I was already able to feel that the first part of the flight was going to be finished.

The fact is that until the prop stops at the final destination, nothing is completed and more than ever, I was to be careful.

Strong winds were blowing from the north and following the Rhone river.

It was cloudy at the west, it was cloudy at the east and it was cloudy in the north. The decision to flee from Friedrichshafen was right.

So the game was to take the better decision: take full advantage of the north winds and fly south and then follow the coast, or take the risk to fly southwest, over the mountains and play with the clouds.

Finally I decided to play but the mistake was not me to be the player: I was the ball !!!

The heading was more or less direct to Narbonne, and then to Requena in Spain.

Requena is east of Madrid, one hour away. It is a place with nice installations, including habitations.

As the waiting of ¨Fomento¨ Minister Monday at 1030 was confirmed, I couldn´t take any risk not arriving into Madrid on time. Visiting Flemming, after studying again the weather conditions at central pyrenees , was dismissed, even a stopover. It was a sad decision, but the right one.

Scenery was beautiful but I was not enjoying it because of my eyes bouncing all around the orbits.

Eyes bouncing, pen bouncing, body bouncing, everything bouncing.

If turbulence is classified as light, moderate and heavy, no doubts : it was heavy, heavy, heavy.

Fortunately, the aircraft had minimum fuel and the weight was low. Would I had a long flight ahead, I would not have taken off.

The positive part is that it was Sunday. France is plenty of restricted areas, but most of them are not active during the weekends, so it was easy to navigate freely.

Pyrenees where there, in front of me, finally. I had to climb to 10000 ft to get rid of the rocks.

Then, I was in Spain:

EC XLL, Barcelona Control

We all of us congratulate you for your achievement and welcome you back into Spain

I was overwhelmed ! I felt even shy, not knowing what to answer.

What a special moment !

Many thank you to ENAIRE !!!

EC XLL, where do you want to proceed?

Well…. is it possible to proceed direct Requena????

EC XLL, cleared direct Requena !

Wow, wow

I could relax then. Sun was bright and the countryside was beautiful. Only the wind, from times to times, played with the mountains, and had me bouncing again, and again.

Requena was having a special meeting: old cars and airplanes

I just arrived at the end and could share a nice lunch. But I was tired because of the flu that I have got, and stayed most of the evening in the room.

I was cleared to have my airplane hangared and then I realized that my tail video camera was no longer at the tail….

Where was it????

Was it gone during the bouncy flight?

Strange, strange….

Weather was going to be good on Monday. I had prepared everything with lot of time.

The key was realizing that it is easy to loose time, but very difficult to retrieve it. So, for one hour´s flight, I took off some 1,5 hours earlier.

I flew really low, to enjoy the scenery, and really slow, at some 100 kts indicated. Fuel flow was around 21 liters per hour, some 5,5 gallons per hour.

I was able to turn, visit, take pictures.

The more I travel, the more I like Spain: It is a small country but there, all kind of sceneries can be found, but of course, tropical forests.

I had organized myself to make a low pass at 10: 28 and the touch down at 1030.

I was tempted that the low pass would be completed with a victory roll, but I decided to be more conservative and leave that for the moment I complete the full round the world flight, if I am lucky to finish it.

Ummmm, again those firefighter trucks in my path…..

Canopy close !

And there I go !

Plenty of friends, family, media reporters and of course, Ana Pastor, the Minister of Fomento, were waiting for me.

What a reception !

My youngest daughter Marta jumped over me, just when I was approaching the Minister. Ana Pastor, with a nice smile, told me: go ahead, the most important thing is the family !

Again I was overwhelmed, but I tried to keep a serious adventurer look.

The words of the Ministry were beautiful indeed, and also the ones of President of the Spanish aeroclub, Mr. Jose Luis Olias.

Many interviews, a lot of talking and a nice feeling to have been able to comply with my own challenges.

Because this flight is that, a fight with myself.

Then it was time to relax. And to rest.

So many images, sounds, feelings, that still I am unable to assimilate.

This first part of the flight has been a real adventure. Not a easy task.

I want to thanks all the people that have been confident, faithful. They have been always in my cockpit, and in my heart. They have flown the north Pole, the Amazonas river, my wings wetted by Angel´s Fall, the feeling of Africa, and now, the dreams of Antarctica

THANK YOU ALL !!!