The tour is followed by lunch at the smaller of the 2 hotels, and after that we have a meeting again. A whole succession of mostly safety-related briefings followed. Sven Mörtberg talked about how to exit, something we definately need to pay attention to as we found out in 2004. Kate Cooper talked about how to approach and how to dock, only perfect docks are acceptible you know. All the briefings were translated for our one deaf skydiver, and the translators did a wonderful job, particularly during this very graphic briefing.

Rusty Vest gave us the break-off plan, visualized by Craig Buxton's amazing virtual-reality movieclips (see the 2004 news). Henny Wiggers told everyone about the camera team flyers' plans, that is to say that if everyone followes the docking and break-off plan we'll get good debrief video, nice shots for the media and a nice DVD at the end. The camera flyers will have to face the very real problem of preventing the lenses from fogging up before break-off, as in 2004 they were sometimes doing and now we go even higher. Fogged-up lenses mean no debrief video and worse, no way to prove a record, so we have to keep those cameramen and -women nice and warm in the airplane :-)

Herman Landsman told us where we could and could not land, he had a very large map outlining these huge areas. This year the quadrants will have seperate landing areas. Dr. Ben Massey gave an oxygen briefing, mainly outlining the differences between 18.000 ft and 25.000 ft (ie, HUGE) and the difference between skydivers who follow the plan and those who do not, accompanied with pictures of his son on oxygen in both situations.

Afterwards we're taken to a welcoming party, hosted by the Governor. We're treated to a very large selection of local food. Something you have to be slightly careful with as some foods are VERY hot, so there were a few people seen making a dash for the waterbottles. But the food is so very very good, that in itself is a reason to keep coming back to Thailand :-) While we were eating we were entertained by local dancing girls and other various acts on stage, like a play about the history of the city. And while we were enjoying our Singha beer we were invited to get armbands of string, for good luck.

It's a pity we have to leave so early tomorrow morning, as the party was well worth staying up for.