Newsflash!!!!!!!

Newsflash - it's a new thing, normally we try to keep the blog in date order, but when something like this happens, we have to blog it immediately!
Hands up if you've ever wanted to fly a plane! (I [Keith] have got both hands up). Well it happened for me today, thanks to Justine's parents David and Pam. I had the most fantastic experience and even better because I never expected it.... but first some recent history! We're in Bendigo, Victoria (about 2 hours north of Melbourne) with our friends Ben and Justine who we met on the Captain Cook cruise in Fiji. Justine's Mam and Dad own a light aircraft and David offered to take us for a flight over the Murray Riverm and surrounding areas. So here we are getting in the plane at the airstrip in Echuca, Victoria.




This is Justine and Suzanne in the back of the plane. Justine, the air hostess is demonstrating to the fellow passengers of 'White Knuckle Airlines' the correct procedure for using the 'sick bag' (thankfully it was NOT required).










This is us cruising at 2000 feet looking down the meandering Murray river, north of the river is New South Wales, south of the river is Victoria. The ride was just a little bumpy due to the heat outside - it was 41 C (that's about 106 F) this causes lots of thermals and 'thinner air' which equals 'bumpier ride'! The scenery was fantastic.









But wait... who's that at the controls!! Captain Hodge!! I think every red blooded male must wonder what it's like to fly a plane - I can tell you it is an amazing feeling. I was just asking David some casual questions about flying and he said - "Well, why don't you try - take over the controls, the plane is yours"! So with a mixture of excitement and sheer fear I flew the plane for about 10 minutes - it was class, I even did a big sweeping turn - it just feels amazing when you turn the handle and the plane rolls over and starts sweeping round. David can fly the plane with just one thumb - unlike me - note the 'vice like grip' I've got on the steering column!

Suzanne and Justine enjoying the ultra-smooth flight piloted by Captain Hodgson - or had they just had too much of the 'duty free'?

This the approach towards Echuca on the way back to the airstrip.

David is flying now as things get a little more difficult coming in to land - you need to fly past the runway 3 times, reduce altitude to 1000 feet, put the landing gear down and check all 3 green lights come on, slow speed to 80 knots and use the flaps.

Final approach to the runway, we touched down with hardly a bump - an absolute expert landing!

This is the four of us taxiing back to the drop off point. Can you spot the really happy face bottom left corner? You'd think he'd been flying a plane or something!!

And this is us back on TerraFirma! The only thing left to say is a big thank you to David for making a wish come true! We all had a fantastic time. We left in the car for Bendigo and Pam and David got back in the plane and flew home to Cohuna - can you guess who got home first?


Ps Justine - I hope you're not reading this at work!!!