April 11Apr 11 Hellas! Today it’s time to leave the European continent and head for Africa. Our route takes us from southern Greece across the Mediterranean to Egypt. We’ll follow the Nile southbound for much of the flight, passing Cairo and the Pyramids, as well as Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. Then, for the very first time since the beginning of this journey, we’ll turn east and continue towards the Red Sea. Today’s destination is Marsa Alam Airport — a place in the middle of nowhere, mainly serving nearby holiday resorts. Before heading to the airport, it’s time for a typical Greek breakfast. Today, I went for Greek yogurt with nuts, raisins, almonds, and plenty of honey — I love it! As for the flight planning — as you can see, it’s going to be a long day in the sky. Here we go! Passing Chania shortly after takeoff. I was there two years ago… Turning south and climbing along the mountains up to FL120. So yes — we’ll need oxygen again for the Mediterranean crossing. One last look — and goodbye to Europe. This is where the tailwind kicks in: 37 knots, giving us a very decent ground speed. Cruising over the sea — the engine is running like clockwork. After 90 minutes over water, Africa appears on the horizon. Alexandria below us. From here, we can simply follow the highway all the way to Cairo — no need for a moving map. One hour later, the Pyramids come into view — the Pyramids of Giza, of course. Cairo in the background — one of the world’s megacities and the largest city in Africa, with around 10.3 million inhabitants. Shortly after passing Memphis, we can see the Pyramids of Dahshur. And finally, the Meidum Pyramid. Having been a flightsimmer since FS2, I can only sit back and marvel at how far flight simulation has come… Beautiful geology below as we continue south. Sand! A wadi… As the shadows grow longer, we finally pass Luxor and the Valley of the Kings. Now we’re finally on an easterly course — and we need to hurry to reach Marsa Alam before nightfall. A beautiful sunset reflects off our Comanche, and the Red Sea is already visible on the horizon. Turning final at Marsa Alam. That was a long flight — about 3:45 hours, if I’m not mistaken. Thank you for flying with me today — and I’m looking forward to welcoming you on board again soon. My journey so far: https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/693237-rtw-01-munich-venezia/ https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/693300-rtw-02-venezia-benevento-italy-at-its-best/ https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/693450-rtw-03-benevento-corfu/ https://www.avsim.com/forums/topic/693522-rtw-04-corfu-chania/ Best regards, Holger
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