June 20th -- My First Real Adventure

It seems planes fly very early in Johannesburg. The first plane I heard flew directly over my hotel room at 4:30 am. I’m pretty sure the wheels scraped the hotel roof. At least it sounded like they did. The roar of the engine drowned out the sound of the thumping, I am sure. I figured I’d get used to it, so I gave myself a half hour to fall back to sleep. Then I gave myself another half hour. Then another. Then I got up. It was only an hour earlier than I planned to arise.
That’s okay. It gave me time to repack BOTH my bags. Now I know where my toothbrush is for sure.

My flight isn’t until 12:25 p.m. but I wanted to begin the checkout process early. When I left dinner last night there must have been a jillion people checking in. The shuttle from the hotel to the airport left every half hour and was an eight-seater mini-van. If there is not enough room for you on the van, you have to wait for the next one. By my faulty reasoning, the only reason to stay at a hotel on the runway is to be sure to get to the airport in time for your next-day flight out. If a jillion people were angling for the van, I could have a long wait.

I was planning to be on the 9:30 shuttle. I went to breakfast and on my way back to my room I asked for assistance with my baggage. The one bell person (is that what we call them these days?) was busy with a check-in and I was assured he would come to me immediately after. Given the time (about 8 a.m.), I figured I might get on the 9 o’clock van.

So, did I know immediately meant IMMEDIATELY? Six minutes after I got back to my room there was a knock on my door. We got down to the desk and I was the only one checking out. Seems those jillion people checking in last night were staying at the hotel for a conference. Interesting choice of hotel for a conference.
I was on the 8:30 shuttle and to the airport long before Air Malawi opened its office or manned (personed?) it’s check in counter. I was definitely on time.

I wish I could draw you a picture of the check-in area. Air Malawi had two stations. There is a rope about 30-40 feet from the stations and folks queue up. Sort of. The queue reminded me somewhat of the chaos in Mexico City. People with carts bearing tons of luggage and boxes milling around the narrow opening waiting for their luggage to be weighed. When it was my turn the nice gentleman weighed my carry-on which was 18 kilos. I thought to myself, great. What’s a kilo – feeling an awful lot like Bill Cosby’s Noah. The carry on limit is 8 kilos.
Apparently they don’t make allowances for ignorance.

So there I was, sitting on the floor outside the rope reorganizing my carefully packed luggage. My 24” suitcase is now expanded with lots of heavy stuff on the top so it won’t stay upright. Once I got it all organized (sort of) the nice gentleman reweighed my carry on. 12 kilos. Great.

Ah! They do make some allowances for ignorance. I got through. Now it will be interesting to see if my 52 kilo checked bag actually lands in Malawi when I do.
All the while I was trying not to look as frustrated as I was feeling. I wanted to explain to the gentleman how good I had been packing for this trip, but I don’t think it would have made much of an impression.

Now I am sitting in the lounge waiting for my flight drinking 200 ml of Coca-Cola light – less than 100 kilojoules per 100 ml. Maybe I’ll learn the metric system while I’m over here. I’m looking out of the waiting area and I just noticed a HUGE sign for Red Heart Rum – the official rum of Vodacom Super 14 Rugby. Wish I had known that last night. I would have tried some. Now that would be an interesting occupation – being an international rum taster.

Well, it’s 20 minutes before boarding time and I’d better start the gate hunt. I have no idea where I am. It would be a shame to miss my flight after getting to the airport 3-1/2 hours early!

Midnight – flight was smooth. I arrived safely and am so glad to be here! Sandy, Maitland and the children are well. They’re better than well – they’re thriving. Now it’s time to sleep.