Journey Impressions: Coober Pedy -- Sydney

Sydney, the biggest city of Australia, capital of Federal State New South Wales: approx. 4,23 Mil. inhabitants
Australia: approx. 20,1 Mil. inhabitants
Inhabitants growth in population 2004: 1,2 %
Inhabitant for each km² : 2,6


17.04.07 Coober Pedy/Sydney: When checking out of the hotel, the woman at the reception told us that our rose-painted plane had become something of a sensation in the town, because it's not everyday that people flying round the world land at Coober Pedy. She went on to say that that was why she and a lot of other townsfolk had set off for the airfield the evening before to take a photo of Marie to remember her by.

17.04.07 Sydney: At the airport, we got into a seven-seater BMW limousine with chauffeur that our handling agent Alex Curtis had organised. It brought us to the Hyatt Hotel in the middle of the city. Our rooms provided a fantastic view of Sydney harbour. The cruise ship 'Sapphire Princess' was anchored there, but above all we found ourselves drawn to the city's world-famous landmark, the opera house directly on the water, whose roof calls to mind a sail puffed out by the wind.

18.04.07 Sydney: Today it’s Marie DEMCA that’s in the foreground. Toni Pitt, the head of the workshop, has already started the 100 hour check. The engine is in top form - but the exhaust has cracks so a spare part has to be inserted. Preparations are necessary before the additional tank can be fitted and the inside has to be smartened up. After four hours, I know half of the team and a variety of interested visitors who wonder who Marie actually is and think that the most attractive plane in Bankstown is the DEMCA.

19.04.07 Sydney: Today it’s off to the harbour and the city, but unfortunately there’s a change of hotel from the Hyatt (fully booked) to the Mariott. Nicolas Perren, Stephan Perren’s son, both of whom have both flown round the world, sends us an e-mail. We arrange to meet up for a meal on Monday.

Toni Pitt and the future round the world pilots Lisa and Graham are also invited. A long talk today with Sebastian. There were substantial differences of opinion during the flights. Over a long duration, a flight around the world requires a high level of discipline, concentration and willingness to learn a lot of new things.

But also a lot of cool headedness, patience, understanding for other cultures and a huge portion of humility where all the different responsibilities and contacts we meet are concerned. For a young person without a lot of flying experience, this is a huge challenge and has to be taken on board.

After the end of our talk it becomes clear to me that it would be better if Sebastian and did not fly the second half with me.

I will give my school friend Hans-Christian the opportunity instead. He has been flying for over 30 years and I believe he would be a good choice for the second half.

20.04.07 Sydney: Today it’s off to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Our guide Bob, who drives the minibus at the same time, is looking after five guests today: Paul, Chinese working in Shanghai/IT specialist and lives in Taipeh; David, an American and retired executive; Geniet, David’s wife, both now live near Reno/USA; Mike, Geniet and David’s son who lives in San Francisco and is responsible for marketing industrial robots.
At over 7 foot he towers over all of us. When Mike hears about our flight around the world, he pulls his computer out of his pocket and looks at our web site. 'That's a Garmin 1000', he says. I’m amazed at what Mike knows about Garmin 1000 although he isn’t a pilot. Grinning, he replies that he is a shareholder in Garmin.

Later on we find out that Mike, David and Geniet know Germany from various visits. Mike is often at the Hanover fair with his robots.

The day is good fun although the bus conks out halfway through the forest. We have to wait for a new bus. Just by chance we found a café 500m away. We spend bridge the time waiting with muffins and coffee. Then we did see the Blue Mountains after all: Jungle ferns, waterfalls, the steepest railway track in the world and the Three Sisters (three mountain tops.) The last part of the journey is in the dark by ferry through the lit-up harbour.

21.04.07 Sydney: The Sydney Explorer is on today’s agenda. A bus tour all through the town. You can get in and out everywhere. From the Sydney Opera House we pass by several stops, like the botanical Garden, Art gallery, Woolloomooloo Bay with many restaurants, Queen Victoria Building, Chinatown, Sydney fish market, National Maritime Museum and aquarium. The Bondi Explorer is the Sydney Explorer’s brother, which does not go through the city but around it. As Sydney was built on islands and bays, the stops are nearly all called Bay or Beach: Rushcutters Bay (yachting harbour), Rose Bay (sea planes); Watson Bay (restaurants); Bondi Beach, Bronte Beach, Coongee Beach etc.

22.04.07 Sydney: Today is the get-together for the pilots flying round the world, Nicolas, Lisa, Graham, Toni, Olaf and me. All agree on one thing: it’s a beautiful world. Olaf is our special guest because nobody knew him before. He has a friend in Goslar, who always travels to Australia. His friend told him about our flight round the world and asked of Marie had already landed. Detective Olaf hadn’t heard anything about it, and simply telephoned the airfield in Bankstown and found out that the plane is parked with Toni Pitt. Yes, the world is small. Olaf’s friend in Goslar is friends with our architect Helgard and at the beginning of the year carried out a tour of a mining shaft with us in the Harz mountains.

23.04.07 Sydney: Today I will see Toni again and meet up in the evening with Florian and his father. Florian is a simulator flight pilot, lives near Bankstown and flies our flights in real-time (!). He loves Hamburg; 25 years ago his parents emigrated from there to Australia. But his father wants to return. When Marie takes off again at the end of July, he would like to be there. A day later, a Quantas airliner takes off - I’ve got comfortable and look forward to Marie on two legs. Bye Sydney.