Another test...
Can I blog from my phone from Nica?
Evidently so...
we've done 2 and a half days in nica which means we've been taken out on the boat (panga called vale la pena) 7 times for 7 x 2 to 3 hour surf sessions. amazing. we have this afternoon off because the offshore wind has just become onshore.
this is a test really. the internet is not doing to well at the moment.
so i'll write about the best and biggest barrel ride of my life another time!
alan
Winds from the south to the north today... so maybe that jack-ash is being pushed away. Note the smoke is now going left instead of right. This morning it was thick and black and moving right (South).
Airports re-opened and then closed. A new ash cloud is on its way to the UK...
A gnat waves at us from a volcano because he is so excited about the news from NATS.
'The Met Office advises that the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano is now less active than previously. NATS advises that the current restrictions across UK controlled airspace due to the volcanic ash cloud will remain in place until at least 0100 (local) on Tuesday 20 April.'
Guys... what kind of a name is Eyjafjallajoekull?
It could as well be called Lhjfdkhfkjwhfkjwhfgfjhddszkj!!
(Reuters) - The erupting volcano in Iceland sent new tremors on Monday, but the ash plume which has caused air traffic chaos across Europe has dropped to a height of about 2 km (1.2 miles), the Meteorological Office said.
WORLD
Ash production had fallen and Iceland's coast guard and scientists prepared to fly over the volcano in search of signs its crater was now producing lava, which could indicate the nature of the eruption was changing.
"The situation is definitely better than it was particularly on Saturday, which was a difficult day for us due to heavy ash fall just south of the volcano," said Urdur Gudmundsdottir, a spokeswoman at the foreign ministry.
The appearance of lava could suggest the eruption was moving into a less explosive phase, possibly a good sign for thousands of travelers who have been stranded at airport across Europe for the past five days because countries have closed their airspace over safety fears.
"Lava would be good because then we would not get all this ash, and we know what the ash is doing to the flights," Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson, a geologist at the Meteorological Office, told Reuters.
Visibility near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier was almost nil as falling ash saturated the air and covered agricultural fields with a thin layer of dust which could be dangerous to animals if eaten, local media quoted the police as saying.
There was a risk, however, that molten rock could create new pathways for water to run into the crater, causing more explosions and a higher level of ash production.
The ash plume, which has cost airlines millions of dollars per day in lost revenue, had descended to a lower altitude as strong winds continued to push the cloud southward, he said.
"The ash plume is very low. It's not much higher than 2 kilometers," Sveinbjornsson said.
The column of ash rising from the volcano was as high as 11 km when it started erupting earlier last week.
Air traffic over Europe remained severely disrupted on Monday.
Sky Sources are reporting that the British Airways Test flight, sent up yesterday, has found no evidence of damage from volcanic ash.
The Boeing 747 jumbo jet, which was also carrying the BA chief executive Willie Walsh, landed without incident at British Airways' maintenance headquarters in Cardiff.
The aircraft flew for more than two hours, up to an altitude of 40,000 feet.
A team of engineers have carried out a detailed visual inspection and found no sign of damage to the aircraft or its engines.
A more detailed technical analysis is now being undertaken to confirm those initial findings.
The apparent lack of damage will reinforce the calls by many airlines to allow flights to resume again as soon as possible.
The crisis is estimated to be costing the European Aviation industry more than a 130 million pounds a day.
More follows...
Well, after 1 hour on hold (it said 1 hour on my phone) to Continental Airlines a very unpleasant woman appeared on the line and nearly hung up on me because I couldn't tell her my Continental Confirmation Number. I just had the Opodo one.
Anyways...
1. Our Thu flight is still on at the moment
2. People cancelled today DO NOT GET TO TAKE OUR FLIGHT - as in our place is booked and no one is kicking us out
3. IF the flight is cancelled we COULD fly out of Madrid or out of Rome BUT BUT BUT those flights are full until 26th of April at moment and EVERYONE is doing this.
So, in a nutshell we have to hope that the airline industry proves it is safe to fly (they ran loads of tests last night) and that things open Wed or Thu.
Alan
Is this what all the fuss is about? Isn't that normal volcanic activity?
Volcano, kickin' up, soon erup', an de lava gettin' hot!
http://eldgos.mila.is/eyjafjallajokull-fra-thorolfsfelli/
''Air traffic controllers say it is possible commercial flights could resume earlier than expected.''
(from the Guardian website a second ago)
COME ON ENGLAND!
They can't film the surfing properly, most of the time it's on the commentators and then quickly pans to a surfer halfway through a wave. Also, one of the commentators mics was off and he was on the phone. It is windy and freezing to boot. At least there is a hot water butt to sit in.
Imagine having a broken ankle and doing an air like that to win. SICK!
This small beachfront hotel, while decidedly not luxurious, and definitely off the beaten path, is perfect for those who are looking to have an authentic, laid back vacation at the beach without all the usual annoyances of a big resort. Since it is in such a remote village, the electricity, cell phone reception, and the internet access are often spotty, and there is no hot water, though when we were there, there was talk of putting in a solar water heater in the future. Rooms are pretty basic, but they are cleaned daily and there is AC if you need it (we only used it one night). But you don't miss these things when the weather is warm and sunny year-round and there is always something to do. What it lacks in amenities is more than made up for by the amazing location and the entertaining owners, Bryce & Elisa, the surf guide, Chapin, and the rest of their accommodating staff.
Days can be lazy or action-packed depending on what you want to do. You can have an enjoyable vacation, whether that means surfing several different spots each day, taking a sunset hike up to the top of Giant's Foot, going sightseeing, snorkeling, kayaking, or simply relaxing in a hammock and taking a swim at the gorgeous, empty beach. We were there during the low season when the surf is not as big, but there were still some spots that were big enough to surf.
The food is simple, plentiful and good, ranging from local favorites like home-made tortillas filled with fresh-caught fish to more American style cuisine. In addition to their kitchen, there are a few small restaurants down the beach. They all have small menus but the food is fresh and plentiful, and we never got sick.
In the evenings, people go to bed fairly early most nights, but there were a few parties with some of the other ex-pats from neighboring hotels on a few nights while we were there. They had a beer pong tournament one night, a pig roast another night and a fire on the beach another night. The fridge is always stocked with the local beers (Victoria and Tona), and someone will always fix you one of their specialty drinks. Overall, we had a great, relaxing time and felt very at home.
Check out Kelly V Dusty. Pay close attention to Dusty Payne's first trick. SICK!