Collecting Stories

Like incandescent sparks jumping from a spinning Catherine Wheel, our wonderful ever spinning planet delivers a continuous pyrotechnic display of simply great human stories. In a counter intuitive way it could even be said that stories make the world go round. 

Unlike trinkets, memorabilia and such like, stories do not occupy physical space or indeed any other quantitative measure. Just as well because physical space and weight are finite ‘not to exceed’ limitations when it comes to Comanche ZK-BAZ. Therefore, as far as the Bazflyers are concerned, stories uncovered while flying round the world have been accumulated without limits.

Occasionally a story uncovered today spontaneously ignites a distant memory. Then like a double Catherine Wheel they each fuse together providing an entirety new story. Such an occasion occurred during the Bazflyers visit to Vladivostok.

Two couples seated outdoors, enjoying a meal of fresh seafood in the presence of a rich golden sunset. A young local Vladivostok couple and the Bazflyers. Discussion notably centred on respective values, family and life in general. Perhaps it was the similarity of this discussion or maybe the ‘Vostok’ name of each locality or even both of these, but unmistakably a new story was born.

Forty-six years earlier in life, as a pilot in the New Zealand Air Force, Bazflyer1 served a summer season in Antarctica attached to United States Naval unit VXE-6. The so called “Cold War”, that period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States was at its zenith. As so it was with some trepidation that a helicopter crew were assigned for a multi-day mission flying a group of Soviet scientists from the Russian base at Vostok. Bazflyer1 was on that crew.

Exactly where the felony of friendship occurred has since been obscured in the mists of time, or perhaps it was obliterated at source with copious consumption of vodka and cognac. Wherever it took place is irrelevant when compared to the emotional reveals on that day between ordinary human beings who’s lives had become separated by a political divide. In stark reality stood good men, struggling with language communication, but sharing the same ideals for life, family and the future. It remains one of life’s special experiences unadulterated with time.

And so now fast forward through the years, two couples from two cultures enjoying a Vladivostok sunset together. A young couple and an older couple. The struggle of language communication still persists but as the Bazflyers have discovered during their round the world odyssey, people of all cultures and generations everywhere on our planet, reassuringly share the same inextricable values of life, family and future....!

UH-N (Twin Huey) belonging to VXE-6 landing at McMurdo Base, Antarctica 

Catherine Wheel firework display

Everywhere around the world the core values of life, family and future are reassuringly the same. Bazflyer1 birthday celebration hosted by Paulo owner of New Japan Aviation at Kagoshima 

Dennis and Anastasia with Bazflyers at Vladivostok