Corinne goes to Morocco (page 2)

Valencia-Denia

I filled up with fuel next to this enormous crop sprayer and chatted to a German pilot, Peter, who was also on his way to Morocco with a weight-shift microlight but was waiting for a replacement propeller as he'd broken his landing in a rough field... huh, men ! I flew along the beaches at 200 feet for a while, heading south, and then continued to Benicolet, a microlight base in the mountains above Denia, and the owner, Pépé, said it would be ok to leave the microlight in the hangar for a couple of days.

Ibiza... here I come !

A retired military helicopter pilot called Luis, who was learning to fly a microlight, very very kindly drove me all the way to the high speed ferry at Denia, 50 winding kilometres away. I had a sandwich and beer under the palm trees then caught the 17.00 sailing to Ibiza ! Here I am about to board... God, isn't life FUN !!!

4 chicks in Ibiza

The ferry arrived at 19.30, and I walked all the way along the Avenida d'Espana with my 30 kg. backpack as far as the the first roundabout then stuck my thumb out. Not easy but eventually a bloke took me all the way to the hotel Pueblo Vista Allegre in S. Cubells south of St. Josep ! That was really amazing as it would have been very difficult otherwise, necessitating a walk of several kilometres along a deserted road in the forest. He didn't seem to want anything in return (know wot oi mean ? wink wink ! I offered him some money for the petrol but he refused.)

This is the hotel I stayed at for a week in september last year. My 3 Swiss friends whom I had met at the time, Anik, Sissy and Michèle were staying here again for a week. They'd asked me to come with them but I'd had to decline since I wanted to fly to Morocco and this was going to be a surprise visit as they weren't expecting me at all ! The hotel staff remembered me and I got a room for 2 nights. My girlfriends had gone out to watch the sunset on a rocky beach so I sat down for dinner outside by the pool listening to the music and thinking back to the last time I'd sat here on the evening of september 11 when the mood had been one of total shock.

Suddenly I heard a shout "Corinne !" It was Michèle who had spotted me. Then all 3 screamed "Aaaargh ! Corinne !!!!!" They were completely flabbergasted and we had a very emotional reunion (after one year !) while all the other guests wondered what was going on... a famous porn actress spotted by her fans perhaps ?

Hotpants and high heels in Ibiza

Anik, Sissy and Michèle joined me while I finished eating then we went to their appartment and chatted. They hadn't eaten yet and wanted to go out in Ibiza town so I took a shower, dressed in pink t-shirt, hotpants with pink belt and black high heel ankle boots. They took ages to get ready so we left at 02.00 which was rather a waste of time as the town was winding down and I was falling asleep. Finally got to bed at 05.00. half dead. I had started my anti-testosterone hormones a couple of weeks ago and they were making me very tired by the evening.

Goodbye to my girlfriends

Next day, thursday, we all went to the beach in a rocky cove and swam in the warm water. We had a picnic with sangria and watched the sunset, getting bitten by mosquitoes ! Friday morning I got up at 07.00, dressed in little black halterneck top, denim miniskirt, pink belt and flat suede boots. Went to the supermarket to fetch the croissants then had breakfast with the other girls. They were very slow to get going and we set off late for the port. I was really scared I was going to miss my ferry back to Spain and we lost even more time because they fancied a guy who was walking along the road without a shirt and wanted to give him a lift ! I didn't read about any rapes in the paper in the next few days so I guess he survived unscathed...

Return to Spain

Luckily the boat arrived late, but when I tried to board there was a problem with my ticket and I was sent to the office. There was of course a queue and meanwhile the long queue for boarding evaporated instantaneously. I spoke to the woman and she'd told me there was nothing wrong with my ticket and that I'd now have to wait for the 15.00 sailing as the boarding ramp was being withdrawn. I wanted to get back to my microlight and not spend a minute longer in Ibiza so I rushed out, blowing a kiss to some guy in a uniform shouting at me in Spanish, presumably telling me to stop (I really must improve my Spanish), bounded up the boarding stairs like a gazelle and they very kindly put the ramp back for me ! Phew !

The ferry arrived at Denia at 14.30, and I had to wait 2 hours for the bus to Gandia, so I had a sandwich and beer in the bus station café. After a one hour bus ride Luis picked me up at Gandia and took me to Benicolet. I filled the microlight with fuel, prepared my navigation for the flight to the south of Spain, then had dinner and went to bed at 23.30. Apparently tomorrow will be ok but after that it will be stormy so I've got to advance as much as possible tomorrow (what's new ?).

Almeria

Got up at 06.00, dressed in purple long sleeved t-shirt, jeans and flat suede boots and took off from Benicolet at first light, 07.30, flying up through a hole in the low clouds to meet the sunrise. It was beautiful and not too cold. I flew non-stop to Vera airfield just north of Alméria in 3 hours where I was greeted by a German couple who owned the airfield. They couldn't believe their eyes ! They very kindly took me to the petrol station so I could refuel then I said goodbye and flew in considerable turbulence to Malaga Axarquia in 2 hours 50 minutes. It was a singularly unfriendly place with 3 macho American pilots who were flying Cessnas and pulling advertising banderolles along the beaches who really looked down their noses at me. I left in a very gusty wind immediately after refuelling and flew two and a half hours to Medina Sidonia, a very wind swept field to the west of Gibraltar. That made a total of 8 hours 15 flying time today ! Not bad for a frail little girl.