A ride of a different kind

[Richard Kuysten]

#2155

This is cheating a little but we had such a great trip that I have to tell you.  Jean and I had been wanting to do the Tranz Alpine rail trip for a long time now and as (we thought) there would be a good amount of snow in the mountains we took a long weekend and flew to Christchurch last Thursday evening.  Friday we were up bright and early to be at the Station to catch the train for our trip to Greymouth.  We've done the road version so I was looking forward especially to seeing the sights without having to concentrate on the road.  Verdict… GREAT it is a must.  Unfortunately not a lot of snow but lovely weather and we spent a fair amount of the time out on the open viewing carriage.Back to Christchurch that evening and we planned to go out to the International Antarctic Centre the next day.  Well this is a must do if you have the time when next in the area.  Brilliant is all I can say.  We got to ride on the Hagglund all terrain vehicle over a small outdoor course including a water crossing, good fun.  Experienced a blizzard with a wind chill factor of -18 degrees C and jean got to take me for a ride on a snow mobile  😉 (first time I've been on the back with her in charge).  As the saying goes "don't leave town 'till you've seen the country" a really memorable  weekend for both of us.  Then to cap it all off as we were waiting for the plane on Sunday morning we saw a US C130 going past the window, I'd just love to get a flight on one some day.  Can't wait now for January to go down again on the bike and say hallo to some of those lovely roads again.Malcolm

[Anonymous]

#8233

Having been a serving soldier, and been ferried around a bit by Blue Riband Airlines (a.k.a. RNZAF), I gotta say, Malcolm, you have rocks in ya head if ya WANT to fly on a C130. Tough, reliable, STOL flying tractor they are: comfy they ain't! And it rains inside the fuselage as they descend.If you insist on flying in a god-awful military transport, try a good old DeHavilland Caribou. Extreme STOL, and the guys that drive them will make ya hair stand on end. Wingover turn off a very short approach, point nose straight down. Pilot leaves yoke fully forward until co-pilot screams, then he pulls it back into his navel, bangs it on the ground, and you stop in under 50 metres. I'd rather a hot insertion under fire off an Iroquois than tiki around with the RAAF in their bloody Caribou.

[Richard Kuysten]

#8234

I guess I'm a bit of a bugger for punishment Bruce.  I spent some time flying around in RAF Hastings and Beverly aircraft in the early 60s and they were so uncomfortable and noisy we used to jump out of the things – but I loved it.  These days I watch the Herc's playing around outside my house and would love to go play too.  😀

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