For the final day of flying Christian
decided to show H5 Matt the glacier. Barre des Ecrins is a huge mountain in the
Alps whose northern flank is draped in ice which extends like a veil down into
the valley. The lowest fringes are rent and broken as the glacier melts into
the sun baked rocks, exposing blue tinged ice under the dust tinted snow.
According to Christian, over the past 20 years it has shrunken approximately
30% in size and it appears to be shrinking faster with each passing year.
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| JB above Glacier Blanc but still lower than Barre des Ecrins |
All of the training throughout the week had
started to come together, with Matt’s flying attracting far less abuse and even the odd compliment from
Christian. They worked their way out of the La Motte valley and skimmed across
the mountain stepping stones, each higher than the last and heading north east
into the Ecrins. The glacier was breath taking, evidence of avalanches and ice
overhangs do not put off the walkers and climbers! Much better to do the climb in a glider. H5 Matt and
Christian thermalled to 13000 feet with Mont Blanc in the background, the air
crystal clear and the views spectacular. What a way to end a brilliant weeks
flying.
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| H5 Matt incognito up against Barre des Ecrins |
Halfway through their 1000 mile journey back
to NHL news got to the guys that the French were on strike at Calais, who’d
have thought! A plan B was frantically crafted and a couple of slots on a
Dieppe ferry booked. After a night in the truck stop in the back of cars the
gang pressed on to Dieppe, setting up camp again and enjoying a relaxing last
day before catching the alternative ferry.
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| Luxurious digs |
After nearly 3 weeks in France JB’s pigeon
French was improving, at a Dieppe water-front restaurant he ordered what he
thought was fillet of white fish, however the delivered dish didn’t quite look
as expected and tasted even worse than the appalling road-kill gizzard sausage
that H5 Matt had selected in the services the night before. Google translate
deduced JB had actually ordered rare Monkfish Liver! Yummy! H5 Matt didn’t fare
any better as his Fruits de Mer platter proved to be a collection of gruesome
snails, limpets and only a couple of edible prawns which JB pounced upon
immediately
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| Always Safe with Pizza |
After a hearty French meal the trio expelled
their remaining energy with a swim in the English Channel, and yes it is
English right up to the point where it touches the sand, this was however
disputed by the locals because water this polluted had to be French.
A great end to the expedition totalling:
Holiday Statistics:
JB, 10 flights 43 hours 1738 km
H5 Matt, 7 flights 19 hours 1001 km
M5 Matt, 12 flights 64 hours 3401 km
Phil Morrison 29 hrs 1194 km
Estimated cups of tea: 300 + 18 boxes of
French Bastonge biscuits
