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July 18,
1998
Just to let everyone know, we are experiencing
technical difficulties. Only with our computer. So, we are faxing our journal
in but can't send pictures. (Actually, this is just an excuse. We have
pictures we don't want anyone to see)... Not really!!
We got up and headed to the airport at
Keflavik. We went back into Iceland Air Dispatch Office and got the weather.
The guy behind the counter told us that normally he would not recommend flying to Vagar,
Faroe Islands but for some strange reason, the weather opened up and it was CAVOK (ceiling
and visibility O.K.) He said go for it. So, here we go again. 2 pack
mules hauling our stuff out to Mary Beth. You know, there is nothing graceful or
dainty about 2 females with 2 purses, 1 computer, 2 camera bags, 2 briefcases, 2 coats, 1
small ice chest, and 1 rolling bag walking across the ramp. (Yes, all this together
just puts us in the 10% over gross category.) We did our pre-flight and loaded the
plane. Sometime, while playing pack mule, I pulled a muscle in my back. If
you have ever crawled into a MAULE, then you know that it's not graceful. Well, try
it with a hurt back. I started to get Nikki to get behind and shove but changed my
mind when I got a visual on that. I thought the guys in the tower probably had
binoculars and would send someone out to see just who these nuts were. This was
after I figured they had already watched me hide behind a rock by the parking pad and pee
on the ramp. (It was a very long walk back to the terminal and 4
hours to the next land.) Well, loaded up, we headed to the Faroe Islands. Mary
Beth has done great over the water and we are so pleased with this. Vagar, Faroe has
a 4,100 foot runway. There is the prettiest approach over a village. We landed
on 31 uphill and pulled in past a 737 picking up passengers. We had been listening
on the radio to a guy coming into Vagar. His name is Brian Milton. he has been
flying an ultra-light around the world. He wanted to do it in 80 days but this was
day 118. Now this is not an enclosed ultra-light. I am not familiar at all
with the ultra-lights and don't know what kind it is but later will send you guys a
picture. Fabric wings, big yellow gloves attached to the wings so his hands won't
freeze over the North Atlantic. She He was on his way home to London. Almost
finished with his journey. We checked the Scotland and the Norway weather and
made the decision to go to Norway. So here we go again. About 1/2 of
the way, Nikki looked over and said "Excuse me, but I'm going to move my headset mic
and sing." She didn't want me to hear her voice. Finally I had to ask
what she was singing. Out over the blue water, she was singing "Softly and
Tenderly". Reminded me of the day I soloed a glider. I sang "I'd be
better off in a Pine Box." About 60 miles out of Bergen, we ended up in some
clouds. In about 4 minutes the airspeed started dropping off. I thought I
would point out some interesting accumulations on the struts and wings. Seems ice
forms quick here. I called Stavenger Radio and told them that we needed
lower. So at 5,000 ft. and 40 degrees, we lost the ice. Also at 4,000 ft,
Nikki was able to shove her eyeball's back into the sockets. I must say, she seemed
to enjoy Iceland to Norway better than the earlier crossings.
3 1/2 hours later, Bergen came into view.
Actually the offshore oil rigs popped up first. "Oh my gosh" at the
views. When you are coming into the airport. It is fantastic. House # 9
for Nikki, she has to live here too. We landed at 11 PM and was taken straight to
customs. Finally after going to 5 different countries, we go our first stamp in our
passports on this trip. Jenns and Sigmund, fans of Waylons and friends of Nikki's,
picked us up at the airport and took us to the hotel. Another long day finished..
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