October 3, 2008 Astrid Rao

A dramatic change in the weather

  I woke up at 6 am and rushed up to the terrace to find big clouds gathering fast over the east. The sun peeped out for a short while only to be enveloped by cloud and it began to get very dark. A huge thunder storm ensued and we thought – bother another day [...]

October 2, 2008 Astrid Rao

Bad Weather Plans

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. [...]

October 1, 2008 Astrid Rao

Karanjgaon contingent heads for the Himalayas -Manali and Bir Billing

Ravi, Bandya, Vinya and Sandeep went on a flying holiday to Manali and Bir Billing in the middle of September.They met up with Steve Reed who was going to guide them around in the Himalayan air. It was rather early in the season and they headed for the Kullu Valley first where the weather was [...]

September 30, 2008 Astrid Rao

Himalayas here I come

The day arrives and  Sanjay drives me to the airport. I am on my way to Bir Billing for 12 whole days. Sanjay has not been able to join me once more but has organised the works. Double the amount of time as compared to last year's trip, an XC course that I will participate [...]

September 30, 2008 Astrid Rao

Himalayas here I come

The day arrives and  Sanjay drives me to the airport. I am on my way to Bir Billing for 12 whole days. Sanjay has not been able to join me once more but has organised the works. An XC course that I will participate in along with Hiren and Dwane, and a chance to fly [...]

August 14, 2008 Astrid Rao

Dune de Pyla (7th to 11th July)

At 60Km from Bordeaux, in the South of the Arcachon Bay, it is the highest dune in Europe, the Great Dune of Pyla (or Pilat). The dune is 7km long, 107 meters high, and has a lovely view to the Atlantic Ocean, the Bay and pine forests. For some years now it has been a [...]

August 13, 2008 Astrid Rao

Francois and Gwen’s wedding at Nieul le Dolent

When we reached Nieul le Dolent the sky was grey and it was windy and cold. We saw the big blue tent where the wedding reception was to be held from the distance and knew we were there at last. The wedding house was buzzing with activity and excitement. As of now it was the [...]

August 12, 2008 Astrid Rao

Flitting across St. Hilaire and Annecy

The drive to Annecy was a visual treat. It was great to sit back and watch the change in scenery. After many toll booths tunnels in the mountains and super highway roads we left the lavender fields and the wildflowers and rugged hillsides  behind an begun to see more gently undulating grassy hillsides and  healthy [...]

August 12, 2008 Astrid Rao

5 days in medieval Moustiers Ste Marie (24th to the 28th June)

All along the way from Barcelonnette to Moustiers we drove through the stunning countryside of Provence with its legendary lavender fields that came into bloom almost coinciding with the day we arrived (On the first sighting of these trippy purple fields I started to squeal and Bastion spontaneously stopped the car, jumped into a field [...]

August 11, 2008 Astrid Rao

One night in Barcelonnette (23rd June 08)

Bastion met us at the Aix en Provence station and drove us Barcelonnette about 400 km away. Instead of heading out to Philippe’s place directly we decided to first meet up with Mathieu de Quillacqand get the load down on his wonder dinky helicopter as he was off for a competition later that week. Barcelonnette, [...]