From: "Philip Merryman" <phil_merryman@hotmail.com>

Date: Sat Apr 13, 2002 08:52:40 AM Etc/GMT

Subject: No Strings Attached

Hi again.

This will most probably be my last e-mail from NZ, unless I get a chance in the morning before getting my flight all the way across the Pacific and then half way back again to get to Easter Island.

Yesterday morning was another trip to another geothermal site. OK I know this all sounds a bit repetitive but they are all different and have their own specific features. Also this was what I had specifically come to this part of NZ to see. I have always been interested in rocks and the way the Earth is made and eroded. This place had several regularly erupting geysers. The kiwis pronounce them "guy-sers" as opposed to the London way "geezers", which they use to mean a bloke! One of these was continuously launching jets of water and steam skywards about 10 metres or so in 3 jets. Because of this is is known as the "Prince of Wales feathers" because it forms the shape of the emblem of the prince. There is another one called Pohutu which shoots water between 20 and 30 metres several times a day, but for some reason was not working that morning :-( Probably the water table was too low. It steamed from time to time as though it was about to launch tons of water skywards but never got round to it. There was still a lot of steam and hot water elsewhere too, so again it was very impressive. However unlike the day before I had all morning at this site so I was able to just take it easy and watch for a lot of the time.

This site was part of a Maori reserve, and they too had demonstrations, a small village and a concert at about mid day. So I was able to get some pictures of this which I had missed out the other day. This was a less slick but perhaps more natural event as it involved fewer spectators and no meal. However both were excellent.

Just across the road from this site is a 9-hole golf course. This has a few extra difficulties than the usual bunkers and ponds: HOT water hazards!! There are few spots on it apparently where steam issues from the ground. I would love to see the local rules about a ball lost down a fumerole! However the geysers do not squirt the ball back out!

This relaxing trip meant that I was nice and ready for the afternoon's activity and my last major event in NZ. I have had three scenic flights in small planes while I have been here. I ought to get frequent flyer points! In all three I sat in the co-pilot's seat. I have done the fly-by-wire whizzing around on the end of a cable in a plane with no wings. So there was only one thing left to do. If you are going to do something you might as well do it properly. So no more of this "puppet on a string" stuff, this time I flew a real aeroplane! I had a half hour introductory flying lesson, as it turned out with the same pilot who took me to Whie island on Tuesday.

There was a pre-flight briefing about the basics of how a plane flies and the controls. So I was searching deep into long unfathomed and almost uncharted regions of my memory to try to resurrect all those Mechanic of Flights lectures I sat through 20 years ago! Thanks Frank Irving!! (Only one of you* will know who that is!). So after that it was out to the plane, a 2-seat Cessna, this time with me getting in the left hand seat! Simon the pilot looked after the taxiing, radio and throttle and I did the rest. So off down the runway and then a gentle pull back (at the right speed!) and uop we went. It really was remarkable simple!

While up there he got me to keep a steady climb before levelling out. Then a few turns flying over the lakes I had looked down on four days before. Once level and set you can take you hands off the controls and it just carries on.

Simon then gave a few demos of manoevres nearer the edge of the envelope: A 60 degree bank turn pulling 2g (looking out of the side window directly down!), a pull up and then back down again with negative g at the top. This catches you out the first time and you leave your stomach behind somewhere, just like the first dive in a roller coaster. We did this again to deliberately get a screw driver weightless. I held it open in my hand while he pulled the plane up and then down and it floated free! Then a wing-over where you pull the plane up and then turn to the side to come back down again. He also demonstrated how slow it can go by just letting the engine idle and how much sloppier the controls are at slow speed compared to how positive they are at high speed.

After that it was back to me to get the plane back to the airfield to land. So a few more turns etc and a steady descent, looking out for the runway below. Had to go the far end and turn for approach. The final aproach was the hardest keeping it in a straing line exactly down the glide path. Simon gve a few extra tweaks! Anyway, a smooth enough landing. All great fun. Luckily I had a clam day with great visibility! :-)

Today just a get to Auckland bus ride with a bit of time to look at the herbour and have dinner up the tower, watching the sunset!

Got to go, they're closing the internet cafe!

Cheers

Phil