We haven’t written for three weeks.
An insane travel schedule — eight countries in two continents, kept me on the road for 26 days. Somewhere in there was one night in my apartment in Bangkok.
Carlo has been immersed in job interviews and teaching demos. Somewhere in there were the last days with a very special person, now overseas for over a year.
There’s a reason why there are no pictures in this post.
This week I was robbed on a train at Schipol airport, Amsterdam. I lost my clothes, camera, iPod and the usual suspects — credit cards, cash, ATM cards, keys.
And my personal laptop. With over 250 Gigabytes of digital pictures. Nearly 100,000 images, mostly of flying in the Philippines, going back to 2007.
My portable hard drive, with all my backups, was in the bag too — I backed up my files during the flight to Amsterdam
All gone.
I once flew my Mom to Baler. We never made it. A dark, solid ceiling squeezed us down towards the massive Sierra Madre peaks rearing up from below.
We turned back. Above the foothills, near Laur, Nueva Ecija, my Mom and I spotted a bogie, two o’clock high. He glanced back at us several times, eyeing the range, planning his attack.
Sure enough, he pulled into a vertical left bank and swept down in high-G diving turn, long wings buffeting with the aerodynamic load. He was now pointed straight at us.
It was an eagle. Headed directly at our cockpit.
As I flinched from the coming impact, he pulled pitch and flashed over us. I craned my neck to watch him. He zoomed into a perfect chandelle, wings spreading outward, content that he had driven us out of his operating area.
There was no time to take a picture.
Months later, Carlo and I tried a different strategy to Baler — VFR on top. We never made it. Towering cumulus boxed us in at 9,500 feet, the cloud tops racing upwards much faster than the airplane could climb.
We fled, diving through a gap in the towering clouds. Down low, I flew gingerly up the Pantabangan river valley, to peek under the weather. Nothing but dark and forbidding rain, solid IMC. We turned back, finally, for home base.
Above the foothills, near Laur, Nueva Ecija, Carlo took a random, careless picture of the cloud-shrouded mountains behind us.
I looked at that digital photo weeks later. There, perched at our seven o’clock high, was the eagle from a year ago.
You will never see that picture now.
Nor pictures of Carlo flying IFR in a twin-engined Baron, like a bomber pilot from World War II, an insane grin decorating his face.
Nor any of the 1,200 digital photos I took of the Balloon Fiesta. Nor the pictures of Pinatubo’s crater on the clearest day ever.
Nor the pictures of Hermana Mayor. Yes, I finally got to land at enchanting Hermana Mayor. Not that I can prove it anymore.
Birthdays, Christmas, first solo anniversaries, PFSG fly-in.
Two years of flying memories, all gone.
There was also a small book given by Carlo — Missing You. And a Christmas card, dated January 17, 2005. That letter had gone with me around the world for four years. There is an intense personal story behind that dislocated Christmas. A story of a Dad losing his son for a while, a story of forgiveness and trust and forever friendship.
A dear friend told me not to mourn the lost memories, that the people are still here. That may be true. But as Carlo moves further into his own adult life, the loss of the letter, a time machine into a receding past, is twice as heartbreaking.
Posted from Manila, March 13, 2009.
If any of our readers would like to share pictures of the Balloon Fiesta, or any of the flights we may have shared over the past 2 years, I will gladly acknowledge your ownership in Flying in Crosswinds.
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Magsori!
That is terrible news.
Ian Quinn
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Being robbed is bad enough and losing precious memories makes it worse. I know that you may have already spent several uneasy nights because of this (i.e. loss of the digital files) but I just hope that you’ll get over it soon.
By the way, don’t worry your blog post is still as good as before even without the pictures…but frankly, I hate not seeing the eagle. Just kidding. : )
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Tonet,,,
Sad to hear that you lost your photos. I know exactly how you feel, I lost mine several years ago due the hard disk crash!
I have some photos from the fiesta, not so good but anyway, if you are interested. Just drop me an email!
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Thanks, Timo, Cris, Ian. Your comments, and some of the SMS messages sent me, are really heartwarming.
Timo, I have no pictures, so any photo you send me will make my day!
Cris, I had zero sleep the first two nights. Flying home to Manila was the worst — just staring at the floor, wanting time to go faster.
And throughout the days, I would get painful reminders of what I lost.
I couldn’t even get into my apartment when I arrived in Manila.
The keys were gone.
I lost my iPod.
The camera I took all those pictures with.
Spare batteries. SD cards. An extra Nokia phone.
The stuff that fills your bag when you spend weeks on the road.
I lost my sunglasses.
My work permit for Thailand.
International driver’s license.
My other passport, which was stolen in Paris last year, and miraculously returned to me. Gone again.
My US visa was in there.
I lost Carlo’s solo pictures.
Carlo also had 2 or 3 draft articles waiting to go here.
Gone.
.
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http://www.kopsu.net/PIHABF.ZIP
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Timo, your pictures are FABULOUS!
Can I use them here?
It looks like you were inside the flight line when you took the pictures.
Did we meet? Do I know you?
Am I embarassing myself for not recognizing you?
How do you want me to acknowledge you? “Timo”
I really appreciate this.
.
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Oh boy, what an increadible pain all over the place, not just the behind…
I feel with you. My brother left his video camera in the taxi to NAIA with the last tape still in it which had our first and maybe final earthly reunion with our Mangyan friends in Mindoro in 2000 on it, after some 13 years back in Germany. We are left with only the memories…
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Mathias, welcome to Flying in Crosswinds!
Memories are very precious because time is always moving forward.
You know some Oriental religions believe that a soul inhabits every single object in the universe. This isn’t a unique concept — Toy Story, The Tin Soldier, etc.
My old passport was stolen in Paris in August, returned to me by the thief via the Paris Lost and Found office, then stolen again in Amsterdam. Every stamp, overseas trip and visa from 2007-08 was in there.
When it was returned to me in Bangkok after having been lost in Paris, I thought, “Man, if only this thing could tell stories. It has been to a den of thieves, traveled around the world by itself to find its way back to me… .”
I feel guilty about losing it again.
It had stamps from Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Dubai, Bahrain, Iran. How many people have entry stamps into Iran?!
Come visit often. I am finding backups in the strangest places. Little by little, recovering. A little.
.
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Yikes! I remember how stressed I’d be when I’d temporarily lose my wallet, knowing all the hassles I’d have to go through, with lots of my important stuff being there. So I can only imagine what you’re going through now..
Sh-t really happens I guess. And sometimes, all we could do is just roll with the punches. Sorry to hear that sir.
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Thanks, Suerte.
When I came back to Manila I flew for two straight days, and went shopping for two straight nights. Both proven therapies! 😀
Lost ATM cards. Man, in this age of Cirrus and Plus ATM networks, you have to move FAST to cancel lost ATM cards.
I thought I didn’t have to worry about a thief in the Netherlands coming to my apartment in Makati wth my stolen house keys. Then our security officer at work told me to change all my locks, because my address is on my Thai work permit, and thieves can and do sell keys to thieves in other countries, including our home country.
Geez.
Shopping sir. That’s the secret to rolling with the punches!
😀
.
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Tonet,,,
Sure you can use them here!
Actually I wasn’t inside the flight line!
We didn’t met at PIHABF, but we have met several times before!
We will have chat next time I see you!
You’re welcome!
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Geez, now I’m really humiliated. I have no idea who you are. You must be laughing your head off!
If you were outside the flight line, you have one AWESOME zoom lens, man.
And a great eye for composition!
Many thanks. I’ll write, “Photos by Timo” who is probably some sexy girl I hit on in the past… .
😛
.
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Dear Captain,
I feel so sorry for your loss, and I am sure the loss of these memorabilia hits a thousand times more than any shock from being robbed. I am a nostalgic person too. I love examining the past, journal obsessively, and love to keep old letters from friends. I once lost a year and a half’s worth of my journal and never forgave myself…
Take care and I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better…
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Regina. How are you? I was supposed to be in your part of the world for a couple of weeks, in May. But the meeting was cancelled. I’m sure at least one other person is disappointed… .
Thanks for your note. I’m actually back in Amsterdam. I arrived at Schipol on the same flight, exactly one week (to the minute) since I was robbed.
This time I had an MB E-Class and some friendly guys who looked like Chicago Bears trainers with SAS-regulation haircuts, waiting for me.
When I got into the back seat I happened to glance at my watch and it was 6.15am. I was robbed on the 6.14 train from Schipol.
Deja vu.
Amsterdam is different for me now. A bit sinister in the dark, cold.
Did you know that you can only file a police report here by appointment?? After I was robbed last monday, I went to the police station in Nijmegen to file a police report. There were literally FIVE cops standing behind the desk, all watching me walk up. They all listened to my story. But they said I would have to come back at (and they had to check their computer at this point) 6.30pm for me to be interviewed for the police report.
Unreal.
You know that the robbers probably tore the laptop, phone, iPod, camera and credit cards from the bag within seconds, then dumped the rest in some trash bin. My beloved stuff is now probably a compacted trash cube the size of a pack of chewing gum.
Your turn to tell stories. You’re back in school? Glad to see schoolmates after the long break? Are you still taking lessons from the same maestro?
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Sir Tonet,
We are all just glad to hear that you escaped safely!! My dad has some creepy stories about his student pilot days in the Netherlands… possibly a past life experience so intense it can make him burst into tears. You must ask him to tell you himself.
My turn to tell stories. What a difficult request to fill – I feel so much has happened already, that I can only sketch the details of it. It is much harder to summarize it than it is to expound upon it.
First of all, we had an unbelievably long flight coming to Evanston. I felt like I had seen Lord of the Rings 1,2,3 in one sitting – lots of new sights and sounds, yet at times overextended. We were delayed for 3 hours in Manila. Stopped by Nagoya, entered the United States at Detroit. From Detroit, we made an emergency landing at Minneapolis – although nobody quite found out what was wrong with the patient. I am glad we didn’t hear complaints from other passengers. Finally, from Minneapolis, we landed at Midway airport.
My seatmate during the flight was a Japanese woman oozing with a passion for teaching. You can guess who that reminded me of.
The moment I arrived in my hotel room, literally kicked open the door, the hotel phone rang. It was Mrs. Vamos, inviting us for dinner at the Blu sushi bar downstairs. I met a new student at the Music Institute, from Venezuela, named Kenneth. He also happens to be my neighbor who lives in the building across from my apartment. We struck a deal over crab cakes and edamame: I will help him with his English, he will help me with my Spanish.
I am still waiting for classes to open. Right now it’s Spring break, so I’ve been shuttling back and forth exploring campus, getting enrolled, paying tuition, getting health insurance. I’ve also been learning my way around the NW shuttles. I can get a ride to downtown Evanston and to school for free, and save $22.5 a week!
I had my first violin lesson with Mrs. Vamos in a long time, and she was very pleased. “Nothing was lost,” she said, “you are still the same beautiful violinist.”
I also had a major milestone in my life: my first voice audition! I am trying to get into a beginner’s voice class for non-voice majors. I mentioned to the Prof that I had no previous voice training whatsoever, so he just made me sing scales. I remained in a seemingly-solid state of calm… until 3 minutes before my audition. I had the barako-shot feeling when I realized that it was my first time in YEARS to do something music-related that I was utterly unprepared for. It was the feeling of waking up and realizing that you had forgotten to study for a test… only in this situation, I could laugh at myself. We went up two octaves up the piano, and to my (TOTAL!!) surprise, he said “Good!” at the end.
Today I met the conductor of my new orchestra and auditioned for him. Very, very nice guy.
A huge part of my life is in books, and as long as I’m immersed in them, I feel alive and energetic. I’ve been reading and browsing several books: Paulo Coelho’s “The Zahir” (always read Coelho more for his ideas and passages rather than for his plot); Zorro by Isabel Allende (I have a propensity for Latin American writing, with its infusion of colors and emotions); Proust and the Squid (a cognitive science book which shows what happens to our brain as we read. It is also contains many insights on why reading is pleasurable); This is Our Brain on Music (another cognitive science book- very, very interesting for me); and some Philippine History 😀 Of these alone I can go on and on…
Regina
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I have forgotten to mention the classes I am taking this Spring quarter..
I have Chamber Orchestra; Chamber music (that is, a trio or quartet); Private lessons with Mrs. Vamos; (possibly) Beginner’s voice; Classics of Political Theory; and the Prose Poem.
I am looking forward to all of them.
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Hi, Ma’am Regina,
I will indeed ask your Dad about that story, now that you have me intrigued.
Flying to the US is becoming one of the most challenging trips one can take. Lots of security, most of it absurd, some bordering on the bizarre (you must look for an essay by Scott Adams on airline security, you will die). But traveling within the US domestic airline system has got to be one of the most frustrating experiences to be had. EVERY US airline now is essentially a low-cost airline. Some of the stuff they sell there — chips, checked bags, etc. — are still given away for free in Cebu Pacific, Tiger Airways and JetStar. The on-time record is atrocious, and service is a one-word oxymoron, all by itself.
Saving $22.50 a week! You know, that’s double Carlo’s allowance in college. Hmm. There’s a lesson there somewhere, but I refuse to be suckered into it.
I did buy him lunch in the cafeteria once in a while!
Voice audition. There is no winning comment on this one. Watch me walk away from that.
It’s like when a girl asks, “Do I look fat in this dress?” No winning reply.
Seriously, every music student probably needs to do time in voice class. My first girlfriend was UP College of Music, and had the same mix — Composition, orchestra, voice, piano. Non-major courses. We were in a church choir for 5 years, and before that I was in the Ateneo Glee Club for a stretch 🙂 I enjoyed choral singing, but would be terrified at the prospect of doing it alone.
I saw how we had to convince you to play at the PFSG party, and I know exactly what you mean by “do something music-related that I was utterly unprepared for”. We really appreciated that time, though. Everything you played was magical to us. Did you know that Meynard waited for you to play, but had to leave early for a family reunion. I burned a CD for him, of you, Mike and Rey playing that night. Osh’s Mom, standing behind you, was enthralled. We all were.
You should read Flying South, Barbara Cushman Rowell. In search of herself and her True North, she listed her unfulfilled dreams one day and realized with a start that learning to fly was at the top of the list! She earned her wings and bought a Cessna 206. Number two on the list was to improve her Spanish, so she decided to fly around the entire circumference of South America. Her husband was a professional photographer, so the resulting book is beautifully illustrated and written from the heart.
You need to tell me what does happen to our brains as we read. It’s amazing how there are actually some people who find zero joy in reading. I could never understand that, but maybe there is a cognitive science explanation… ?
You have an intriguing reading list.
Tonet
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my 60gig iPod was stolen last Jan 2009 just weeks before my trip to Shanghai.. My uncle from SFO gave it to my as a birthday gift (Oct 2005). It’s been my travel buddy since then. I named it Sam. I downloaded thousands of songs, million dollar photos with my family and friends and my travels alone, favorite movies including serendity, sex and the city and transformers… Sam’s my best friend for 4 years. I took care of it and it has no scratches. I still cry (’til now) everytime i remember my moments with it.. Yes, I’m a sentimental fool..
When my mom arrived two weeks ago, she surprised me with a gift, a 120gig iPod. I’m happy and very thankful to Mama but at the same time I was crying and thought that nothing could replace Sam. It’s been two weeks but until now I haven’t openned it. I can’t even stare at it. I guess I’m crazy.. Yeah I think I am crazy.. Time will come, i can think of a new name for my new iPod, maybe..”Tonet!” ahahaha I’m just kidding.. hihihi
They say that “everything happens for a reason.” and for whatever reasons there may be, why you got robbed and lost your valuable things… I thank God that you’re safe. May God bless you always.
P.S.
I think you don’t need to upload photos in your blog. Your words are enough to tickle our imagination and take us to your flight adventures. 🙂 works for me! 🙂
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Hey, Sheila. A 2005 iPod! Two generations back, maybe three 😀
The iPod is the one thing I’ve moved slowly on replacing. Think I’m tired of wrestling with iTunes, which has the worst interface ever. And talk about closed systems! You change laptops, your iPod gets wiped! Unless you know how to dive into your C: drive and find and back up your iMusic folder.
I really have a dim view of Apple products (expect to see a deluge of outraged comments here, Carl). Apple’s philosophy is that they are a clan of geniuses crafting design masterpieces for use by idiots. One button on the mouse, so that users don’t get confused. Are we THAT stupid?
You cannot do much outside of their designed interfaces. They have decided how you will use the product, and THAT’s the way you’re going to use it. And no, you can’t right-click. You have to wade through 16 levels of menus.
I used to adore Steven Jobs, 20 years ago. He could have been King of France.
Now I think, yeah, he could be King of France. Pomp and circumstance. L’audace!
In an age of open sourcing, digital handshaking and the world wide web, I find their philosophy of Apple-works-only-with-Apple extremely insular, even insulting. You can’t even change the damn battery on their devices.
I can just imagine an iSteven iJobs sitting in the dark, granting me an iInterview.
“If we put user-replaceable batteries on the iPhone or Macbook, we’d have to put a clunky access door. Man, we DON’T do clunky!”
At an executive innovation course at IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland last year, one of our professors pointed out that style for style’s sake is not innovation. It’s art.
But you’re not buying art. You’re buying a digital device you should be able to use the way you want to!
I find it funny that the first thing people do after buying a Mac or an iPhone is to have it hacked so that they can use it the way they want to. They swear by it, but then they load it with Windows OS… .
So if you name your new iPod after me I will put a curse on you 😀
Serendipity. Sex and the City. Transformers. Now there’s an ecclectic mix! You can put all the seasons of Frazier on you new iPod. It’s big enough!
Thanks for you post, and your prayers. Come back here often!
.
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I just recently bought Ravi an iPhone, & just recently got myself the new HTC Touch HD.
I too have a similar thinking about the Apple “cartel” attitude, but I think we must indeed think of ourselves as idiots, because it’s working for them.
I was looking at an IT business RSS feed the other day & it showed a graph of the usage figures of the different PDA/smart phone operating systems. Apparently the iPhone trumps them all with a whopping 66% of the market share, whilst WinMo now comes in 3rd at just 6% of the market share.
I can remember when a PDA was a “Palm”, then M$ decided to enter the market with their PocketPC OS (now WinMo). Like them or love them, Apple has blown them all off the chart!
Dave.
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Hi Dave! Really good to hear from you again. I will make sure that I am in-country for at least one weekend during that period — it will really be good to see you again!
“Smartphones”. It really depends on what you read, I guess. Here’s what I have.
“Market Share: Smartphones, Worldwide, 4Q08 And 2008,” said Nokia shipped 60.9 million smartphones last year for a total market share of 43.7%. While this was more than twice the market share of the nearest competitor, it was a drop from 49.4% market share in 2007. The world’s largest cell phone manufacturer is facing increased competition in the high-end department, and its paltry presence in the U.S. market could continue to hurt it as smartphone sales increase.
With compelling handsets like the BlackBerry Bold and the touch-screen Storm, RIM was able to capture second place with 16.6% of the market.
Apple’s iPhone 3G launch was a hit, and it propelled the company’s market share from 2.7% in 2007 to 8.2% in 2008. Users were attracted to the faster mobile broadband capabilities, GPS, and the ability to access the App Store. Apple also benefited from having the iPhone 3G enter new markets like Japan and Russia.
Thanks to the success of handsets like the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro, HTC nabbed 4.3% of the market. Samsung was the fifth-largest smartphone seller in 2008, with 4.2% of the market.
I looked at Nokia in a business case at IMD, last year. They sold something like 80 million handsets, more than ten times the volume of iPhones shipped in that, its first, year.
It’s generally known that over 40% of all handphones in the world are Nokia. IHT has reported it, business school cases continue to report that number, and now informationweek.com continues to report that number.
The problem is that they are unknown in the insular and relatively ignorant US market.
Meanwhile, Apple has announced in the American fortune.cnn.com etc websphere that its iPhone 3.0 will have astounding features like voice dialing, Multi-media Messaging (MMS) and cut and paste.
Of course my Nokia phones already had voice dialing in 2005, and every Filipino knows that MMS was really invented by Magellan in 1521 lol 😀 (C’mon, Apple, MMS??!! That’s like nearly 10 years old, guys! Welcome to the club!)
And I’ve been using cut and paste on my E51 since 2007. I also get all my accuweather.com infrared maps, reply to Flying in Crosswinds comments and post to the PFSG forum on this battered little Nokia mobile phone the size of two packs of gum.
Apple is really stylish, Dave. Great style. Yup. Voice dialing, haha!! I had voice dialling two Nokia phones ago. I would say “Julio” and the N70 (remember those?) would dial my son’s number, and of course he would refuse to answer 😛
As that IMD professor said, style without functionality is not innovation. It’s art. If you want art, go to the Louvre.
Re operating systems, here’s what I see as of 4Q08:
Symbian led with 47.1%, followed by RIM BlackBerry with 19.5%, Windows Mobile was third position with a marketshare of 12.4% and the last three were Mac OS X (iPhone) 10.7%, Palm OS 0.9% and Other 1.1%
Perhaps the chart you saw represented growth percentage?
Let me know if any changes to your sched. I’ll make sure to be in the Philippines for at least a weekend during that time!
.
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Good point about the numbers. I don’t recall what the fiures I saw were actually based on.
My flights are as firm as they’re ever going to be on an airline (booked, paid, confirmed). Jetstar from Sing into NAIA 23/4, Jetstar out of NAIA 16/5.
The weekend of 9/5 & 10/5 is a motorbike convention in Baguio I want to attend.
I’m going to email a few of the boys, will cc you on it.
I’m really looking forward to seeing you again too mate. It’s been too long for old farts like us not to see each other. 🙂
Dave.
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I’m so sorry for your loss Capt. Tonet. My dad got robbed in Geneva once by two African men, on the day before he was to fly back to Manila. At least he’s safe and USD 300 can be easily recovered. I’m happy that you’re safe and sound because in the end, that is all that matters. Maybe one day, your stuff will come back one by one just like your passport. It maybe farfetched but hey, anyone can dream right hehehe
About the pictures during the PIHABF, you can use mine if you want. Its posted in my multiply site. It may not be much but its the least I could do to help. I hope the detail is ok with you. I still have the high resolution copies in my PC.
Here’s the link: http://miggi747.multiply.com/photos/album/150/14th_Philippine_International_Hot_Air_Balloon_Fiesta
I was with sir SkyGazer during the ramp tour when I saw you, Capt. Roa and Capt. Halili. Wasn’t able to take a picture of you in your AirBoss vest because my position made the lighting quite bad hehe
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Miggi! I’ve seen your pictures from the PFSG link. Thanks, I will indeed use some of them!
I was in Geneva with Carlo, and marveled at crime-free Switzerland. We walked all around Lausanne, Geneva, Zurich, Lucerne, Gstaad, and nothing ever happened to us.
Geneva is a very pretty city, especially around the old citadel area. These old fortified European towns and cities are just so beautiful. There is a restaurent there, that Carlo and I had dinner at, in the old fortified town. Les Armures. 16th century stone building, three levels, including two basements. Really lively crowd. Very affordable.
They serve several types of fondue, which are reputed to be the best in Geneva. Bill Clinton once dined here in 1994, while on a break from political discussions in the city.
Did your Dad enjoy Geneva?
Europe is full of transient gypsies, tramps and petty criminals. I still love Europe, with all its old world charm. But they really need to do something about improving security and police services.
I’ve taken the trains in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and France. Never had any problems except for having my pocket picked in the Paris Metro, and then this thing in the Netherlands.
The robbers on the Schipol train didn’t look like native Dutchmen, that’s for sure.
You should have come up to us at PIHABF said hi! Carlo and I always enjoy meeting our readers. We actually hardly know most of you. You could have met Joy and Meynard, as well.
Marlon has soloed already, at Omni. I met him the day before his solo, rushing off to pre-flight the airplane.
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Yes my parents enjoyed Geneva very much. They actually went on a European tour. When they came back, we had to have fondue every week hahaha!
Their tour group chartered a bus to take them around Europe but when they reached Rome, my parents didn’t join the tour from there since they wanted to visit my dad’s cousin who was living in Geneva. They took the “easy” way out of Rome instead of taking the much more scenic Eurail.
As for Kuya Marlon, I’ve read about his solo at the forums. Hopefully I’ll be able to follow his and capt. windy’s footsteps once I get done with my board exams.
All the best capt! :p
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Tonet,,,
>Geez, now I’m really humiliated. I have no idea who you >are. You must be laughing your head off!
Sure, I need some fun as well 🙂
You’ll know when you see me next time, just look the Finn hanging around!
>If you were outside the flight line, you have one AWESOME >zoom lens, man.
>And a great eye for composition!
Luckily you haven’t seen the original ones!
>Many thanks. I’ll write, “Photos by Timo” who is probably >some sexy girl I hit on in the past… .
You’ll be disappointed…
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Ouch! That sux mate!
I’m arriving Manila 23/4 & departing 16/5. You in town during that time?
My shout!
Dave.
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hi tonet,
i feel sorry for your losses, i dont know what to say but what you give is what you get back. U gave us wonderful pictures and stories someday someone will reciprocate that for you. I hope that thieving SOAB will come to his/her senses and return all that have lost.
I saw your pictures at Hua Hin on WingsOverAsia website. I hope someday i’ll be able to join you guys on cross border flying expedition. Not that until i have my PPL.
I have started flying the Cirrus SR 20. i have 1.3hrs in written in my logbook and i hope i can fly more often despite my furious looking and straightforward instructor keep raising his voices everytime i made mistake. Anyway it’s me who chose him all i need now is word of encouragement in case of emotional breakdown as a result of constant pressure.
My roomate is thinking about changing instructor (same instructor as me) once he clear his first solo. He just cant tolerate being scold furiously during circuit training. All that i hope is that i will last longer than him, at least until i got my PPL…
Some of my friends abroad advised against flying with this kinda instructor but i just hope i can prove them wrong by staying resilient despite all the harsh remarks during flying. Hahaha. I know it will be good for me someday.
Would like to hear your opinion…and encouragement perhaps… 🙂
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See you are in Europe quite a lot…if you would like to go flying around some of the remote areas of England landing at some off beat places with some home cooked Philipina food to finish the day off let me know [you have my email from the ‘Leave a Reply’]
Ian
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Hi Ian,
Yes, I cover Europe and Asia, in my job.
I may take one of my sons on a holiday to Europe early in your summer.
Home-cooked Filipino food in England would be quite a find.
I have a lot of stories about England, and my own Dad. He stayed there in 1963 and never forgot it! He loved it there.
What do you mean by “remote areas”? Are you in the southwest land’s end, or up north?
I’ll email you separately from my personal email.
.
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Hi Tonet – I am so sorry to learn about the loss of your digital memories. Hope you can somehow recover some of your files.
“Flying in Crosswinds” is saved in my Aviation favorites folder. My daily routine includes reading about and enjoying the photos and videos of your aerial adventures in the Philippines. I was wondering why there were no recent postings on your website.
As a background , my name is Bobby Mata, married with three grown children, now empty nesters.
– 1968 Mapua B.S. Mechanical Engineering
– 1969 first solo Cessna-150, PIC-1151 @ Canlubang field
– 1972 moved to New York and settled in Nassau County
– 2002 obtained PP-ASEL in Piper Warrior II, N-36616
– 2010 have 400 hours, working on IFR Rating
I am planning to retire within 36-months and was considering to purchase and transport a Piper Warrior or Cessna 172M or later model to the Philippines for my own personal use. My wife’s family are the Trinidads from Iba, Zambales. They currently have a private home on the beach, walking distance from RPUS-Iba.
My wife and I are arriving in Manila on June 16th to attend some family functions. I wanted to meet with you and other aviation enthusiasts to get your opinions and to share some thoughts or even do some actual flying.
We will be staying at the Makati Peninsula during our stay.
If you wish, you can address your response to my personal email address.
Thanks and Regards – Bobby Mata
P.S. I have an enlarged downloaded photo of Cuyo airport in Palawan on my private office wall. It shows a Cherokee 140 and tricycle in the background. My standard response to everyone that ask me about the photo is – “When I retire, I will send you the identical photo but with me in the background”
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Hi Bobby, thanks for visiting Flying in Crosswinds!
You and I have exactly the same retirement dream. Yours seems to fall into the category of retirement plan, rather than dream. You already have a timeline!
There was a nice Piper Warrior for sale recently at Clark. Omni Aviation at Clark Field, where I learned to fly and where my airplane is based, operates several Cessna 172Ms, including one with extended range tanks (7 hours endurance) and an engine and prop recently zero-timed in the US. There is a Beech Bonanza A36 in Iloilo that is still for sale.
I am based in Bangkok, and travel (too much) to Europe and Asia in my job. But I will do my best to ensure I am in Manila on June 16. How long are you staying in Manila? We can surely go flying, and you can visit a couple of FBOs, including one who imports aircraft all the time for prospective owners in Manila.
You learned to fly at the old Canlubang airfield! It is gone now, turned into an industrial park. I once flew into there, in the late 1980s. There is still a street named “Airfield”, where the grass runway used to be.
Iba is one of my favorite destinations. Zambales is a stunningly beautiful from the air.
I’ve just been very busy at work. I still have a lot of aviation stories to write. The problem is time.
Keep visiting here often, and stay in touch. My personal email is tonetrivera@gmail.com and I check it once or twice a week.
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