Self portrait at handling prices !

Those were my eyes when I was told right after landing, that Air Seychelles were the one I should pay the landing and airport fees. So, they just take my money and provide it to the Civil Aviation.

Shoud be very complicated labour, because they make me pay them $900 for the service!

Fortunately I was fast when grabbing the base of my eyes before they pop further from my head, and lose them!

My stay at Malindi was short. Just one day for rest.

The hotel, at the very border of the sea, was comfortable. Best was the cooker of the restaurant: everything was perfect.

I decided to go to the airport to prepare everything, including the refueling. I don´t use to do that, but I did and I was lucky to do so.

It was to be a short stay, but it turned to be some five hours. Paying the navigation fees and airport fees turned complicated because of the payment to be cash. Also the maintenance engineer drove to the city to by some eight meters of plastic tubing, that I will use to avoid fuel overflow when it is hot and tanks are full.

But when people is nice and supportive, it is much easier.

Also I was brought some engine oil from Nairobi. It was nice from that engineer.

I had the chance to chat with local young pilot students. Some to become professional, other just private pilots. I was surprised about the high earnings of Kenya airlines pilots. Much better than Spain now.

So next day it was time to leave again. 0550, get up and shower. 0600, breakfast (they opened the restaurant for me). 0615, taxi to the airport, with a sandwich for the flight. 0630, at the plane.

0730, take off time. All very easy, very nice.

The flight was expected to last 07:30 hours. The weather was strange: headwinds, a small layer without headwinds, and again headwinds.

It happened that the friendly layer was at 10000 ft, so up to 9500 ft I was flying.

It was a good choice !

Clouds were lower all the time in my track, but towering just away of me as I was approaching Seychelles.

It was, fortunately, a boring flight. I stayed sometime introducing antarctica airfields positions into my ipad, and even read a full comic: Tintin in the soviets !

From times to times, I checked everything, ate, drank, and looked outside. I was just able to see two ships: a fisherman one, and a cargo one.

I used iridium to report positions. It is much comfortable than using HF. I will do the same for the flight into Maldives !

No engine oil overheat, nor CHT, so much better. It was cooler than in Sudan.

The approach is not as easy that could be expected. The runway is aligned with the rocks, and flying in IMC (Instrumental Meteorological Conditions) so close of the stones during the descent, should be ¨very interesting¨.

Once at the airport, I was sprayed (the aircraft) by Health lady. Then, everybody asking me things: fuel, General Declarations, take off time, where to park, passport, and everything. My mate in the ramp was a 787. It was dwarfed by me !

Later, I was directed to another parking area and finally cleared to have my dear RV over the grass. They didn´t have mooring points and wind was predicted.

Here everything is expensive.

It is surprising then to see the people here: it is clear where the incomes don´t go !

Bus station

Friday, I will fly to Maldives. Early get up, but scheduled take off at 03:45 Z. It has been fixed by the airport itself with the Civil Aviation.

That makes me arrive late at Gan, an if any delay arrives, I will be landing at night.

Karibu means welcome in Swahili language…:)