En route pour Dubbo

So here we are, stuck in a tin can and bored thoughtless. We are on our way to Dubbo, supposedly to visit the great zoo up there.

We picked the bumpiest day of the year for this. I kid you not, we're seeing 120km/h headwinds today, which isn't great in a plane that droops along at 300km/h.

I'm sleeping this off

Ella is snacking, as usual

Mum and dad are obviously enjoying this. Go figure.

Anyway. Ella and I are really, really glad we survived this flight. Hugs all around!

Pizza delivery

Nu Zuland

Friend -

We're back in New Zealand, where the temperature is an unseasonal 20 degrees. We came over on Wednesday and have been catching up with friends since. 

Today was zoo time. Here are a few pictures of another great adventure. I'll try to post more regularly - I have so many things on the boil at the moment (and pre-school coming up in 10 days!!).

These big birds are seriously threatening. But thankfully slow.

Ella was pretty scared, but not enough to stop posing.

Fascinating stuff. Though I can't remember what I was looking at then. Something striking, I'm sure.

Monkeys. In the enclosure, I mean.

Fierce creatures

Ella got a good lick. Yuk

All in all an exhausting affair

Good ol' Auckland

Wings over Illawarra

Wollongong, hitherto known to me for its car dealerships, hosted today Wings over Illawarra, a nicely put together air show (see http://woi.org.au/)

Air show, I hear you say, the Mecca of sore necks and sunburns? Well, perhaps. 

Except for the huge concentration of amicable propellerheads. This is Alan, a F/A 18 commander in the RAAF who spends his weekends displaying the very last flying Meteor. Dad and the boys met him in Temora a few weeks ago, he took me in for a closer look.

If you don't see me in the first picture, have a closer look too.

I also had a good chat with this bloke in the Navy Seahawk. All started well with the usual fist bump...

... until he noticed the Air Force badge I was wearing. Oops. Sounds like there's healthy competition between the two shops.

Vrrrrrooooooaaaaaaaaaaa

Backstage on the parking, on the way to our plane

Bye Wollongong

I'm glad someone took pictures on departure: I snoozed from engine start to landing back in Sydney. 

A good day? You betcha!

Call me Iceman

Got out west today with Dad, Groppi and Grommi for my first GA flight. The idea was to see if I'm now up for a bit of flying.

No clouds to speak of, no wind, warmish. In short: perfect weather for posing.

First we tracked north to Parramatta, then to Long Reef for a couple of orbits inside Sydney Harbour. All very civilised, I found.

We then ducked down low near Manly and headed south past South Head...

... Vaucluse, always a nice view of the CBD to the west

... then Bondi.

That took us fairly close to our Clovelly home. At this stage I'd like to show you what we look like from the ground. Alas, Mum was on camera duty when Ella managed to get her head stuck between the deck's sliding doors.

I could hardly contain my excitement. As you can see.

That's not cool, it's sub-zero. Call me Iceman.

I eventually woke up during taxi, fresh like a daisy. 

The day's grand finale was macca's. If flying is to end with good food, count me in for more of it!

We're on again on the 25th. See you then.