Today did not work out as originally planned. That was to take an early morning flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad (missing out on the very good breakfast at the Imperial) and then make a leisurely departure to Karachi around midday. However on arrival twelve days ago, we discovered that runway works were due to start on the 1st March which closed the runway to all movements between 10 am and 7 pm local time. Arriving in Ahmedabad just after 9 am would not give us sufficient time to get airborne before the runway closed so we would need to spend the day in Ahmedabad before a night flight in the evening to Karachi. So we asked Deborah to arrange a car and guide for us for what turned out to be a long day.
Up at 4:15 am for transfer to Delhi airport and the (commercial) flight back to Ahmedabad in an A320; pleasant but a full flight. On arrival, the handlers were there to meet us and look after our luggage for the day while we went off to the city with our arranged driver and guide. Deborah had tried to get tickets for us unsuccessfully for the Calico Museum of Textiles but our guide suggested we turn up on the off chance and we were lucky. There were nine no shows so we and other lucky people took their place. It was an Aladdin’s cave of textiles and fine paintings and we were taken round by a splendidly knowledgable lady who could have been anywhere between 60 and 80 years old. Very strict security with stern guards everywhere and no pictures allowed. Afterwards we were all given tea and refreshments and sent on our way (all this for free!).
A light Indian lunch and then a visit to a different type of step well where some fashion photography was going on and yet another mosque before going back to the airport. Then it took us three hours to abstract ourselves and take off for Karachi. No one could understand why we should want to go there and there were dire warnings as to what may befall us; various security clearances to penetrate someone’s ADIZ were required and eventually obtained; D-FLEX had to be repositioned onto the main apron – much sweating manpower required and the plane readied for departure.
Eventually we took off at 7:30 pm local for an impeccably flown night flight by Phil. As normally happens, once in the air all was well although it got very dark in the border area between India and Pakistan with no lights of any kind to be seen except for the stars and a long line of what we thought may be a flood lit fence delineating the border.
We were established on the ILS for 25L at Karachi about 70 miles out and landing around 8:45 pm (having put our watches back 30 minutes). Fuel and handler were waiting for us on arrival but it still a couple of hours before we reached our hotel just before the restaurant closed. Eventually in bed at midnight local time, knackered and fell asleep instantly. It is Miranda and Phil’s first visit to Karachi; I used to come here in the 1970’ites and 1980’ties for work and it is good to be back and see what has happened meantime.
Tomorrow should be a gentler day.
Ahmedabad to Karachi 365 nm in 1 hour 46 min