Ethiopia

Ethiopia.  I was a tad excited about getting someplace new, even if it is just an airport terminal.  I was quite comfortable on the Ethiopian Airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with plenty of legroom, very good meals, and I actually managed to sleep for eight hours of the twelve hour flight.  We were delayed three hours getting out of Toronto, and with a three hour connection in Addis Ababa, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to make Mombasa that day.  I was surprised to be met getting off the aircraft by airline staff and I was whisked across the tarmac by bus directly to my flight to Mombasa!  They were waiting for me!  Service!  So I didn't even get to see the terminal, but at least I got some great views of Ethiopia from the air. I'd gladly travel with Ethiopian Airlines again, even though one of their aircraft out of Addis Ababa was hijacked the next day.  The co-pilot waited for the captain to step out to pee, then locked the door, declared an emergency, and flew to Geneva, requesting asylum.  I don't think he really thought it through as he'll probably spend the next twenty years in prison.


The riots that had plagued Mombasa have settled, and I was happy to arrive back at our beautiful seaside resort.  I came back early to cover numerous training requirements, and I've been busy flying and sorting out currencies.  It will be awhile before the dust settles.  Yesterday was spent doing multiple IFR approaches and numerous engine failures and rejected take offs and all other sort of emergency for a cheery new hire from Austria.  We had a blast, and he's off on his check ride now.  Tomorrow I have a SAR training sortie planned with hoisting to boat decks, and that's always a very good day.  Despite being relatively busy, I have been able to grab a few laps in the pool, but I'm still Canadian pasty white.  I'll be working on that.  Yesterday the hotel had me change rooms, from a two star level room that had seen better years, to a very modern and comfortable Shangri-La with decent though sporadic internet, and a third floor balcony overlooking the sea.  I fell asleep listening to waves break on the beach with a fresh breeze off the Indian Ocean rustling through the palms, and woke to a beautiful African sunrise.  Life is tough.