Trans Kalahari Highway and Windhoek (bulked)

The road to independence led through Cuba

New and old in Windhoek

Windhoek downtown

German church in Windhoek

Sunset in the Kalahari

Kalahari highway from the Namibian border to Windhoek on the plateau of a truck

Ngamiland, Botswana

Commenting option

So many of you complained because I have hidden the comment option that I will put it back. Although I'm afraid a bit that I'll be spamed again.

Cheers guys! My next post will be from Namibia. Going there tomorrow morning.

Life ain't boring in Maun

Being on a low budget and planning for a longer stay might really be a challenge. You'd think it is boring to just sit at the camp bar with your laptop, and sitting at the airport on free wifi with your laptop, and sitting in the pool to cool down a bit. Then having a few beers. Meeting some of the pilots. Fooling around. Doing the same protocol every day.

But if you have that "anthropologist touch" and you can go along with locals you can easily get to places cheap or even for free.

So, this is was happened to me...

Thamalakane river

A few days ago I wanted to visit a friend who stays at the Old Bridge Backpackers. So I took a walk on the sideroads. And got a bit lost. Asked a local guy how I could get to Old Bridge. He told me that he's going there too, to have a chill. So I went with him. We were joined by a friend of his Babui and a girl Mary. The aussie I was looking for was not at the camp. So these guys invited me to their table. We had lots of talk, and I found out that the guy I met was Dropston and he is a river patrol. We had a few drinks at the Old Bridge. We played Jenga. Then when the sun almost set down I was headed back to Audi Camp. Gift, saying that it was dangerous, came with me until we could see the lights of the camp.

When we parted he promised me that next day he'll come with service boat and he'll take me on a trip.

My bro' Dropston

He was there the next day and we had a great day. He took me up ther river in his motorboat almost to the Buffalo Fence (the "border" of the Okavango). During this he was practising how to use his GPS.

Cranes over the river

We swam in the Thamalakane. And then all of a sudden a dozen little setswana kids arrived and jumped in the water. Splashing, jumping. I started to take pictures and they got very excited. Wanted to see the picks I took. And they were just coming and touching my tattoo... It was really funny.

Cooling

A big bunch of people were harvesting sugar cane close to the river. When they finished they came to where we were swimming and they were asking me if I could lend them my boat so they can cross the river. I pointed on Dropston and said that they should ask him. And he took them over the river. We got from them a sheaf of sugar canes for free. Never ate sugar cane before, but it is really taste and sweet.

Smiles

This little report doesn't even describe you the fun we had. It was a really relaxing and fantastic afternoon! Thank you Dropston!

Unemployed pilots in Maun

This morning we had a conversation at the airport with a couple of unemployed pilots. And I've found out that there's a mutual defiant alliance amongst them. They even have a chairman. The guy who is here for the longest time and still didn't get a job. So I decided it is time that we need to have a logo... Here you go:

Pilot wannabe's life in Maun

Wake up early. Get to the airport. Say hi to the guys at the companies. Try to get a free ride. Almost every CP will tell you to go to their offices and try to find a spare seat. If you are lucky and also the pilot thinks so you might end up with a free ride over the Okavango Delta. But they say this is also kinda testflight, so they can get a picture of you. But on your first such flight you'll probably be taking pictures like crazy, so don't stress.

If there are no free rides - and this is common in this season, because priority is given to the newly recruited pilots (their training gets around 50 hours right seat and 50 hours left seat) - majority of us is sitting in the airport terminal, there you have free wifi. And we all become spotters. Taking pictures of the planes coming and going. Biggest birds being Botswana Defence Forces C130's. They're doing touch and go's with the Hercules. Also from time to time Transal's land here. Or army Gazelles.

Huge South African Sikorsky

When I get hungry or had enough of sitting at the airport I head to Bon Arrivé or Hilary's for a sandwich. But you can get to any supermarket like Choppies, Spar. Or have a hamburger or steak at Wimpy's. My biggest concern is that I haven't yet found a good place to try some local food. Like water lily, papa and stuff.

Afternoons back at the camp. Sitting with the other guys, playing cards or just chattin'. Maybe do a braai (steak) from the famous Botswana meat.

Braai at Audi Camp

Then having a few beers at the bar. Again hanging on the internet. Doing crazy competitions, like having all the Audi Camp shooters in a row.

Having the Audi welcome shot made mixed by Kash (in the back)... You don't wanna know what it contains!

Other times visiting the other camps like Old Bridge or Croc Camp. And waiting for that phone call...

View of the old bridge over the Thamalakane from the Old Bridge Backpackers

Maun, Botswana

If you might arrive against all my quatshing then you should take a taxi to any of your chosen campsites. But be careful as everywhere in the world taxi drivers here will also try to ask you more than reasonable. Taxis here don't have meters, there's some governmental regulation on how much you should be askeed for a given distance (except if the driver is a crook). Audi Camp, Old Bridge (probably 10 km distance) would cost you 20 Pula. If he asks you 25-30 Pula then forget about it.

Combis coming and going

Other then that you can walk (around three minutes) from the airport to the main street and hitch a Combi northbound. The Combi's are the local mass transport. Small and old Toyota Hiace's. Sometimes carrying 16 people (that was my record too). If you have no agoraphobia (and why should you) then this is the cheapest way to travel around town. You can pay anywhere between 2,5 to 3,5 Pula, I couldn't figure out the proper sum yet. These Combi's are the real thing. They come and go pretty frequently and you just have to wave anywhere you are and they'll stop and pick you up. Tell'em where you want to jump off and thats it. Enjoy the ride. Combi's are pretty fun. If they see someone they horn, if he's far out from the main road the driver will go and pick him/her up. Monday I was going in from Audi to the airport and we saw a big bunch of people around a car ten-fifteen meters from the road. There was also a police car. My travel mates got pretty excited. The Combi stopped and everyone lurked down and went to see what has happened. I was left the only one to guard the car. The only thing that happened was that the cars front left weel broke out.

For us continental Europeans it is very important to watch out when crossing a road, as here they have "keep left" traffic I'm looking first to the left, but the cars arrive from the right.

The road from Audi

People are friendly and if they understand your English then they will help you. And they keep smiling. They are so positive - and that is true for the guys at the companies, too - that even thou the situation ain't too shiny I can't get depressed. Maybe it is the ever shinig sun, the heat and the lack of "civilized" money race rage.

For shoppinng you have pretty good superstores. SPAR, Shoprite, Choppies. You probably get everything you need and the prices I pretty fair. Lots of you asked on beer prices. A bottle of 0,33 averages around 6 Pula (which is slightly less then a US dollar) if you buy it in a liqueur store. If you buy it at a bar it can go at around 15-17 Pula (that would be around 2 american dollars). And they say it is pretty tasty (hopefully not like the world famous Hungarian wine that is world famous in Hungary).

The real thing is the price of great steak meats. 15-18 Pula for 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of great meat for the braai (barbeque to you). Those who had steaks from local meat say that it is tremendous.

Cityscape Maun

And the most important thing: bring with you a cellphone and get a sim card as soon as you can. You can buy one around the airport, in town they're selling them on every corner. The sim card will cost you 15 Pula (at least the mascom one). And you can get some prepaid cards too! So if you have that just be sure to put your botswana cell number on the CV. That's where you'll get the call: dear whoever, we would be happy to work with you...

That is it for now.

On the hunt

Finally arrived to Maun, later then never. The place is fantastic. For lots it only is a dusty little town where you might get a flying job and build some hurs, but for me it is bush flying heaven. I really like the idea of living here in Botswana or some other similar place. But that is me. And will not tire you with this. I'm sure that you're more interested on the present job situation here. Also I have to apologize myself here for not answering every email. I get lots of emails and would take me a half day to answer all of them, and internet here at Audi Camp ain't too cheap...

FBMN tower

In the last few days I got to almost every company (Kavango, Moremi, Mack, Safari, Delta, Major Blue). Sefofane chief pilot is the only one I couldn't talk with yet. Things are at a halt here. Majority of companies have already hired and are saying that they will surely not hire in the near future. And there weren't huge hirings. Delta Air CP said bookings are the same as last year when there were 40% less bookings compared to previous years. And even the world cup in SA didn't yet pump things up.

Safari Grand Van

Major Blue is a new company. They have (as far as I know) 2 C206 and a Gran Van. And are waiting for some more aircraft. According to the CP they will be hiring a few more guys in around 2 months from now. Probably if their new machines arrive. But I couldn't tell you how many and if they already have favourites.

Kavango was the other company who said that in the next 2 weeks they will decide wether they will hire or no. Even thus there probably will be place for only one guy. But I couldn't yet meet with the chief pilot as he was out. More on this in the next few days.

A visiting Botswana Defence Forces Gazelle

The only real hope might be Sefofane. As I mentioned before I couldn't yet get through to their chief pilot. Rumour says that there might be some movement too. They are telling everyone that they don't hire but then that can change from one day to an other. Although I wouldn't jump on a plane and fly here if I were you... Jobhunters are many, positions are very few. At the moment we're around 25 guys here in Maun, doing the rounds. But it seems that even if there will be some openings there will only be need for 3-5 guys.

Delta Air headquarters

As Paul, the CP of Moremi put it there will be lots of guys out that will say, this guy is bulshitting, he doesn't want competition, but as you might already know I was probably the only one, who was always saying that if you are determined to fly here then you need to come here. As I did, even though by the time I left Hungary I already knew from my'man Abdul (who arrived about a week earlier then me), that there's not much anymore in this season.

So no big chance to get something. Except some wonder... But then, I'm enjoying my stay. I'm enjoyinng the summer. And after almost 10 years after the university I'm doing my first anthropological research.

Keep cool guys, and meet some of you here at Audi camp, where beer is cold and the air is hot!

Here's where everybody hangs around during the day. Maun Airport. And free WiFi...

Sorry, I had to disable the comment option, as I was spammed by some chinese servers, they'we posted some 300 comments in a night, and that pretty much kills my connection here. You are still welcome to drop me a mail.

Quick picks

Arriving to Maun (on final FBMN).

The ATR that landed me here. In the background you can see the planes of the different charter companies

Finally in Maun...

Audi Camp pool life

Sunset at Thamalakane river (as seen from Crocodile Camp terrace)

At last

Well this is just a first post from Maun. I'll post more next week. Also some pics.

Keep up until then...

Last day

I wasn't posting becouse I was pretty much off my plan. I should have had my exam Tuesday previous week. But then the assigned examiner decided that against good weather I will not be doing my exam. A week was lost. As my planned departure to Maun was last Friday.

The next assigned examiner promised that he'll check me as soon as the weather minimums allow for it and we'll try to do all three flights(CPL, IFR, NVFR). And this was on Tuesday. Short preflight briefing. Flitestar planning and I was enroute with 2 examiners from LHTL to LHPP. There I did some NDB and then ILS approaches. We landed. Had a brief postflight. This was when my instructor called me with bad news. The operator of Tököl airport (LHTL) prohibited night operations due snow mounds on the edge of the runway.

The airport is an ex-military base. It has a 2500x60 surface. When it snows they usually clear just a half of the length and around 30 meters wide strip. But that surface is pretty much huge for a DA40.

Me starting to call everyone I know to at least get a permission for at least one night landing. Then calling an other airport (LHPR) to obtain their permit... Then finally I was called back by my instructor, who said that we're cleared for one night landing. But then the examiner arranged with the tower that if they are allowing one landing then they could allow five as well. And who would argue with a CAA guy?

So thus my homework was finished. Next morning I was racing up and down between different CAA offices: a stamp here, a signature there, some copies of the logbook and so on. In 20 minutes I had everything in hand.

Today packing and tomorrow I'm off. Saturday in Maun...

Next time I'll post will be from there. Keep cool.

Maun situation report

A mate who's in Maun just sent me the message below. It is pretty much depressing. I don't want to comment this... Although it doesn't stop me in going to Maun by the end of next week.

Got bad news for you.
Just went around all the jobs today. There is nothing here in Maun, they have done all the hiring in the last week or so.
Sefofane has hired 3. Mack Air has hired 2, but they will be looking at hiring again in October.
Safari Air has hired, with looking at another guy shortly. They possibly might be hiring again in April.
Delta Air has hired in December.
Moremi Air has hired in December, with looking at hiring another guy in a few weeks (already has a person in mind.)
Unsure about Kavango, keep hearing conflicting information from them about whether they will hire again.
Sorry to sink your hopes before you get here. But thats the situation that I got told today.
Windhoek wont be hiring until at least the middle to end of next month.
Zambia you need 1000 hours before they will validate your licence.
Im trying to find out information about Malawi and Tanzania.

Sad day in Maun

On 6th January Mack Air C208 A2-AKG suffered a loss of engine power on take-off and crashed in a wet flood-plain and overturned. Some injuries to the passengers on board, one of whom suffered a broken hip. Click for the report. Hopefully everybody gets well soon!

A2-AKG at FALA (Lanseria)
This particular plane last year was flown by my friend Ludwig.

Maun accomodation for pilots

Few days ago I've got a detailed mail on Maun accomodation. I asked a New Zeelander who's on the job hunt in Maun what is like Audi Camp and Old Bridge Backpackers. He pretty much described everything, so I asked him to post his writing. Here it is:

... stayed at both of those places.
Audi offers a special rate to pilots at 17 pula a night for a camp site. If you forget to ask, they will charge you 47 pula a night. I think at the moment 6 pula buys 1 US dollar.
Audi is a nice place to stay, it was quiet and relaxed. But it is a long way out of town. When I was there, there was only about 4-5 other families there. Facilities are cool. They have big showers with open roofs so you can see the sky. I heard that security of things there is a bit of a concern. Cant really confirm or deny that as I wasnt there long enough.
They have wireless internet, but it is pretty expensive. But you pay per MB there instead of time limit so it lasts a lot longer than most places!
Old Bridge Backpackers is a awesome place. I stayed about a week there, and Im going back there after I leave Windhoek. The campsites are 45 pula a night, the bar staff are incredible. Friendly, get to know you by name, and it is a really enjoyable place to stay. When I was there, I didn't end up paying a single nights accomodation... won it all on the poker table!
Quite a few of the pilots will come down to the bar there to have a drink or 5. And one of the other favourite places to drink is just down the road.
All of the stuff there was safe. I left my phone and computer charging at the bar, and it was never touched. The bar staff keep a eye on it for you. Not that they needed to. Only complaint that I could possibly have was that there is a huge amount of dogs there! Doesnt bother me, but could annoy others. On one night there was 7 dogs there.
Both places have self catering facilities there. So you can catch a ride into town and go to the supermarket. Makes the stay a lot cheaper that way!
Taxis are easily available. A ride to the Old Bridge could cost anywhere between 20-40 pula... depending on whether you use the same driver or not. Try to find one that has a decent car, and tell him that if he gives you a good price, you will use him again. Get his number and call him whenever you need a cab. Make sure you do it about a hour before you actually need him though....
The other way is the combi vans that drive into the city. They take a bit longer to actually get into the airport, but they only cost 2.70 instead of 20. They squeeze you into them like sardines though! I had a lovely young lady sitting on my lap...
They are just a van, so wave out to any van driving down the main road, chances are it is one of the vans, there is one every 20 minutes or so.
Usually pretty on time too!
Best to catch the combi in the morning, they get very smelly in the afternoon once the heat starts.
Or you could try hitching a ride on the back of a ute. Most of the locals are pretty friendly and help out white people.
Personal security there is fine. I had no problems whatsoever. But then again it was all during the day, I didnt get a chance to go out at night.
But it is safer than Windhoek anyway!

Thanks Jeremy! Pics are from Old Bridge Facebook gallery.

Last cover after the last cover

I was very surprised when the chief editor of Haszon, my former company, called me and asked me if I could jump in, as they'd like me to interview a few guys who want to get my position. Yeah, sure...
But when I went in they got me with a surprise farewell party. They've made a magazine issue just with me, where every colleague wrote an article. And yes, there is me on the cover. So the last cover was not made by me... It was made of me.
And it was interesting and touching to read all those memories, stories and opinions of me. The following is what the owner wrote:

Young man coming in quiet, sleek, cool, speaking many funny languages, not asking, working like mad, changing women like underwear, smoking, cursing in many funny languages. Six years later, going out, a little bit bald, small belly, cool self confident professional, not asking, working, understanding funny orders, almost married, proud father of a girl, cursing in many languages, smoking, pilot in command, does not know the word „no”, wants to fulfill his dream: earning as much pula as he can in some African country with a funny name.

They also packed it with fake ads.
Have good times guys! It was great working with you!

The Namibian connection

From my buddy I've got the following info today, about the Namibian situation.
Wings over Africa are looking at hiring pilots in the first week of January.
Westair has already hired in November, maybe hiring again later in the year.
Desert Air is hiring again in March.
Everyone is just twiddling their fingers waiting for the new year to see what it will bring.
Companies in Maun it seems will hire around the end of January.

The eastern part of Africa (i.e. Tanzania) has a later wet season so most of the pilot hiring there will be in March/April.

Merry Christmas!

I wish all your dreams come true!

Night flying with Saint Exupery

Sweet unemployedness. Well, at the moment I'm enjoying it. Being with family. Preparing for Christmas... And for Botswana.I had an NVFR flight on Thursday (17th of December). There was snow, fantastic lights, and cold. Taxiing slowly in the snow to the holding bay of RWY 32 at LHTL is really challenging. The taxi lights unveil just a small part of the taxiway. Geez, a marshaller would come handy on a night like this.
Not to mention that the runway was also covered with snow. There are no real RWY lights at LHTL, just RWY edge lights. I had to realize that for the first time I'm a bit scared (or sort of). Taking off is not that tricky, just keep heading with a bit of rudder. But landing... You need to be neatly lined up. Keep cool. Rule 1: forget about the brakes... Rule 2: if you start to slip then Engine Master OFF... Save the prop.
With the instructor (an ex Hungarian Air Force test pilot, also MiG21 display pilot and trophy winner at the Fairford Airshow with the Hungarian Sky Hussars – the one in the middle of the pic) we flew over LHBP CTR. On the pic above you can see the T1 GAT terminal.
But this wasn't the most memorable part of the flight.
OAT was -11°C at 4000 (QNH 1005). And the problem was that the inside temperature in the airplane was the same. We had no heating. After half an hour I've reached to a point where I could only think of Saint-Exupéry and his novel the Pilote de Guerre. He describes a reconaissance flight where he not only had to vanquish german fighters but had to fight against hypoxia and cold.
It was a terrible and yet fantastic flight.
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Last day, last cover

So the time has come. My last day as an art director. My last cover. My last okay's and all that stuff.
Geez was this year a long one. And a hard one.
From tomorrow I'm an unemployed pilot like so many these times. But finally I can finish my pending trainig. Will be able to do my paperwork. And then by middle of January be ready to leave to Maun.

Pilots needed

Nyassa Air Taxi in Malawi is looking for pilots. They have 3 pilot positions.
So any of you who fit their requirements can try and drop'em a CV.

Here's what they ask:
one position - early Jan. 2010, requirements as below plus PA-31 rating required
two positions - 1. April 2010, requirements as below and PA-31, PA-34 rating of advantage
Pilots must be prepared to fly our SE aircraft as well. Applications considered till end Dec. 2009
Our requirements are:
* CPL, IF and ME-rating
* 400 hours PIC
* age 24-40 years
* minimum contract time is one year
Additional advantages:
* Ratings on any of our aircraft
* Multi engine experience
* Bush experience

Me unfortunately am not ready for them with my 200 some hours and an almost IR rating without ME (it'll take me a month to be ready but even then without ME).
If you want to know more about Nyassa Air Taxi and Malawi, you can read these blogs: Mike Fly Malawi and Fliegen in Afrika by Ferenc.
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On me

I'm just reading the book Caravan: Cessna's Swiss Army Knife with Wings. And found a very good quote that resembles the question I ask every low time pilot I know who wants to get into Boeing/Airbus flying. Well I know we are all different, I started very late and I flew so little that I still want to fly airplanes for a while and not operate the system. But the following quote could be my – and this blog's – motto.

"This is Africa, it's the only place in the world to do things like this. It's so unusual, so much fun I just can't imagine why so many pilots make such efforts to get major airline jobs when they could do this – and do it in one of the most fun airplanes in the world to fly, the Cessna Caravan."
A FedAir pilot after transporting a few sedated lions on a relocation project