22 Feb - All Africa last task cancelled

So, 5 minutes to the window opening, the task was cancelled due to too much wind. It was blowing at about 25km/hr by the time we left take off and reinforced as the afternoon went on. Some decided to fly down, but there are always those pilots who "feel the need"!. Felix Rodriguez won the overall and Khobi Jane Bowden, the Women's podium.

I rolled back to my B&B for a nice relaxed evening followed by a succulent 300g filet steak "south africa style" at the local restaurant. Practice day tomorrow and hoping that the wind drops.

21st Feb - Task 4 Africa Open

Twin Trees B & B. I can recommend this accommodation run by a lovely couple. Air con, pool and wifi - it's 38+ degrees outside and I've slept for 10hours and feel rested.

I joined the All Africa competition today, and for the next couple of days, so that I could get in some practice and have a ride/retrieve.

The task was a 45km north. Great climbs in the flats and chose to fly these rather than ridge-run to get used to a different terrain. Finding climbs as low down as 250m for me was an eye opener and an exciting challenge, as the golden terrain delivered again and again all the way to goal.
Coming in 21st out of the field I was happy. First flight in 5 months and my season has started.

Another task today and lets hope the weather will be as good as yesterday. More later...

20 February 2013 - Porterville South Africa

Hearty breakfast from BA this morning after 6hrs of pretty good sleep :-)....Yes, that IS scrambled egg!

 Cloudy parallel with Johannesburg, then...

 The skies opened, little cumulus and beautiful views of Cape Town as we came into land.

That was a BIG plane we were on!

Great transfer from airport to Porterville (1hr20mins). Staying at the Twin Trees with Trix and her husband whoo are a lovely couple. Swimming Pool, Wifi, Air con ...oooh lala!

T5 - Peachy shopping, but....

OK, so I like to shop but not for hours!
Flight delayed, frustrating - I'm ready to go, now!!!!

D-Day ! Porterville, here we come....

Today. We are finally here. A beautiful day with gentle thermic conditions, and handful of people battled with the snow to walk up to Planfait take off for some gentle soaring. With an additional 50cm's on the ground since my last trip to take-off, they must have been full of dutch courage to battle with deep snow carrying gliders up to launch.
Blue sky and spring sunshine, I set off to Geneva airport for the start of my long journey to Porterville with a small lump in my throat. Would there be any snow left when I returned home? Would it be flyable when I returned home. Would it look like this when I returned home?

Or like this?

All those questions will be answered in 18 days. But for now, focus on what lies ahead and the first competition of the season: the Paragliding World Cup round 1 in Porterville, South Africa.
Manned with new glider, a Niviuk Icepeak6 thanks to Niviuk UK, and some blond ambition to join in the World Championships in July 2013, off I go...

Next stop T5 Heathrow airport, London, UK.

D -1 - Skitour Sulens

As a final tribute to this winter's training to keep fit in prep for this summer's flying season, I set out to enjoyed a final Ski Tour up Mont Sulens, before leaving for South Africa and the first of the paragliding competitons for me this season, tomorrow.

What a beautiful day. 1770m to the summit from the valley, we covered about 800m vertical which was enough after a 2hr long gym session a couple of hours before.
the view was just stunning and we enjoyed a steaming cup of Chai on the summit before skiing down through untracked powder snow which, oddly enough had not transformed to spring snow with the warmer weather (6° during the day).

What a fabulous way to spend the last day before I leave.

PWC South Africa D-1

Almost there. Packing done. Checked all equipment (C-Pilot not working 100% - ho-hum). Just need to check-in with flight company this afternoon to grab my window seat for the 14hr flight from Geneva to Cape Town and I am green for GO ...