Crystal air. Blue sky. Hard-edged cumuli, building into CBs.
And I've got the hang of centring in a thermal, flying just on the stall, catching a dropping wing that with just a quick nudge of rudder.
See a flock of white sailplanes circling under a Cu and join them, much lower.
And it's there.
One wing shivers and jumps upwards. Stick hard over and tuck into the turn. Start the routine of turning, straightening, until I know where the best lift is. Make sure I'm circling in the same direction as the ones above me. Vario shows lift all the way around, and the audio stays high-pitched.
Going up like a lift now. Cloud above getting closer. Out of the sun, it's cold. Base a grey dome, a white curtain around me. The others have disappeared into it.
Onto instruments. Sharp control movements, AH dancing about. Cold and gloomy. Work at staying in the lift.
Very rough now, and difficult to find the lift. OK. Straighten up. Fly out of it.
Blinding white cloud-tops around me. Ground a long way away.
Deep breath.
Mmmmmm
WS