighteningly expensive,my boss told me to take the cheapest one to get back so that i could return our aircraft which was in Durban for Maintenance back to camp in Moz. I was stuck.....the flights were incredibly expensive and i couldnt expect my boss to pay it,so i said i would wait until monday for a cheap flight......great 3 more days in this hellish city.....i walked back to the airport briefing office and standing there paying his landing fee's was an old tjommie of mine that i had helped in Beira when he came in with his Cessna 421 business liner,low on fuel and beira starved of avgas supplies as it usually is,i ran around the airport and tried my level best to get them fuel and make a plan,which they eventually did and they got back home to SA:)now he was flying a kingair 300 for the same company and was on his way back to JHB,my stomach turned at the thought of asking for a ride home....i kept thinking there is no ways he will allow me to hop on!!! after much chatting and time to build up courage, i asked is there any possible way i could catch a ride with you? after one quick phonecall to his very wealthy boss,the answer was a resounding yes:)!!!!! i couldnt even fathom in my head how this could be happening and how lucky i was,a free-flight in a king air 300,saving my boss alot of smackeroo's in the first place:)He told me i had to be ready in 20 minutes though so i absolutely raced to the hotel,got my stuff and raced back:) after thanking my friends boss profusely and being told to stop thanking him and kindly get on the plane....i was given a prego roll and an ice cold coke:):):) i honestly almost shed a man-tear....i have never experienced and act of kindness so great to someone who was to him a complete and utter stranger.....:)absolutely astounded still to this day.....and if he ever reads this which i doubt he will,sir thank you so much....you made my year:)

after a short flight i found myself in wonderboom with a cheap connecting flight from JHB international to durban,saving my boss in the region of R6000:)and it got even better....from kruger international across to wonderboom i got to log an hour in the 300 because they let me sit in the co-pilot seat and the captain happened to be a DFE grade 1 and instructs on the kingair series all the time,your kindness will never be forgotten:)

Truely blessed:)

The spanish explorer's point

Maintaining 4500ft,routing south from camp to vilanculos,the expansive bay between Beira and Bartholomeu Dias point in the south, fills the perspective from the heavily loaded, red and white c206. The garmin C295 on the dash indicating oh so accurately 00:55:26 to run to Vil. The solitary white sandy finger of the point surrounded vividly by the travel brochure blue and turquoise water. Having flown over this point numerous times,i had always dreambt of exploring this area in a bit more detail,due mainly to how remote and beautiful it is. Little did I believe that 2 day's later, my footprints would join those of early European explorer's who had de-flowered this spot so many year's before. Hmmmm I wonder what would make a trip to this point a little more interesting, turn it into a real old school adventure.....something unique...

the morning arrive's, steaming cup's of Ricoffee and bowls of cereal are quickly dealt with,excitement builds as we await the slowly receding tide. Waiting on the lord if you will,to reveal the sliver of beach where the consistency of sand to water is just right,because this section is where you can comfortably ride a mountain bike. Before we knew it,my boss,a couple friends and I were off,the easy early morning Mozambiquen sun,painting softly now,orange's,yellows and pink hue's on the white sand,the smile on my face and on that of the other's expressing a spot of anxiety mixed in with spoonful's of excitement for the adventure that lay ahead of us. Little did we know what lay ahead in the many kilometre's to come....

After a couple hour's of fairly basic riding,the heat and humidity so common to this country attacked some of our team mate's energy but none the less we carried on going. Until we rounded another sandy Ponta' that is.A massive bay came into view,roughly 20km's south of inhassoro,maybe less. Greeted by the sight of mixed light blue of shallow seawater, intense green of the mangrove's and interspersed red and orange of many thousands of crab's lining the bay. Our initial reaction was awe but the bay quickly turned our smiles upside down,completely un-rideable for almost 6km's,pushing our bike's through knee-deep sand and mud. The soon nick-named baia de diablo or bay of satan,took its toll as well as time to get through in the heat of midday and this caused mutiny in the crew, we were forced to leave 2 of the team at inhassoro,they decided beer and a vehicle pick-up was the way to go. Somewhat disappointed in our cycling comrades,the remaining 2 and myself pushed on into the night.

On our Northbound track with a cool southerly wind on our back's. The full moon throwing silver lashings of light on the now dark, menacing east-African sea. Sweat and sun cream stinging my eyes and the humming of fast spinning tire's on sand, the only things reminding us of reality. Imagine if you may, a magic carpet ride....no lights just the clear air sparkle of star's and white silver light. The thought of an ice cold beer, driving the 26kph pellaton towards the point. My eye's accustomed well to the dark now, the long arcing beach in front of us seeming as if it would never end. An overwhelming sense of humility took over my thoughts and feelings, mainly because of just how unique this little adventure was and with these thoughts my mind drifted in the darkness. A great quote bounced into my mind and it fitted the moment perfectly-'He who ignores times, walks in darkness and who explores it, is illuminated by great light "

After 80km's+- and 0700 to 1922,my muscle's eased as I got off my bicycle and felt the soft sand of Bartholomeu Dias point under my tired feet. The best crab curry of my life and an icey Doiche M beer, were quickly liberated at the small lodge on the point. I lay in bed that night and pondered the return journey the next morning. These thoughts worried me little because I was on top of the world,this was a golden moment, my spirit humbled and indomitable. Pure joy man...pure joy:) Adventures of the near future such as Kilimanjaro and Everest base camp allowed sleep to creep in fast and without consent.

The return journey was tough into a stiff southerly wind as well as with tired body's, but we averaged a decent speed. Before I knew it I was back in the hammock in vilanculos,swinging gently in the wind writing notes on the journey. With a cold one in hand I realised that people need to take more time in their lives to pursue little adventures of their own. To forget about the mediocrity and drama and push for those golden moments in life. Don't let mundane day to day things get you down. Plan an adventure, even just a small one or don't plan and do something spontaneous. Whatever comes of it, even if it is a complete failure, you will be a better person after it all.

'life is life, live it, love always, apologise for nothing'

Fantasticly cool flying vid. Susi Air Indonesia.

This is what all pilots dream of.....flying, freedom and adventure:)

Maybe I might be there one day;) c.v has been sent......