Flying School

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We're in a state of inertia in our traveling at the moment; think all the running around just before and since leaving the UK has caught up on us and we've needed to just stop. We've been here at Taupo DeBretts Campsite for 2 weeks now - 'Chilled-out' isn't the right phrase, more like 'Horizontal-look-for-a-pulse'.

We've acquired a few more gizmos to fill up the van. We made the wise decision to return the TV, as we could only get reception for about 2 channels, and that was with a tidy booster ariel, and the programs we did manage to get were American sit-com/ chat shows that made Steve start to chew the side of the van. In part-exchange for the TV, we got a stainless steel portable gas BBQ, and a couple of buoyancy vests for when we do eventually get out on our boat!

The BBQ is a sensible buy; we tried it out last night, with homemade burgers which we had in grilled pittas, with salad and garlicky homemade tzatziki, (we, and the van, seriously hum of garlic this morning). We BBQ'd to music, playing the iPod through our fab new plug-n-play speakers, and then watched a film, playing a rented DVD on the Macbook, also using the new speakers for surround sound. Who needs a TV?!

On the quest to learn to fly helicopters, we visited Astral Helicopters in Rotorua yesterday and Steve took a flight lesson. He was up in the air for about 30 minutes and took the controls for about 20 minutes, practicing circuits and hovering. 'It's like trying to balance a plate on the end of a pin whilst patting your head', is Steve's description of hovering.

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Photos

Pre-Flight Theory
'... so that's to go left and right, and this is for up and down?'

And They're Off!
'See, Terry, glad I watched 'Black Hawk Down' 56 times.....'

Up, Up and Away!
'You pay, you fly! Over to you now!'

Far Away!
'See that mountain, I want you to fly straight to it. Not into it, to it!'.

On the Return
'Look, see, I can fly!'

Hover Practice
'Pat your head, rub your belly and tap your feet.'

Or is it Hoover Practice?
'A bit more aft, that's it, whoa not that much!'

Chuffed To Bits!
'Flew that, I did!'

Comments

[Dom]

Bindi over excited
Whats happenin ...just to let you know you two are not the only jet setters in the world ,we have saved our 20p coins over the year (or rocket schnozel aka keith Smith)has stolen from us with over inflatated mess prices...so we (white watch) are going in less than 12hrs from now 3rd Dec 20:00 to invade the small island of Majorca for a whole 3 days and the little indian chap on the watch Bindi Evans is nearly pissin himself with uncontrolable excitement... so will send you pics on return ...............GOD Willing..... Hope no Bum Boys like last year :-) See Ya