Text from Wendy

"How much responsibility do I have for David? This isn't an easy job. Help. The only other womean is our driver who doesn't speak English. I'm outnumbered. Help." (Looks like I'd better get down there quick!)

News of the Day, Chile update

Ola!!  Greetings from Chile!
We have a few extra minutes this afternoon to write.  We have been so busy.  Up late & Up early.  We are in Salamanca now.  Last night we set up the balloons at a stadium in Illapel.  Most of the time it has been windy and we have to do the best we can.  We have a lot of help though.  This morning we set up the balloons at a stadium here in Salamanca.  We tethered some rides for a couple hours.  We are going back there tonight.  They want the balloons to fly but looking at the wind right now it seems doubtful.  Then we will try to do a glow.

A few of the people in our group speak English but we are getting good at hand motions to direct people.  The people are so good to us, thank us for being here.  The links below are are a few of the media sites.  there is a video clip of the first flight by the ocean.  Some of it is English and some Spanish.  Danny is interviewed in the video.  The video they was taken from our balloon.  
http://www.chilevision.cl/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=335734&Itemid=81
http://www.diarioeldia.cl/

We have been fed very well..............in this town we eat at the hotel where we are staying.  I have never had such good service.  They just stand and wait to see what they can do for you.  They drink a lot of sodas at meals.  No Ice Tea.  They drink hot tea but don't seem to use ice in abundance like we do.   Now that we are inland away from the coast the food has changed.  More hearty.  At the coast lots of fresh fish. 

I think tomorrow we will get a day off.  That we need to reorganize things.  Moving around from hotel to hotel, you get disorganized real fast.  never can find anything.  We need to find a laundromat too.  So I'm sure that will take most of the day...............we always travel in a 12 pass (full) van so we never have an opportunity to go off and do things like laundry by ourselves.  The European pilots get here on Feb 2nd.
You might try doing a google search on "chile balloon tour" for more info, I haven't had a chance to do things like that.  Write back if you wish.  We'll try to write every couple days.
Adios,
Danny and Wendy

Chile 2011--First Days

Unloading the Balloons - David can't wait!

David's room

 David has arrived safely in Santiago, and Gypsy Drifter is fueled and ready to fly. He is traveling with Dominic Chemello and Danny & Wendy Walsh. He should be sending photos shortly, so stayed tuned here for the latest. I fly out next Friday and will arrive on Saturday to join the adventure.I finally got some pictures from David, but not much in the way of descriptors of his flights & adventures thus far. He has promised more information & pictures today. I'll do my best to fill in the blanks

Accomodations

 The first order of business was to install the banners. Each balloon has both envelope and basket banners.

Pilot Briefing

Gypsy Crew

  David's crew. They seem to be getting the hang of crew attitude. Looks like as long as you stay out of the ocean the landing areas are wide open.

David's travel & ballon buddy, Wendy, gave us this update yesterday.....

.
Well our second day in Chile brought us light winds on the coast at Los Vios. (northwest of Santiago) Yesterday was very windy and we never would have guessed we would have flown this am. The flight this morning was for the benefit of the media which was well represented. Launch time wasn't until 8-8:30am. After all the government officials spoke at the briefing (the Chile version of the FAA, City government, Fire Department,etc ) they decided we should have coffee before proceding (how funny). So after 15min or so we found a launch site in the massive field we were in near the ocean. Everyones flights were in the neighborhood of 10 min. That might seem like an awfully short flight to some but the fact that the Pacific Ocean was about 2000 yds away definitely affected the length of the flights.

Windy Beach Launch

We are planning to fly this afternoon in the same spot, then we will pack up and move to Illepel. But that information could change before the end of the day. It seems schedules here are made to be changed.
They have provided an interpreter for us and he has become our best friend. A very small amount of my high school Spanish is coming back to me. It helps now and then.
Right now there is a cerveza callying my name.
Adios amigos,
Dan and Wendy

 Looks like they had a good crowd showing for the first glow. And from the looks of Gypsy Drifter's position, not too windy.

 Stay tuned for more Chile adventures.....