Karachi - Mumbai

2. Feb 2007

So after 2 nights in Karachi, it was off to the airport again Friday.
 

The agent was waiting for me as promised, and took me through security and immigration. There was a small delay, as he asked me for a piece of paper I did not have….
Turned out, that it was a piece of paper that I did not need, as I had a visa for Pakistan!
 

Soon after I was on the tarmac, and had the plane refuelled – the way they measured the fuel I got, was by way of a measure stick into the tank on the truck!
 

After departure I followed the VOR on the 119 radial, with 11 knots tailwind bringing the ground speed up to 146 knots. In FL 110 the temperature was 11 degrees Celsius.
 

Coming in over India I was out of radio contact for a while but established contact after ¾ of an hour.
About150 NM north of Mumbai I passed over a stretch of beach, which functioned as a junkyard for large ships. 
 

On approach to Mumbai I descended into the layer of smog that seem to cover all of India. I was delayed doing a 360 degree turn.
 

I was told that by arrival, I would be approached by a number of agent from flight handling companies – but after following the “follow me” car to the allocated parking, I was asked to remain in the cockpit. After a short time I was surrounded by up to 8 personsto among them 2 armed guards – but no agent offering handling. After some time when I was watched like some alien, an agent was called, and everybody eased up. I was now allowed out of the aircraft, and everybody was friendly – but it was an hour and a half before a handler showed up.

I got to appreciate flying a high wing aircraft with a window that can open!
 

From then on the process though emigration etc went smooth – but I lost count on the number of papers that was filled in and signed!