"Dammit, what's up with this gas burner?", as I unsuccessfully try to turn up the flame. It's burning as if it were down to fumes, and right after heating up the morning soup I check to see if by chance it's not empty, which it isn't. The thumping of the frozen lump of propane inside explains everything.



    While the news from the Czech Republic is saying temperatures are around -4°C, in Cassino we had a record -9°C this morning. Coming out of the tent before sunrise is a punishable act of negligence. We've come 1400km south from the Czech Republic and now this. But maybe it's thanks to these extreme temperature differences between day and night, it was not a problem to get up over 2000m, experience two weeks of sunny flying weather and really get to fly every day. And when the wind was too strong, all we had to do was drive just under 80km to the sea and fly over the cliff in the city of Terrancina, with an over height of 210 meters.

    Despite certain problems with landing for glider pilots at the Cassino terrain, it must be said that Cassino and San Donato are truly exceptional terrains and are worth visiting in our winter months. Very telling is the period in which the locals held their championship at San Donato - the beginning of November 2002. Setting out for these places means driving about 1400km there and the same back again, but using the Italian highways the trip becomes bearable. Those who consider the 40 Euro tolls for using these highways between Villacha to Cassino must use the worse, free road section between Ravenna, Perugia, Terni and then get on the paid highway by the city of Orte. The remaining section to Cassino then only costs 8.60 Euro. Watch the gas prices, as they increase on the way south in Italy. The difference is 20% and in the vicinity of Cassino you pay 1.10 Euro per liter of Natural. The price of GPL gas comes to .60 Euro per liter.



    A great advantage is the opportunity of free camping on the property and landing strip of the local club, "Volo Libero Cassino", but only with prior permission from the president, Remo Merucci, who you will find at the club headquarters called, "Bar del Corso", in the village of Caira. Careful clean up of trash and whiskey bottles is not only a good habit, but also a small guarantee that they will always be glad to see Czech pilots.

    Even though it is possible to find a public camp on the southern edge of the city of Cassino and in the valley of San Donato at coordinates N41°40.757' E013°47.673' , actually a very nice little camp at that, their operations are limited to the summer season, and in the spring, fall and winter camping is not possible. We encountered the same situation in looking for pensions. You either have to take a hotel that is open year round and costs around 50 Euro per person (bed and breakfast) or come by in the summer.

    Those who are not contented with washing with water from the nearby stream or from a canister, must drive to the public pool of the Fitness Center at the hotel Rocca at coordinates N41°30.462' E013°49.957'. After 19:00 it's not a problem to arrange a shower for .20 Euro and pass on the more expensive swimming. But it is necessary to have the right coin prepared ahead of time, as the showers are automatic with long enough intervals for a good wash of even the dirtiest Czech aviator. Drinkable spring water can be had about 4km along the road past the upper runway in the village of Terelle, in front of the local school, next to the telephone booth. All you have to do is turn the faucet on the stone pillar, maybe first break off the icicle, which is nothing unusual in the cool months at 1000 meters.

    The closest shopping center is the Supermercato Punto at coordinates N41°31.339' E013°50.339', which is much closer to the landing strip than going to the city of Cassino. But for the Internet, you do have to go into the city. On the street of Via M.T. Varrone is the "Open Gate", which is a classic internet café, charging 1 Euro for 15 minutes and shut off disk drives, except for the first computer on the left.

    In the city it is necessary to count on the usual siesta, which means that between 13:00 and 16:00 everything is closed, the streets are empty and almost nothing is working. It is a historic tradition and, after all, a logical reaction to the high temperatures which dominate in these areas. Even the construction of the local benches has been adapted to this. Most are made of cold stone blocks and are set behind the northern walls of the buildings.

    I can't say the afternoon temperatures were dramatic in any way, but despite the unusually cold February here this year, flowers are blooming all around, even on the runways. The locals have oranges and lemons ripening in their yards, and on the last days of our stay, the temperature at the landing strip finally allows us to pull the shorts out of our bags after all.




    Cottage-style goulash, into which I've cut up a whole onion and lots of garlic, is bubbling on the burner. After two weeks, Norbert's homemade gingerbread cookies are hard as a rock, but still taste better than Christmas cookies. The suns is gradually slipping west, the chirping of the birds is slowly quieting down and it's time to change from shorts to full-length pants. The weak wind has calmed and the surface of the dark-red Italian wine glimmers in a metal cup.

    "Are you out of your mind, camping in a tent in this freezing weather?", says the SMS message I received from somewhere in the Czech Republic. Of course I am. A sane person spends his February evenings warm in front of the television drinking hot tea or coffee. But I'm not at all certain if this person is more satisfied or even happier than I am. Maybe the bubbling of the goulash on the burner and the gleam of the wine in the setting sun, the camaraderie of people I've known for a long time and have shared many experiences with, the calming quiet at altitudes of around 2000 meters, the places one gets only through one's own efforts, the beautiful views from high over unknown landscapes, maybe all of these are the reasons why someday once again I'll be freezing somewhere overnight in a tent, wash my feet in the icy water of a stream and unsuccessfully keep trying to cut dry bread.



    It got dark and cooled down quickly. It is a good time to preventively lean the large, unfolded box against the mountain side of the tent. I have long ago learned the excellent insulating properties of cardboard from homeless people. Like every night, the sky is clear and the North Star shines brightly and unusually low over the horizon at these latitudes. Doubtless it'll be minus nine degrees again tomorrow morning ...