I just returned from the Maldives (http://www.visitmaldives.com.mv/contents.htm). We arrived to the Maldives in the afternoon. The first officer (from Libya), CS (head flight attendant from India), and 2 flight attendants from Sri Lanka and Morocco came down to the pool. We enjoyed the afternoon sun and had a lovely dinner there. The next day we all met in the morning and went to a little island called Kurumba (http://www.unisurf.com/kurumba/intro.html). The price in the Maldives has increased due to the tsunami. Many of the resorts are still closed for repairs…and the open ones charge you for it! The weather was nice and we spent the day on the beach and snorkelling. After a nice day at Karumba we took the boat fishing. We only caught a few fish (saw 1000’s while snorkelling…where did they go when the lines went into the water?). The Sri Lankan flight attendant (the only girl) did the best with 2 good size fish, and the Moroccan caught his first fish ever… they were happy! I also caught 2 fish but they were the smallest 2 so we released them.
I arrived back into Doha about 11:30 a.m. and am leaving about midnight tonight to Cochin for another overnight. I return about noon on Wednesday…then 2 weeks off! See you all in Oz soon.
About Me
- Captain Kirk
- Hi everyone! Because I am so bad at emailing and keeping in contact with everyone, I thought this might be a better way to keep everyone informed about what is happening in my life. I am an airline pilot currently working and living in the Middle East. Previously I have flown for airlines in Australia and the US. I am divorced with 2 great children that live with their mother in Australia.
Monday, January 31, 2005
Friday, January 28, 2005
Tehran
Tehran is less than a 2 hour flight from Doha. The weather was clear, Tehran elevation is about 4300 feet and it has a mountain range that is just north of the city with one mountain (Mt. Damavand) that rises up to almost 18,550 feet. The mountains were covered with snow. They say there is very good skiing around Tehran (cheap but hard to get a visa!). The city is very large (12,000,000 people) and visibility was less than 4000 m (2.5 miles) due to the smog. The airport was large and seamed to be reasonably modern but we were not allowed to leave the aircraft so I have no idea what the terminal was like. (http://tehran.stanford.edu/imagemap/tehran.html)
Today I fly back to Tehran again and then tomorrow morning I am off to the Maldives. I will return to Doha on Monday for 12 hours, then to Cochin India for an overnight, returning on Wednesday about noon. Then I am going on vacation for 2 weeks. I will be going to Australia and then returning via Japan for a few days and Hong Kong.
Today I fly back to Tehran again and then tomorrow morning I am off to the Maldives. I will return to Doha on Monday for 12 hours, then to Cochin India for an overnight, returning on Wednesday about noon. Then I am going on vacation for 2 weeks. I will be going to Australia and then returning via Japan for a few days and Hong Kong.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Golkonda Fort and Hyderabad
I had a good trip to Hyderabad. We arrived early morning and had about 3 hours sleep. We went to see the Salarjung Museum (http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/andhra/sjung.htm). It is said to be one of the largest 1 man collections in the world. They would not allow us to take in cameras…so no pictures of it. They charged the locals 10 Rps (about US.23 or Aus.29 cents to enter) and 150 Rps for non-Indians (still cheap!). In any other country this would be discrimination. The museum was good but was in need of a good cleaning (like most other things in Hyderabad). After we grabbed some food at a local café (the first officer and myself nobody else was brave enough!) and headed to Golkonda Fort (http://7wondersofhyderabad.com/golkonda-fort/golconda-fort.html). We arrived just before sunset… it was very impressive! It is an eight hundred year old fort which the outside wall is about 7 km/4.5 miles in circumference. It would have been good to arrived just a bit earlier to have more of a look around. There is a light show which lasted about an hour which was very enjoyable except for the mosquitoes… swarms of thousands. Next time I shall bring insect repellent. On the way out I heard some squeaking noises from part of the old castle, it was dark so I used the camera flash…the ceiling was covered with bats!
Hyderabad is also known for its pearls and diamonds (The famous Kohinoor Diamond on the British crown jewels come from here). You can find some fantastic price for pearls there.
My gym equipment has arrived… so no more excuses! Below I have included a photo. Also there is a photo I took while driving of a local woman waiting for a taxi. When they get older (not sure how old) they wear a metal mask on their face…very funny looking!
Tomorrow I fly to Tehran Iran for the first time. It is a return flight but I hope to get a few pictures from there.
Hyderabad is also known for its pearls and diamonds (The famous Kohinoor Diamond on the British crown jewels come from here). You can find some fantastic price for pearls there.
My gym equipment has arrived… so no more excuses! Below I have included a photo. Also there is a photo I took while driving of a local woman waiting for a taxi. When they get older (not sure how old) they wear a metal mask on their face…very funny looking!
Tomorrow I fly to Tehran Iran for the first time. It is a return flight but I hope to get a few pictures from there.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Another wet day in Doha
I flew to Hyderabad India yesterday (instead of Bombay). It was a return flight with 3 hours on the ground at Hyderabad. I had a local first officer which got a bit upset with the flight attendants (wrongfully so) because he could not have everything he wanted on the flight. He became quite a little brat and I had to give him a bit of attitude adjusting… he was even less happy then - and to think that somebody with that sort of mental attitude will be in charge of an aircraft someday….scary!
Today I woke up early to the sound of pounding rain in Doha (again). If it keeps raining like this it might even start to turn green (well maybe just some green mould growing around beige Doha). My gym equipment arrived today (most of it at least), so I spent the morning putting it together and then had a great workout – no more going to the disgusting, dirty and stinky gyms of Doha! My poor living room is crammed full, but I rather that than go to the gyms here. I will post a picture of it when I return from my next flight. I tried to get a hold of the kids today, but could not get reach them:(.
Tonight I am flying to Muscat then returning to Doha and then off to Hyderabad for an overnight (or over-day since we arrive about at 7:30 am). I have had no sleep so it will be a long night…thank god for strong black coffee, Red Bull (sugar free of course) and that I am flying with a great Australian first officer (yippee!). I will be back on Tuesday – hopefully with some good pics and info on Hyderabad.
Today I woke up early to the sound of pounding rain in Doha (again). If it keeps raining like this it might even start to turn green (well maybe just some green mould growing around beige Doha). My gym equipment arrived today (most of it at least), so I spent the morning putting it together and then had a great workout – no more going to the disgusting, dirty and stinky gyms of Doha! My poor living room is crammed full, but I rather that than go to the gyms here. I will post a picture of it when I return from my next flight. I tried to get a hold of the kids today, but could not get reach them:(.
Tonight I am flying to Muscat then returning to Doha and then off to Hyderabad for an overnight (or over-day since we arrive about at 7:30 am). I have had no sleep so it will be a long night…thank god for strong black coffee, Red Bull (sugar free of course) and that I am flying with a great Australian first officer (yippee!). I will be back on Tuesday – hopefully with some good pics and info on Hyderabad.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Zurich layover... Skiing the Swiss Alps!
I am back from Zurich, and it was a good trip. The first officer was from Mexico, and the flight attendants were from Australia (Malaysian born), China, India, Romania and Morocco. The first officer had a girlfriend in Germany so he disappeared for the trip, the Romanian f/a had a brother who lived 1 hour out of Zurich so he disappeared and the Moroccan slept for 3 days. The first day after a bit of a sleep I and the 3 remaining flight attendants went into Zurich for a look around. The weather was sunny but cold. We walked from the train station to Lake Zurich and along the lake. Many people were out (Sunday) enjoying the clear day.
The next day I talked them into joining me at Laax (www2.laax.com/go/en/) to go skiing. None of them ski but they had a great time. The European Snowboard Championships were on, so they stayed at a bar half way up the mountain call Crap Sogan Goin (everything was called Crap!) surrounded by young snowboarders, the flight attendants were happy. The skiing was great but they only had about 80 cm (31”) of snow at the Summit (3000 metres/10,000 feet). After the day on the mountain we returned for some much needed sleep at the hotel. The next day it was forecast to rain so we decided to go to Lucerne (www.luzern.org/001zch_00_en.htm). It is an historical town with many beautiful old churches, bridges, buildings and "The dying Lion of Lucerne". They say it is one of the world's most famous monuments. It was carved out of natural rock in memory of the heroic deaths of the Swiss mercenaries at the Tuileries in 1792. Mark Twain described the Lion of Lucerne as "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world". After a cold and wet day we returned to the hotel. The next day it was time to return to Doha.
When we arrived in Doha it was pouring down rain. When it rains in Doha everything floods, because there is no storm water drainage system. There has been 165 reported accidents (according to the paper yesterday) - the roads are dangerous here! Today I am off to a bbq for one of the Mexican first officers birthday (we have about 6 on them here…all very good guys). Tomorrow I am flying a Bombay India return flight.
The next day I talked them into joining me at Laax (www2.laax.com/go/en/) to go skiing. None of them ski but they had a great time. The European Snowboard Championships were on, so they stayed at a bar half way up the mountain call Crap Sogan Goin (everything was called Crap!) surrounded by young snowboarders, the flight attendants were happy. The skiing was great but they only had about 80 cm (31”) of snow at the Summit (3000 metres/10,000 feet). After the day on the mountain we returned for some much needed sleep at the hotel. The next day it was forecast to rain so we decided to go to Lucerne (www.luzern.org/001zch_00_en.htm). It is an historical town with many beautiful old churches, bridges, buildings and "The dying Lion of Lucerne". They say it is one of the world's most famous monuments. It was carved out of natural rock in memory of the heroic deaths of the Swiss mercenaries at the Tuileries in 1792. Mark Twain described the Lion of Lucerne as "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world". After a cold and wet day we returned to the hotel. The next day it was time to return to Doha.
When we arrived in Doha it was pouring down rain. When it rains in Doha everything floods, because there is no storm water drainage system. There has been 165 reported accidents (according to the paper yesterday) - the roads are dangerous here! Today I am off to a bbq for one of the Mexican first officers birthday (we have about 6 on them here…all very good guys). Tomorrow I am flying a Bombay India return flight.
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