VABP-Raja Bhoj Bhopal,Madhya Pradesh,IN

World Heritage Sites Air Adventures: Peaks, Prayer Flags, & Palaces
Flight Log #006 – July 12, 2025
Ramen, Ruins & the Rest Stop at Bhopal
Log Entry by Michael Palin, Guest Co-Pilot

Episode Sponsor:
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There’s a certain poetry in watching the sun rise over Ahmadabad, especially when you know you’ll be spending the day tracing the footsteps of ancient civilizations and the contrails of modern aviation. Cropduster was already up, swirling his coffee and plotting a course that would make even the most seasoned archaeologist reach for a map and a snack. Lani and Kai, tails wagging and noses twitching, supervised the loading of the DHC-5 Buffalo “Pāpulō” (N8086K), their eyes on the crate marked “premium ramen—handle with reverence.”

We climbed out of VAAH with the sky wide open and the promise of history beneath our wings. Dholavira, the Harappan City, was first on our list, its ancient gridwork etched into the salt flats like the world’s oldest city planner’s fever dream. Cropduster, between sips of coffee and puffs of cigar, mused about lost rivers and the eternal search for a decent espresso in the Bronze Age.
Next came Rani-ki-Vav at Patan, the Queen’s Stepwell, spiraling elegantly into the earth. I speculated aloud about the possibility of lowering a bowl of ramen from the top and having it arrive at the bottom still steaming. Cropduster, ever the engineer, insisted it would require a pulley system worthy of Da Vinci—or at least a very long pair of chopsticks.

The landscape shifted as we banked over the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, sandstone outcrops sheltering art older than the idea of flight itself. I imagined the ancient artists, brush in hand, pausing to watch a flock of birds and dreaming of the day someone would admire their work from a turboprop.
Our last heritage flyover was the Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, the great stupa glowing in the late afternoon sun, serene and timeless. Cropduster, never one to let a moment of enlightenment go unpaired, wondered how a dram of Scotch would taste under the Bodhi tree. I assured him it would be “spiritually uplifting.”

Touchdown at VABP, Bhopal, was as smooth as a jazz riff. The hangar was already abuzz with the support crew prepping for the 50-hour maintenance schedule—wrenches turning, coffee brewing, and the unmistakable aroma of ramen wafting through the air. Crew and staff from Manu and Maui joined us for dinner, swapping stories of their own flights and debating the merits of stepwells versus stupas. Lani and Kai made the rounds, collecting head scratches and, no doubt, a few stray noodles.

And there, parked with all the quiet confidence of a seasoned roadie, was the C-17 “Luna Honua.” Having flown ahead of us, its crew had the rental hangar and all our equipment ready for servicing the moment we landed—a proper Tiger Shark welcome, and proof that good logistics are the unsung heroes of any adventure.

So here we are, bowls in hand, surrounded by friends, flavors, and the hum of maintenance in the background. From ancient cities to modern runways, from rock art to ramen, it’s the stories, the camaraderie, and the promise of the next sunrise that keep us flying.

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