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Bad Weather Plans

Bad Weather Plans

Team Nirvana at Billing

Hiren and Dwane arrive and our world becomes ‘Animal Planet’

Hiren and Dwane arrived in Bir last evening. They will stay on with me for the next 11 days but Ravi and the rest of the boys will head back home in a couple of dasy as the season in Kamshet is due to begin.

The weather continued to be no good (to put it lightly)  and after spending some misty time on the takeoff we decided to head out to visit  Baijnath Temple and Dharamshala to kill the time. On the way there we coined a slogan for the trip ‘Animal Planet’.

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Himalayan Griffon Vultures, Egyptian Scavengers, Kites, Hawks, Tree Pies, Himalayan Black Bears, Mahasheer, Mongoose, many exciting sightings and many more strange creatures with nylon wings led us to coin the term

img_0136.JPGimg_0130.JPGimg_0121.JPGimg_0104.JPGimg_0373.JPGtemple lizard

The bad weather continues 
Another un-flyable day and the pilot population in Bir is getting pretty restless. Take morning walks, roam about the Tibetan colony, hang out in the two and a half eating joints around and meet discontented pilots bickering about the weather was all one had to do.

While sitting at Bimala Didi’s Dhaba on one such afternoon with one such bunch we were joined by two fresh pilot arrivals who eagerly asking questions about the flying scene – Martin who had just about had enough with the conditions pounced on them saying ‘ who told you this is a good site – you have been misinformed – I have been here for days and not had a decent flight –  head for Kamshet  in the south that’s where the flying is” while we all laughed hysterically.

To begin with we stayed at the Paradise guest house but in a couple of days we shifted out to a house in the Tibetan Colony.  Belonging to Mrs Dolma a very gracious host it became home to us for the rest of our trip. Sachit and Chiqui stayed above us and we were delighted to have them as our neighbors.

Each morning i  woke up early and rushed up to the terrace to check on the weather, drink my morning cuppa with Hiren and Dwane,  indulge in some yoga after which the weather not being favorable, we  passed the time  eating, walking, visiting the monasteries and hanging out – all interspersed with many hopeful glances in the direction of mountains.

Monks play football at the Billing takeoffVolcanoe cloudsone little cloud - its only just begunMisty Mountains - one more viewDwane at the monastry

Astrid Rao

Author: Astrid Rao

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