Jody Daniel: Blog

Hi all!

A taste of what is in store in chapter 5:

The oppressive heat and ever-present threat of the Congolese jungle loom large as Dolf and Nisreen prepare for the return flight to Goma in the Otter. Against a backdrop of buzzing engines and the looming presence of hostile forces, Dolf makes a surprising decision: he hands over the controls to Nisreen, trusting her latent skills for the first time. She is in anyway certified on the DHC-6 twin Otter.

This leap of faith, solidified by shared glances and a new-found partnership, tests their burgeoning connection as they navigate treacherous terrain and the ever-present danger of the unknown.

Soon after, the sky turns violent. A relentless thunderstorm forces them into a world of instruments and uncertainty, a stark contrast to the visual cues they rely on. As Dolf guides them through the storm's fury, Nisreen faces her own internal battle, wrestling with the limits of her inexperience in flying in the Congo.

The chapter culminates in a harrowing landing in Goma, where a critical situation unfolds, forcing Dolf and Nisreen to confront the harsh realities of their environment and make life-altering decisions that will forever alter their paths.

Here is chapter 5 of Rosa Rio. Enjoy!

I wish you all the best! Until next week!

Bye 4 now!

Hi all!
This week went by in a fog of speed. To much to do with so little time to do it. But here we are again for the Monday posting of Rosa Rio chapter 4.

I had some emails from you guys and girls. Thank you for your emails and comments. Also, thank you for the great links to the C-17 videos. I try to answer each and every email, but sometimes it takes a while before I can respond. Please, I will get back to you.

The voting seems to go good with over 74% of votes going to the 8, 9, and 10 votes and the 10 votes seems to lead by a landslide. Thank you for that confidence and support.

Then there is my friend waiting in Seattle for his flight to Tennessee. I hope the delay is not too long. By the time you read this post you'll be back home. AND I am still waiting for your list of guesses how the story will play out. LOL!!!

Here is chapter 4 of Rosa Rio. Enjoy!
I wish you all the best! Until next week!

Bye 4 now!

Hi all!

Well here we go again! It’s Monday. Don’t you think another chapter will be in order?

In Chapter 3 Nisreen and Dolf get to know one another through some hair raising encounters. And for those of you that don’t know what a BETA landing in a Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter is – you are free to join me when I ever attempt it again in real life. (Just remember – you are on your own! Release forms will be available to sign before the flight, as well as cleaning tools for you to clean up your own mess.) LOL!!!

Thank you for all your comments and feedback in the comments section and in the emails I received. It is appreciated. Thanks for those who mailed me with real life stories about what you experienced and the memories of it brought back by this story. I know that there are still pilots flying relief aid in the DRC. I salute them!
The reader that brought me a story about his own experience – thank you! I can relate... and tell your brother to enjoy his retirement. It is well earned.

The reader who got stuck in the “African Rain” while in Kansas City... I can relate and thank you for that. 80% of the time the African high ways in Central Africa are just muddy dirt roads with potholes the size of small cars. Now to get that kind of rain while driving... I say no more. I hope you had a tar road in Kansas.

I just got chapter 11 back from my editors, and NO... Maybe the Angels will feature in the closing scenes, but I make no promises. I try to for once write a story that has no Angels, or the FLO in it.
Also, if you catch any typos or repeated words, please email me. I caught some AFTER my editors and my proof reader had a go at the chapter. Lucky I could rectify it in time.

Here is chapter 3 of Rosa Rio. Enjoy!

I wish you all the best! Until next week!

Bye 4 now!

Hi all!

Chapter 2 begins with a lesson: to survive in the Congo, you have to learn the rules the hard way. For Dolf "Spoon" Van Reenen and Nisreen "Ice" Al-Kuwari, that lesson comes at the end of a rifle during a tense negotiation with M23 rebels. But the real war is the one fought between the two of them, a clash of philosophies that only comes to a head after they return to Goma. Just as a fragile truce is found in the quiet aftermath of a tropical storm, a siren rips the night apart, proving that in Africa, the last fight is never truly over.

Thank you for all your comments, emails and feedback in the comments and in the emails I received. Also for the first 100 votes! LOL. I see a clash between the 8, 9, and 10 votes! And I love it! Thank you!
I wish you all the best! Until next week!

Bye 4 now!

Hi all!

So, it was not so long ago that we were looking at Estrella de Assis. About a week or two ago. And here we are at the door to a little off-track story of an impossible “work together” scenario.

Throw together a lay-back South African “Afrikaner Boer” bush pilot, and a high-profile Airline pilot Captain of an A350-900 from Qatar, and you get a spark that ignite the barrel of gunpowder.

Let us explore the journey of Rudolf “Spoon” Van Reenen, and Nisreen bint Khalid Al-Kuwari, call-sign, “Ice”.

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Here is chapter 1 of “Rosa Rio.”

Thank you for all your comments, emails and feedback on Estrella de Assis. I took a gamble with writing Stella, but it seems to me that she was a great hit, and some of you fell in love with her. Some of you wanted to buy a STELLA, but sadly, she only lives on these pages of the story, and it will be decades before a STELLA would be a reality.

Let us just get back to earth for a spell and join Dolf and Nisreen in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and their adventure...
I wish you all the best! Until next week!

Bye 4 now!