Scott's African Adventure

Day 7 12/03/09

Today I finish the group one training class as it has been called. Tomorrow I will start in with group two. If all goes well, I will have next Friday off and can spend the whole day chillin. My flight leaves at 2215 Friday night. I get to Wash Dullas around 0730, then sit all day until my 1700 flight on United to Seattle. I will get home around 2100.

I went down stairs and had the “continental breakfast” today. This was only about 164 birr, so about $12. It is much better. I had raisin bran, pancakes, french toast, coffee and juice. Mostly I just sampled, but it's cheaper and much better. The milk tastes funny here. I then realized that it's FRESH milk. Probably from the goats. I am thinking that I might have to be careful of the “non-pasteurized” milk.

Today the weather is clear and sunny. Should be a nice day. Tomorrow Jonathan leaves for Nairobi. I will be on my own. I think tonight I will go for a walk and try out the sauna. There is still a chill in the air.

I asked one of my students to take me to a store today, so I could be a few things. He took me to a mall. It had a large store where I was able to buy a few snacks and things I had needed. Then we walked around the store a little bit and found a few snacks. The best of it was dill pickle flavored pringles. I bought a few beers too.

There was some wheeling and dealing done today. I guess ET really wants FP to do ALL the training until they are able to get there own sim and instructors. about a year from now. The hard thing is that I feel like I am committed to these three sessions. I can't really say how I feel about the prospect of more of a commitment. I think I could do the sim training ok in Stockholm, but I am not too sure about coming down here to fly. All this teaching has really given me knowledge of the area, and that wouldn't too tough, but flying is a totally different deal. I would really have to think that through. Delivery would a cool thing. Imagine flying from Toronto to Iceland to England to Greece to Africa. Wouldn't that be cool! We will have to see. Sweden would be in July and that is a hard time for me. Delivery flight would be all spring. And a year from now. ET would be self sustaining as a Q400 operator. That would be mission accomplished. It would be quite an accomplishment to see this through for a year.

I remembered today that almost all of my best memories in life, were absolute HELL at the time that they occurred. But, I look back at those moments in life with a smile, sometimes a tear, or even a chuckle, and I realized that I would not exchange any of them for anything. Is there a lesson in there somewhere? I think so. This really hasn't been that tough, and it is good for me to feel a little discomfort once in a while. Admittedly, my life is pretty darn easy.

I am flying solo down here now as Jonathan has taken off to Nairobi. I am not worried. I know what I have to do, and I can deliver.

Bye bye for now

scty