The weather looked good, the plane was booked and the Euros left over from Spain were to hand. Anna, Jez and I sped through the Essex countryside to Southend airport as the skies turned increasingly grey, rain started to spit at the windscreen as we drove into the flying club.
In flight food (a mars bar and 2 packets of crisps) were stowed away, and we were good to go.
"Clear Prop!" I yelled as I turned over the port engine.
"Cough, cough, splutter, cough, and then aspyhxia." The battery was pretty much dead, the prop would not spin, and Anna the first time somewhat nervous flyer looked well....nervous.
I was not amused to have woken up at 6 am on a saturday for this.
Anna looked confused. To be fair it's not often you see your plane getting a jump start from an external battery on a wheel barrow!
Problem solved. Both engines vibrated noisily.
The plane hit 80 mph and soared skywards into the dark clouds. 30 mins later we descended into Le Touquet in Northern France. Unfortunately we had not escaped the rain and it poured down onto the French tarmac.
Nevertheless, where else to go but la plage!
Sadly not even the taste of creamy moules and crisp pomme frites could make the damp sandy beach seem pleasant.
A few gifts were picked up (Grandma's birthday don't you know today) and by 4 O'clock we flew back to the UK.
A very fun day trip, bragging rights at the bar that night, "Oh yeah we went to France for lunch today," and oh yeah a new convert, Anna's first flying lesson is tomorrow. Good luck!
