Amazing Bangalore!

I must truly apologise for not writing sooner, but the last week has been very hectic . . . however, we have just arrived in Phuket, Thailand for a very short stop, and so I will write a quick note on our visit to India . . . hmmm, me write a quick note  . . . . yeah, right!!! :-)

 

To get to India from Tanzania, Africa, we had to go via Seychelles (Mahe Island), and let me tell you, that is one seriously expensive place!  As we approached Seychelles, the weather continued to deteriorate, and it made our arrival quite interesting.  I ended up using the GNS RNAV approach, and we finally got visual . . . the minima was coming up, and so we were happy to pop out of the clouds and see the runway ahead.  (Pilot talk here: those RNAV approaches are awesome . . . we are using a GARMIN GNS430 in the Airvan, and, wow, that is awesome!  You can even read the approach when you are . . . ahem . . . actively bouncing through the air!)

 

We departed Seychelles after paying a king's ransom for everything there . . . and to add insult to injury, the day we departed was a public holiday, so they slugged us with a 50% surcharge on all services . . . I had to laugh because one of the locals mentioned that the Somali pirates are causing them headaches because tourists are not coming like they used to . . . I had to stop myself from saying, "Yeah, the local pirates here are also causing me a headache!!! But I didn't! :-)

 

We took off from Seychelles at 2pm as we had to deal with some "meteorological issues", and we wanted to handle this in daylight.  Then into the night, we flew (Tim was PIC for this flight), and guess what!!!! WE HAD TAILWINDS!!!  YES! YES!  For the first time in our entire flight, we had either nil winds or tailwinds the entire flight!  The downside was that there was some further "meteorological issues" that we wanted to deal with in daylight when we arrived at the India coast; but because of our added speed, we arrived a little early.  So, yes, we had no trouble at all staying awake for the last part of our flight . . . yeah, you go right ahead and read all you like between those lines! :-)

 

Our arrival in India was nothing short of completely exhilirating.  We landed at Bangalore International and the airport gave us a water cannon salute and we taxied through the huge water arch!  It was just fantastic!  As soon as we parked, we received a traditional Indian welcome from Mahindra (the major sponsors of this flight), and we tasted the simply legendary hospitality of India . . . what an amazing country.  As I write this, I must tell you . . . India is a country that simply every person in the world must visit.  I felt so at home in Bangalore (except for the traffic - I am never complaining ever again about any traffic in any Aussie city . . . EVER).  After a huge welcome by Mahindra, we took off again for the HAL Airport in Bangalore where the aircraft would be hangared and where the special launch would be conducted.

 

The next day, Radha (who has become a very dear friend of both Tim and I) took us out with his family on Sunday afternoon, and we strolled around a massive mall, and we joked around with his beautiful children.  It was so nice to just spend some time with a family . . . it was wonderful.  Radha truly looked after us and shouldered a mammoth task of logistics for the flying we did in India.  We have agreed that we are definitely getting together again as soon as possible with both our families . . . (so, Kim, if you're reading this, we're going to Bangalore . . . you will just love it!)

 

Much of our time was spent at the offices of Mahindra Aerospace, and wow, what a team they have working there.  Each of them became good friends with Tim and I, and we had some fantastic fun times together, and by the end of the week, we felt like we worked at Mahindra Aerospace too . . . just like one of the team.  It was so refreshing, relaxing, rejuvenating . . . it was just one awesome time.  I will miss all the crew at Mahindra Aerospace, but I have decided that Bangalore is one place I will visit again . . . and again . . . and again! :-)

 

Now, one thing I have to say here is that you have not lived until you have eaten genuine Indian food.  The food is simply incredible (except if you're not into spicy food!!).  We at all Indian food the entire time we were here, except one day when we decided to get a Dominos Pizza.  I ordered a Pepperoni Pizza, and it had pepperonis on it with BIRDSEYE CHILLIS!  I LOVE INDIA!  How awesome is that!!!  I had curry for breakfast, pizza with birdseye chillis for lunch and curry for dinner!  Lovin' it!  When you go to Kentucky Fried Chicken, there is only hot and spicy, no original!

 

The other thing that is truly amazing at Bangalore was the driving . . . Bangalore is not the place for timid drivers . . . no sir!  If there is a gap between two cars that is roughly the size of two pencils, then a four wheel drive, rickshaw and a taxi will squeeze through!  It is amazing.  Tim and I saw an accident happen on the road . . . a chap ran into the back of another car and then took out the motorbike that was coming up the left.  We stopped to see what would happen, and we learned a valuable lesson here . . . there are no such things as rubber neckers in India.  The pace of the traffic barely changed.  The drivers got out, shook their heads, muttered under their breaths, and a policeman came over and told them to get moving, and then away they went.  The two chaps on the motorbike stood on the footpath for a while as they were a bit worse for wear, and then on their motorbike they hopped, and off they went. From start to finish, wait for it . . . less than 3 minutes!!!  The other thing you will note is the use of horns.  People beep their horns all the time and there are signs encouraging it . . . that way people know if you are there!!

 

On Saturday was the big event, and Tim and I had the tremendous privilege of meeting Arnand Mahindra.  There were media everywhere, and I have never seen anything like it in my life.  There was a formal press conference,and the Australian and Indian national anthems were played as it started.  It was truly an amazing moment.  We have been truly so privileged to have Mahindra as our major sponsor for this flight, and to be present at this day was just an incredible experience.  I must say a massive thank you to Arvind Mehra who really made all this happen . . . if it wasn't for him, we would not be here today!

 

So now we are on our way to PNG . . . we will be flying pretty hard for three days so that we can to PNG on Tuesday evening.  The monsoon weather is keeping us wide awake and free from boredom, but hopefully once we leave the Philippines, the weather will start to settle.

 

Nearly home . . . .