39. Nagasaki to Miyazaki - 8 July 2004

	Nagasaki proper
	Flying over Miyazaki

Before heading out for Miyazaki, I wanted to have a look at the city of Nagasaki, pictured at right.

Because of the clouds and the light, there was a Constablesque quality to the early part of this flight, which gave way in the middle to very bright clouds, just like the ones pictured on the "Cold Fronts" weather theme. These were actually quite bumpy, so I clomb up to 9,500 ft, which was better if not exactly smooth.

For reasons I don't understand, this flight was listed as being only 36 nm in the Super Flight Planner itinerary. Looking at the map, I knew this had to be a mistake: 100 nm is more like it. Lots of clouds, not so much landscape until I neared the coast and began to descend.

My approach to the airport took me over the water, and all was smooth until final when I encountered sudden vertical gusts of wind. Landing was passable, but a little worrisome: I wasn't sure if I was going to be tossed to the ground before I could make touchdown. When I got off the runway, though, I looked around and it was a beautiful afternoon day at the coast.

One more leg to go! I am tempted to finish it off tonight, but it's already 11:30 in the real world, and I must get up early and go to the gym tomorrow...