Last Post before France
This time next week I will be in putting to practice mon Francais and since I'm leaving Friday morning, I figured a final blog posting out of Canada for the month of June would be appropriate.
I don't remember how many insane hours I will be travelling to get to France, but it's a lot - something like 30. I'm planning my nap times already, although things will likely change en route. I will be a zombie when I finally get to Bordeaux, but if it's flyable at the Dune, well, you can bet I'll be doing that right away.
So yeah, I'll be tired as hell when I get to France, but I'll deal with it. I worry a bit about British Airways giving me a hard time again for being over the baggage limit - we'll see if this second time around I can get away with the innocent ignorant blonde routine. I really don't care anymore if I have to play that card - it's a choice between trying that or paying a couple hundred bucks for being over the baggage limit...now all I have to do is learn how to cry at will. KIDDING!!!
That martial arts showdown at the casino the other night, was um....interesting. Why anyone would pay to see 2 guys beat the living shit out of each other is a bit beyond me. It was almost barbaric, and I can't say I support grown men acting like caged animals pouncing on one another and finishing each other off via direct punches to the face. I wouldn't say I was grossed out or had my eyes closed the entire time or anything - it just all seemed unnecessary. That being said, I will admit that when one of the organizers of the event introduced me to the "guy who's job it is to clean up blood" I did start to feel a bit queasy. My last night at the casino is one I won't forget - I went out with a bang just as one of my favourite managers promised.
Unfortunately this trip already seems like bad timing business-wise, so it'll sure be interesting to see how much work I can actually get done overseas. The last 2 weeks have had a fair bit of excitement in that area, and now I keep telling everyone how things will have to be "on hold" for at least the next couple weeks. Less than ideal, but what's one to do? Who the hell does business in the summer anyway?
So I'm half done packing, and I'm ready to get on that plane Friday morning. I think I had my first completely paragliding-related dream last night; I remember being in Golden with a bunch of other pilots, and Will Gadd was there talking about clouds. In the dream I finally made sense of thermals was excited to fly, although I kept worrying about bumming out in the wilderness. Hah, that's not too far from the truth. Although with this trip, thankfully, that possibility doesn't really even exist.
Anyway, this will officially be my longest trip ever (3 weeks was the previous record), so this vacation will be an experience to say the least. I still hope to get the following out of it: lots of airtime (20 hours would be nice...), mastering ridge soaring and top landings, and I'm still hoping for that 10 k flight out in the UK. Ok, maybe I'm being optimistic about the latter, but it COULD happen!
As per standard protocol, I will update my blog as often as possible while I am away. My fantasy is to have cheap wi-fi out in France - then it'll be like I never left - lucky you!
Happy flights to you all meanwhile.
I don't remember how many insane hours I will be travelling to get to France, but it's a lot - something like 30. I'm planning my nap times already, although things will likely change en route. I will be a zombie when I finally get to Bordeaux, but if it's flyable at the Dune, well, you can bet I'll be doing that right away.
So yeah, I'll be tired as hell when I get to France, but I'll deal with it. I worry a bit about British Airways giving me a hard time again for being over the baggage limit - we'll see if this second time around I can get away with the innocent ignorant blonde routine. I really don't care anymore if I have to play that card - it's a choice between trying that or paying a couple hundred bucks for being over the baggage limit...now all I have to do is learn how to cry at will. KIDDING!!!
That martial arts showdown at the casino the other night, was um....interesting. Why anyone would pay to see 2 guys beat the living shit out of each other is a bit beyond me. It was almost barbaric, and I can't say I support grown men acting like caged animals pouncing on one another and finishing each other off via direct punches to the face. I wouldn't say I was grossed out or had my eyes closed the entire time or anything - it just all seemed unnecessary. That being said, I will admit that when one of the organizers of the event introduced me to the "guy who's job it is to clean up blood" I did start to feel a bit queasy. My last night at the casino is one I won't forget - I went out with a bang just as one of my favourite managers promised.
Unfortunately this trip already seems like bad timing business-wise, so it'll sure be interesting to see how much work I can actually get done overseas. The last 2 weeks have had a fair bit of excitement in that area, and now I keep telling everyone how things will have to be "on hold" for at least the next couple weeks. Less than ideal, but what's one to do? Who the hell does business in the summer anyway?
So I'm half done packing, and I'm ready to get on that plane Friday morning. I think I had my first completely paragliding-related dream last night; I remember being in Golden with a bunch of other pilots, and Will Gadd was there talking about clouds. In the dream I finally made sense of thermals was excited to fly, although I kept worrying about bumming out in the wilderness. Hah, that's not too far from the truth. Although with this trip, thankfully, that possibility doesn't really even exist.
Anyway, this will officially be my longest trip ever (3 weeks was the previous record), so this vacation will be an experience to say the least. I still hope to get the following out of it: lots of airtime (20 hours would be nice...), mastering ridge soaring and top landings, and I'm still hoping for that 10 k flight out in the UK. Ok, maybe I'm being optimistic about the latter, but it COULD happen!
As per standard protocol, I will update my blog as often as possible while I am away. My fantasy is to have cheap wi-fi out in France - then it'll be like I never left - lucky you!
Happy flights to you all meanwhile.
posted by Veronica at 11:03 PM
2 Comments:
Have a fantastic trip. You deserve it! Be safe and remember: -you can always fly tomorrow.
Hey Veronica, I just stumbled across your blog- and it is GREAT finding other people who sound as obsessed by paragliding as I am!!!!
Hope the weather is perfect for you while you're away - and the hours and flying experience clock up quickly!
I found my early flying hrs took a frustratingly long time to achieve also - a key thing for me was hooking up with a couple of way more experienced pilots who had a similiar work/fly schedule. Good for them, as initially I often ended up as retrieve driver, but good for me, because I learnt heaps from them and progressed way faster than I would have otherwise.
Enjoy the flying overseas, what with that, new wing, and the comps you'll be flying those dream xc flights before you know it!!!
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