FAREWELL TO AFRICA
I slept very poorly last night as I fretted about the loss of all my photographs from Kalahari Plains onward. Also, I had severe leg cramps that lasted all night, and indigestion which I hope Imodium will alleviate.
Despite this, I had a 6:15 wakeup call so that I could join Glen for at 6:30 bird walk around the camp. The first thing we saw was a giant hippo out of the water feeding just outside our tent! The walk was very successful and we added six new birds to the trip list including a Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird that brought out Glen's long-lens camera.
We ate breakfast and had a chance to go back to our room for a hour before our ride to the airport left at 10:30. This time we had a 7-passenger, air-conditioned taxi to ourselves. There is no business class lounge so we waited for a time in a restaurant before being asked to leave. There were no seats available so we stood. Our plane was an hour late - no fun. It really shortens our transfer time. I hope it goes better than it did the first time. Finally they opened the boarding lounge so we could sit down. They called priority boarding but everyone rushed ahead of us. Not too well organized. Now, we fly to J'Burg and expect to arrive at 3:30 where we will give a proper goodbye to Glen and enjoy the amenities of the Business Class Lounge.
We were extremely annoyed to hear learn that Air Canada had switched seats on us and we are sitting very far apart again! This time the plane is full so we can only hope that there is a no-show. I will e-mail our travel agent to complain once we arrive in J'Burg and see if she can work some magic and get us the seats we had originally booked. I booked and paid for these seats in November 2017! This is so unacceptable.
We had a smooth flight to J'burg and waited for Glen to catch up with us. We said our goodbyes without tearing up amazingly. We gave each other hugs and he told us guiding us was one of the highlights of his career so far! After quite a line-up at customs, managed to get through security with nary a problem. Norma's nail scissors had been confiscated at the Livingstone Airport as well as the spoons she brought with her to crush her malaria pills. I don't understand how a spoon would be dangerous on an airplane when our food is served with knives, forks, and spoons. I think there must be a black market in these confiscated items.
We are now in the Lounge enjoying a glass of sparkling wine listening to some bratty kid screaming bloody murder. Sure hope this family isn't on our flight. I think there should be a separate area for kids - people are trying to work and sleep and all we hear is screeching. Makes me wish I had stayed in the bush with the silence. We have been gradually introduced to 'civilization" with the busier camp at Toka Leya and the music from one of the tourist boats on the river. Our ears aren't used to it and we both find it very annoying. How will we ever adjust?
I'm planning on a shower here so that I can change into the clothes I brought for Ottawa weather. Next stop, Frankfurt.
I slept very poorly last night as I fretted about the loss of all my photographs from Kalahari Plains onward. Also, I had severe leg cramps that lasted all night, and indigestion which I hope Imodium will alleviate.
Despite this, I had a 6:15 wakeup call so that I could join Glen for at 6:30 bird walk around the camp. The first thing we saw was a giant hippo out of the water feeding just outside our tent! The walk was very successful and we added six new birds to the trip list including a Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird that brought out Glen's long-lens camera.
We ate breakfast and had a chance to go back to our room for a hour before our ride to the airport left at 10:30. This time we had a 7-passenger, air-conditioned taxi to ourselves. There is no business class lounge so we waited for a time in a restaurant before being asked to leave. There were no seats available so we stood. Our plane was an hour late - no fun. It really shortens our transfer time. I hope it goes better than it did the first time. Finally they opened the boarding lounge so we could sit down. They called priority boarding but everyone rushed ahead of us. Not too well organized. Now, we fly to J'Burg and expect to arrive at 3:30 where we will give a proper goodbye to Glen and enjoy the amenities of the Business Class Lounge.
We were extremely annoyed to hear learn that Air Canada had switched seats on us and we are sitting very far apart again! This time the plane is full so we can only hope that there is a no-show. I will e-mail our travel agent to complain once we arrive in J'Burg and see if she can work some magic and get us the seats we had originally booked. I booked and paid for these seats in November 2017! This is so unacceptable.
We had a smooth flight to J'burg and waited for Glen to catch up with us. We said our goodbyes without tearing up amazingly. We gave each other hugs and he told us guiding us was one of the highlights of his career so far! After quite a line-up at customs, managed to get through security with nary a problem. Norma's nail scissors had been confiscated at the Livingstone Airport as well as the spoons she brought with her to crush her malaria pills. I don't understand how a spoon would be dangerous on an airplane when our food is served with knives, forks, and spoons. I think there must be a black market in these confiscated items.
We are now in the Lounge enjoying a glass of sparkling wine listening to some bratty kid screaming bloody murder. Sure hope this family isn't on our flight. I think there should be a separate area for kids - people are trying to work and sleep and all we hear is screeching. Makes me wish I had stayed in the bush with the silence. We have been gradually introduced to 'civilization" with the busier camp at Toka Leya and the music from one of the tourist boats on the river. Our ears aren't used to it and we both find it very annoying. How will we ever adjust?
I'm planning on a shower here so that I can change into the clothes I brought for Ottawa weather. Next stop, Frankfurt.
Comments
Post a Comment