Taking flight on the shortest day

[vilakins]

I still haven't got round to sorting out and selecting from my many photos of the steampunk festival, but here are some others.

On Thursday, the shortest day (yay, past at last!) I went on a Tiger Moth flight from Omarama over Lake Benmore, a gift Greg ordered for my birthday. It was freezing (literally: -1C) but totally awesome! The plane was one that took part in the Warbirds over Wanaka and is based there, but I got a 30-minute flight from Omarama (a place famous for clear skies and great gliding weather) on its way north to Auckland for winter maintenance.


Me in several layers of warm clothing - plus a huge and thick borrowed flight jacket, helmet, goggles, and mic to be able to talk to the pilot. You can see the frost in the plane's shadow - and it was only waiting for us there for 10 minutes.


I'm not sure how the sun made that reflection, but a shining Excalibur in Lake Benmore!


The mighty Benmore Dam is out of sight though I did see it in the distance; pity we didn't have time to fly over it


Snow on the mountains


Frost on the ground; you can see where it's been exposed by shifting tree shadows


The Tiger Moth, back on the ground. It flew to Blenheim that day, then to Auckland on Friday for its winter annual overhaul.


Two lifesize (so to speak) plush Shreks enjoying tea in dainty cups in the Valley Cafe, Kurow, encountered on our way back from Omarama

Comments

[kerravonsen]

Wow! Way cool!

[gwendraith]

So envious of your Tiger Moth flight, what fun!

Fab pictures as always :)

[vilakins]

Thank you!

[astrogirl]

That is so cool!

[vera_j]

Oooohhh!!! What a gift! Tiger Moth! Magnificent experience you must have had, dear. Wonderful pictures, that Excalibur image is really fantastic.
And again, as always, I realise that while you have the shortest day, we had the longest one. And the seasons are reversed. Well, of course. But somehow is has never ceased to puzzle me!:-)
Thank you for sharing!

[vilakins]

Whereas we grow up knowing it from very young because of the vast majority of books and films being set on the other half.

For you northerners: it's all about Earth's tilt.

[vera_j]

How very true.:-)
Many thanks for that link, the website is GREAT!

[trixieleitz]

Fantastic views! and you had perfect weather for it.

Some of our band went to play at the steampunk festival, but unfortunately I couldn't join them. Sounds like they had a lot of fun.

[vilakins]

It worked out so well as the weather was foggy and crap for more than a week beforehand.

Which band was that? It was huge fun, and the weather was very similar to my flight: sunny and very cold.

[trixieleitz]

I think they were accompanying some belly dancers. Middle-Eastern-flavoured, mostly acoustic.

[vilakins]

Ah, I saw the belly dancers in the parade! Do you still do that BTW?

[trixieleitz]

I haven't danced for years - but still keep meaning to go back to it! I'm very involved in the music side of things though, and we are all pretty much one community here, which is nice.