Team Melrose and the Spirit of Adventure

**Milton Shupe** · October 31st, 2009, 09:16

Down and safe at VIAL ... where's Dave? Where's the local pub? :ernae:

**buzzbee** · October 31st, 2009, 14:33

Going to take a short hop over to VIBN Varanasi.

Scenic ride for a local official to survey the river.

***Dangerousdave26*** · October 31st, 2009, 19:14

Buzzbee seems to be MIA

**Milton Shupe** · October 31st, 2009, 19:37

Originally Posted by Dangerousdave26

Buzzbee seems to be MIA

Hmmm best send out a search party ... it's only 60nm ... hmmm okay, I will pick it up and see what I find.

**Milton Shupe** · October 31st, 2009, 19:40

Okay, since significant time has passed since Buzzbee left for a 60nm flight, I ma going to pick it up from VIAL and head to VERC.

I have the baton.

**Milton Shupe** · October 31st, 2009, 20:47

I left one hour after Buzzbee started giving a reasonable time to delay start. That means I will be looking for my destination airport in the dark. Fortunately the NDB and city lights will be some help ... and hopefully no fog.

**Milton Shupe** · October 31st, 2009, 21:53

Down and safe in the dark at VERC ... nice night flight ... no mountains

**Milton Shupe** · November 1st, 2009, 02:42

Ah, a new day, a new scenery index, a fresh morning, and I am bound for Calcutta.

I have the baton, VERC to VECC.

**Milton Shupe** · November 1st, 2009, 04:27

Down and safe at Ole Calcutta VECC. The baton is free.

**buzzbee** · November 1st, 2009, 09:02

My apologies. Real life forced me to abandon the leg.

Not sure what happened to my Post putting the baton back at VIAL.

**Milton Shupe** · November 1st, 2009, 09:34

Not a problem ... we were on it. :-) Hope all is well.

**Great Ozzie** · November 2nd, 2009, 06:03

Taking the Melrose Baton from (Nejaji Subhas Chandra Bose Intl

: ) Calcutta

to Mazin

(VECC-VYTD)

On Dangerous Dave's RTPT (btw Dave thanks and thanks for the panel light info).

Set time at Calcutta to approx 4am.

**Great Ozzie** · November 2nd, 2009, 07:35

Well... somewhere over the Bay of Bengal almost 2 hrs into the flight, I see a few panels of the water flicker to lighter color, then the comp locks up.

All that Comet flying must have worn out the graphics card.

And it's a nice & cool 14°C in the house.

Ok... Baton back at VECC

**Great Ozzie** · November 2nd, 2009, 09:58

Trying this again... Taking the Melrose Baton from (Nejaji Subhas Chandra Bose Intl) Calcutta

to Mazin

(VECC-VYTD) 4am Calcutta time.

Video driver / nhancer re-install has worked so far (crash at 1hr 30min according to post times, now 1hr 50min into the flight) and graphics actually look better.

**Great Ozzie** · November 2nd, 2009, 13:47

Safely Released the Melrose Baton at Mazin

(VYTD) 8:45am Local Time

MM · November 2nd, 2009, 18:20

Will move Jimmy along to Mawlamyine (VYMM) if time permits...

Starting a new day on the VH-UQO clock.

MM · November 2nd, 2009, 20:52

Safely across to VYMM.

Mawlamyine is Burma's third largest city and known for its cuisine. The Bumese expression goes "Mandaly for the speaking, Yangon for the bragging, and Mawlamyine for the eating."

This was the first capital of British Burma. Here are a couple of English writers in their characteristic voices. From Wikipedia. First, Rudyard Kipling:

By the old Moulmein pagoda
Lookin' lazy at the sea
There's a Burma girl a-settin'
and I know she thinks o' me.

And then George Orwell's 1936 memoir of his years serving as a colonial police officer:

In Moulmein, in Lower Burma, I was hated by large numbers of people--the only time in my life that I have been important enough for this to happen to me.

For the Puss Moth, a largely uneventful flight--other than having to climb to a breath-taking 7,000 ft to avoid headwinds, a pleasant day at the office.

Another Dawn wake up call.
Heading into the sunrise.
Crossing the Irrawaddy, Burma's "Big Muddy."
Heading over the Gulf of Martaban and the Adaman Sea.

***srgalahad*** · November 2nd, 2009, 22:42

I can't stand it any more!!!!

3 days in bed in this wretched "hotel", down with the beri-beri or influenza or some such ailment.
Found a doc who had some quinine and a few other potions and I'm off to the airport at 5 am..

Going to sneak along the coast to Ye (VYYE) or if I'm still conscious, maybe I'll try for Dawei (VYDW) where there are reports of a radio beacon.

Gotta find a real colonial doctor somewhere with proper medications and a flask of Brandy

***srgalahad*** · November 2nd, 2009, 22:55

Quartering headwind estimated at 12 kts at 2000 ft but I dare not fly lower as I can see hills dimly in the pre-dawn light.
Thankfully I brought that flask of Canada Dry and I may only last the bare 40 minutes to Ye.

***srgalahad*** · November 2nd, 2009, 23:17

Lights below as the towns come away nearing dawn. I fear it may be still to dark to attempt the landing at Ye as I've been told there are no lights or flare-pots. 15 minutes more.

***srgalahad*** · November 2nd, 2009, 23:42

Circled YE a couple of time before i found the strip. It looked suspect in the gloom and may be flooded from the monsoons.
Instead I'll go on to Dawei and hope for better. Lots of fuel and the sun is rising

***srgalahad*** · November 2nd, 2009, 23:53

It's indeed a beautiful land as daylight comes. Jungle, farms and what appear to be rice paddies around the murky water.
At least the strip at Dawei ( or Tavoy as some call it) should be easy to find near the river.

I am loath to descend as I have found a glorious wind following me at what I estimate to be 40 kts, but the lack of air at even 4500 ft is taxing in my condition. DRAT! these tropical diseases!

***srgalahad*** · November 3rd, 2009, 00:16

I have landed at VYDW amid such horrid turbulence that I felt like a chip of wood in a trout stream in flood and desperately seek rest. Perhaps instead of looking for a hotel I'll just post this note on the propellor and repose in the cockpit for a while. The Moth has been good and shows no sign of the strain of the rough air