In August 1996, we had another lovely family and gliding holiday in La Motte du Caire. It was a family holiday because other families came with their children who played with ours regardless of language differences, other mothers I could chat with, lovely places to drive out to, like Gorges de la Méouge. We took photos; we have one of our daughter learning to ride her bicycle with her father holding on to balance her. Our son, who wasn't enamoured of yet another trip to an airfield, was learning to help launch gliders by holding the wing tip.

At that time, the gliding site didn't have its webcam. Here's how it looks today, just as warm, empty in the middle of the day. The 23rd August 1996 wasn't very good gliding weather because the thermals were too small and required tight turning, but it was still good enough to glide and so people launched, including the club's new two seater with the CFO and an early solo pilot having a check flight, and several private owners too, from Germany and England. 

Volvos

The news is that they're not going to be selling Volvos in the UK any more. I used to drive one. The first time I remember a Volvo was sitting in the back seat, not trusting the driver - a young man (Richard C) I didn't know - and I rudely peered over his shoulder between the seats asking about the fancy dashboard. I'd not seen that fancy a dashboard on cars I'd driven before. 

He drove us - me and some foreign language students - from Oxford city centre to Bicester Airfield where the Oxford University Gliding Club had a new two seater, bought just before all the students left for the summer, so a debt and no students to start paying for it. The gliding doctoral students staying in Oxford realised that the tourist trade could help so targetted the language schools offering trial flights. I was teaching and I came too. 

After my first flight I felt sick, so when an enthusiastic student (Dick C) suggested I join the club and learn to fly I agreed, thinking that if I flew I'd be so busy that I wouldn't be sick. 

There was plenty of talent on that airfield and not many women to compete with. Several young men made overtures. I can't say how forward Richard C was, but a few weeks later he'd insured me to drive his green Volvo estate. So I could drive it to retrieve him when he landed his glider out!

Volvos are good for towing glider trailers.