australia!
I arrived in Sydney, Australia on friday and then to Brisbane to meet Amy. It was raining in both Sydney and Brisbane with low overcast clouds so I couldn't see very much of the scenery on the ground. I hoped the weather wouldn't stay like that for long (it didn't).
The first thing we did was to go see a Cirque du Soleil show ("Quidam") in Brisbane on friday night. It was closing soon (last show on sunday) so it was pretty much our only chance to see it. It was excellent.
The next day we rented a car and started driving north. While on the Bruce Highway (the main highway that runs all the way down the east coast) we passed a small airstrip that had a sign for glider flying. We stopped and I took a short flight which you can read about in my online logbook. I was excited to be able to log a flight in Australia!
We stopped in Gladstone for the night and stayed with some friends (Tricia and Cole, who Amy stayed with on her way south last week). Very nice hospitable people. The next day we took off early as our goal was to reach Airlie Beach that evening.
It's now monday lunchtime and we are booked for a 3 day + 3 night sailing cruise starting this evening, through the Whitsunday Islands on a 70 foot ketch, the Alexander Stewart. The islands are very beautiful and we plan to do some snorkeling on the reefs too.
The weather here is quite hot and humid (we are just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, and the december solstice is coming up soon, so the sun is pretty much directly overhead). Hopefully it will be a bit cooler on the boat.
We are definitely having fun!
The first thing we did was to go see a Cirque du Soleil show ("Quidam") in Brisbane on friday night. It was closing soon (last show on sunday) so it was pretty much our only chance to see it. It was excellent.
The next day we rented a car and started driving north. While on the Bruce Highway (the main highway that runs all the way down the east coast) we passed a small airstrip that had a sign for glider flying. We stopped and I took a short flight which you can read about in my online logbook. I was excited to be able to log a flight in Australia!
We stopped in Gladstone for the night and stayed with some friends (Tricia and Cole, who Amy stayed with on her way south last week). Very nice hospitable people. The next day we took off early as our goal was to reach Airlie Beach that evening.
It's now monday lunchtime and we are booked for a 3 day + 3 night sailing cruise starting this evening, through the Whitsunday Islands on a 70 foot ketch, the Alexander Stewart. The islands are very beautiful and we plan to do some snorkeling on the reefs too.
The weather here is quite hot and humid (we are just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, and the december solstice is coming up soon, so the sun is pretty much directly overhead). Hopefully it will be a bit cooler on the boat.
We are definitely having fun!
You can log your time as DUAL and PIC because although you received instruction, you were also the sole manipulator of the flight controls and were licensed and current in that class and category of aircraft.
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ghewgill
2004-12-19T08:03:44Z
Well, I wasn't really the sole manipulator of the controls, while I did the landing and some of the flying, Geoff did the takeoff and initial thermal hunting. It was only 10 minutes anyway. :)
goulo
2004-12-13T04:19:13Z
Ho, bonege! Mi feliĉas ke vi estas ĝuanta vian vojaĝon! Krozo sonas tre amuza, precipe kiam vintras ĉi tie en Usono (do strange, la vetero nekredeble belegis hodiaŭ en Aŭstino).
Antaŭ kelkaj jaroj mi spektis Quidam en Hjustono kaj ankaŭ tre ĝuis ĝin.
Antaŭ kelkaj jaroj mi spektis Quidam en Hjustono kaj ankaŭ tre ĝuis ĝin.
catherine81
2004-12-13T05:03:15Z
glad you are having fun... :)
chrisj04
2004-12-13T07:58:16Z
not planning on stopping off in adelaide, are ya? :)
ghewgill
2004-12-19T08:06:48Z
No, not going to make it that far south on this trip unfortunately. We have just enough time to make it to Sydney before I have to leave at this rate!
bangpanther
: So...2004-12-19T01:55:49Z
What did you think of the Whitsundays..?
(and yes, you need a license to fly airplanes in australia.. :)
(and yes, you need a license to fly airplanes in australia.. :)
ghewgill
: Re: So...2004-12-19T08:08:21Z
The Whitsundays were great, it was an excellent cruise!
Apparently gliding in Australia is under the sole control of the Gliding Federation of Australia, instead of the Department of Aviation. So that seems to be why there is no formal license needed.
Apparently gliding in Australia is under the sole control of the Gliding Federation of Australia, instead of the Department of Aviation. So that seems to be why there is no formal license needed.
kvarko
2004-12-19T13:19:29Z
Will you be in New Zealand at all? I'll be just a couple hours north of Wellington for three weeks starting after Christmas...
ghewgill
2004-12-19T23:59:48Z
Unfortunately no, I've got to get back to work in January. Amy is going to New Zealand next though, but she's starting on january 17th in Christchurch.
2004-12-13T02:27:23Z