Visiting California

We are having an great adventure in the States where I have come to tick things off my bucket list - getting my American pilot's licence and flying a seaplane. It was also a chance to see where Llew's dad has settled in Cypress California with Karen, who have a beautiful home in Avenida Carmel, close to Long Beach and Los Angeles where we landed.

A South African welcome on our arrival and Karen and Llew's dad's house in Avenida Carmel, Cypress, near Long Beach, California

Here's a link to the Facebook video clip I took of the street showing the neat verges, proudly flying American flags and the lifestyle.

Karen, Dad, Llew on a sightseeing tour around Long Beach

The Queen Mary is docked in Long Beach harbour

Personalised Californian number plate

We visited The Airplane Factory USA meeting Matt and Ryan, incredible guys who have set up an assembly plant and MGL Avionics distributorship of these fine South African aviation products in the States

Matt took me up in his Eagle bi-plane, a 200hp aerobatic mean machine and we did some loops, rolls and hammerhead manouvres in the sky over Long Beach

Here's the link to a Facebook video clip I took of my flight in the bi-plane as we came up alongside The Airplane Factory USA's Sling then rolled around them in a scary manouvre. And here's the link to more photos in the set of my visit to their factory.

That's me enjoying my first ever airplane tail-dragger, bi-plane and aerobatic experience

Long Beach harbour through the wires of the bi-plane wings while I was strapped in tight with a parachute in the front seat.

Going for a cycle along the dykes of Long Beach

You've seen these canals/dykes in the movies