Sunday 22.11.2015

We walked with Wojtek to the airfield in the morning. It’s not that long walk, but definitely can be hot even at 9 in the morning. When we arrived, there was table full of food for breakfast, variety was lot better than in many hotels I’ve visited.

Briefing was again short (good!) and Beryl told that the flying weather will last late. The tie down area was empty during the day, so I guess quite many was flying. I went to the airfield with Danish guy Simon (AG), as I wanted to see how it was and take some pictures. Unfortunately most of the gliders had launched already, so I got only couple of pictures. Coming weeks at the grid might ask some patience…because of the flies. Australian flies apparently want to go in every hole you have on your head, or those just want to climb up and down your nose and sunglasses and basically everywhere. If flies are exhausted, they will park at your back and travel around for free. Anyway, those flies are worse than Finnish mosquitoes.

Weather really lasted late, around 18:00 there were still many radio announcements of landing gliders. One particular female voice got my attention; I mean I was sitting by the radio but hardly listening to it, but this woman voice with really clear pronunciation caught my attention, and I still wonder who she was. She definitely sounded like professional air traffic controller or something like that.

Yesterday evening I heard a rumor that Makoto – who is visiting Narromine – was going to fly 1000 km task today. I met him at the terrace in the evening and asked about that. He told that actually the plan was 850 km or so, but since he wasn’t flying alone, it took more time. That’s why they flew “only” 650 km with his wife, and because she didn’t fly as fast as he did, they managed to fly much shorter distance. It sounded quite nice when he described how they were flying together, and he was teaching her during the task.

I have been spending these couple of days at the clubhouse, just because there is internet connection. Suddenly I realized someone was walking towards me and looking at me and looking like he would know me. I went through all my databases in my head but couldn’t find a match. He introduced himself as Ulrich Stauss, father of Eric and Jess, whom I’ve met at previous JWGC’s. We actually haven’t met with Ulrich, but have exchanged emails some years ago. Later I met Joanna, Eric’s and Jess’s mother. I must say that both Ulrich’s and Joanna’s words put a big smile on my face. I’ve met many people who have told that they read my stories, but didn’t know that there are people who would call themselves as fans of me :-)

The day went really slowly, I was waiting for my “bosses” to arrive, meaning John (Styles) and the competition director Adam Webb. I just managed to see Adam, as I was ready to leave for dinner with Mike and Charles, but he arrived just before that. We shook hands and then it was time for me to go.

We had dinner at local RSL club, Team France happened to be there as well. After eating nice fillet mignon I felt like I just could fall asleep, and I did.