Leg #10 Los Angeles CA-Tucson, Arizona

November 28, 2014

A good observer might have noticed that Leg #9 is missing. Well that is correct, since I did make a mistake in counting the previous legs, so I will one day correct the numbers of the previous legs as well.

It was not easy to get away from Los Angeles. In the first place Tarini wanted to show Sophie Beverley Hills whilst Sophie could not resist looking at different diamond shops there. Urs and I tried to dig through a large pile of E-mails at … at … yes at Starbucks. Maarten had to give his superb Chevrolet SUV a car wash.

Then we showed Maarten and Ishan our FIAT PANDA, but fortunately they did not look too much at all the G4 and G5 a/c around us.

Both Ishan and Anjali were very interested in looking at and running in and out of Pilatypus. Anjali won, like women usually win, since her dress and shoe leeches matched very well the colours of Pilatyus. Was it the mother who had her hand in the choice of Anjali’s clothes, or Anjali herself? Well it doesn’t matter and would not change my theory, both being women. Sorry for you and for Urs and for myself, Maarten. The reality of life can be embarrassing from time to time.

Anjali and Ishan

Our T-O was full pressure, at least in the tower since our FIAT PANDA climbed much much too slow within all departures of G4 and G5 a/c and they sent us from left to right and from right to left just to stay outside the patterns of the G4 and G5 a/c.

take off at LA VAN NUYS Airport KVNY

departing LA

LA direction Tucson

It became a relatively short flight of 400 Nm, taking us 01:48. Since we lost one hour in time difference, it was nearly dark when we arrived and just dark when we completed the preparations to give Pilatypus a good night rest.

approaching Tucson, Arizona, KTUS

turning final RWY 11 L at Tucson Airport KTUS

Tucson Airport – Atlantic FBO

Then Urs tried to capture a beautifull scenery of the change of light before it became completely dark

sunset at Tucson, Arizona

Then business as usual, fueling, checking at the FBO [Fixed Base Operator, a bit sought expression for the Operator at the airport).

planning for the next leg…

Our 2nd stay in an Hyatt Hotel was not really what we could have expected after our stay in the Hyatt Hotel in Dushanbe, Tjitjikistan, and I believe that Urs kept also this time his socks on in the room and threw them away the next morning. He will now have to buy new socks in Mexico. Perhaps some sox later when we come close to Boston MA.

We ended this day in an Italian restaurant at approximately one hour driving from our hotel in Tuscon. 1M inhabitants according to our taxi driver from Kazachstan, who came here 18 years ago on an invitation for his family of the Jewish community of Arizona.

Tomorrow we try to pierce the Mexican border.