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Cap’n Carol’’s Chronicles

Sunday 27^th July

Greetings from Lusse, Germany – airfield venue for the 30^th FAI World Gliding Champs for the Open, 18m. & 15m. classes. Arrived in Germany yesterday and made our way to Lusse where others had already arrived or were on their way. The camp site is already full of caravans with a variety of teams setting themselves up. As yet the S.Africans still need to ‘ set up’ as we only will hopefully get to register today and then get the keys to our ‘ site office’. Quintin arrived on Friday minus one of his suitcases, so he finally caught up with it by collecting it from Berlin airport late yesterday afternoon. Laurens, Suzy, Gunter (crewing for QM) and I had flight delays in Madrid, but finally arrived mid afternoon yesterday. Attie – we imagine will get here today. He was driving from England where his glider had been shipped.

This picture is at the road entrance leading to the airfield.

Now we know where we are!!

We are staying at a very nice hotel called Springbach Muhle which is about 6 or 7 km. from the airfield. They have a real menagerie of creatures so will hopefully send you a picture or two of them in due course.

Today both Quintin & Laurens have taken flights to check everything out. Laurens is self-launching, so after a few hiccups and the glider not wanting to move, we pushed it forward a bit to get out of the possible slight dip, and he got away. There seemed to be a long run, but eventually he was airborne.

Both gliders are now down, so will go and see how things were. Conditions look very good, with blue sky and some cloud but not a lot. It is very hot and a bit humid on the ground and coming from the SA winter, the heat is quite a body shock!!

Tomorrow we will get both gliders through their scrutineering –they time slots for 10 & 10.30 a.m. for this. And still no sign of Attie yet!