Bonus

So we’re on our way from Barcelona in Spain to Charlotte in the States via Munich, flying Lufthansa…. and things are starting to get a bit strange. we got to the airport last thing last night so we were here when the first check-in desk opened at 3.30am this morning. It’s pretty much as unsociable as it sounds, but never mind. We’re ok with that. However, after checking in for both flights and looking at our seat assignments I see that instead of sitting together, on the short leg to Munich we’re sitting one behind the other in different rows and we both have “middle” 14B and 15B seats. I couldn’t believe that literally everyone else had checked in on-line before us and a quick Google throws up: https://simpleflying.com/lufthansa-economy-light-seat-fee/#:~:text=A step down for travelers&text=Currently%2C seat selection is free,or even long-haul flight. “Lufthansa will randomly allocate a seat to you during check-in, potentially leaving you in a middle seat on a short, medium, or even long-haul flight. The €50/$70 'amendment' fee on roundtrip flights could be a huge factor for those choosing between full-service Lufthansa and low-cost airlines on shorter flights.” So unless you pay the surcharge, you will deliberately be given a middle seat and if there’s two of you you’ll get a middle seat each ….

Today: After a nice week of R&R back in Spain – hiking, swimming, riding and picnicing – we’re heading off tonight to Barcelona for an early morning flight to the States in the morning. Our first trip back in 2017 was to NYC – amazing. Last year we were in Denver/Boulder/The Rockies – equally amazing. This trip is to North Carolina. If our daughter and her husband keep moving like this we’re going to get to see all the states! They spoil us rotten when we’re there 🙂 When I get back in a couple of weeks time I’ll be on my own for a month until "Wendy" comes back. A good chance to do some nice long rides and make some progress with our Project. It’ll just be tidying up and maintenance to start with but it always feels so good spending time up there in Guaso.

Last week: Last weekend was the annual Farmers Market in Aisa, this weekend is a big Fiesta. This evening there will be a show on in the plaza and tomorrow night music and dancing. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the UK this summer – so missed the Guaso village and Boltana town Fiestas – so this weekend will be nice 🙂 I’m looking forward to chocolate coated Churros!!

He was completing the practical part of a course to work on yachts apparently and was near a marina. More than that I don't know.

All in all it was an amazing three weeks!

Lots of F-15's and F-16's

This is a stunning piece of kit and puts on an awesome display

Nice and empty for me 🙂 The Red Arrows and another display team did a combined practice display. They didn't fly together during the actual airshow so we were lucky 🙂

🙂

After posting pics of me working at Fairford Airshow whilst it was being installed, I'm finally getting around to posting pics I took of the planes as they arrived. It was so nice being able to drive anywhere we wanted to and take pics before the crowds arrived 🙂 These 2 pics are of an F-22 that comes in "kit form" in half a dozen shipping containers and is put together by a team. It's actually just a big and very realistic plastic model!

I'm not sure exactly. If I find out I'll post it on here.

He wasn't cycling but....... We have a 21 yr old nephew who is studying/work experiencing in Cape Town at the moment. He's a well bought up, polite and considerate young man who would never hurt anyone. He was attacked walking to work early the other morning. They sliced through his chest, lung, diaphragm and spleen - cutting him from his upper chest down to his lower stomach. Stole his almost empty wallet and left him for dead. He managed to crawl for help. Someone found him and he was rushed to hospital. They removed his spleen but managed to save his lung and repair his diaphragm. yesterday he came off of his morphine drip and hopefully in a few days he'll be able to leave hospital and go home for a long period of rest and recovery.

Yep 🙂

There was a week or so that was incredible hot - 38 & 39 degrees. The heat coming up from the runways and taxiways was exhausting. Twice we worked all day, saw the sun set and then saw it rise again the next day! 21hr shifts - because there was a lot of stuff we had to do between the last plane coming in on the evening before the airshow and the next morning when the doors opened. Then again the moment the doors closed on Sunday evening we worked all night so that planes could leave early the next day. Tough work but very rewarding and with a great bunch of people.

Packing up 😞

Taking down the big vinylls - gravity helped!

I wanted to bring some of the pics home - but where would I put them?

VIP entrance and Exit . . . .