OffTheHoox.com

Welcome back to Africa Hoox. It’s good to have you back on the mother continent.

It really was quite the journey. Not as hectic as other trips I have been through but still quite hectic enough. I always get a bit flustered nearing departure time. Do I have everything? What have I forgotten? Tickets, Passport, Wallet, check, check, check! Ok. What time is it? When’s the taxi getting here. etc etc.

Shaz had very kindly remembered that a taxi was required. She had called the night before to make a booking. She then saw that I was stressing enough, equivalent to that of a small country about to be invaded, that she called and cancelled the taxi and offered to take me in her car. She is such a darling! And I would actually like to take this opportunity to thank Shaz so much. She is the best roomy anyone could ever ask for. SO easy going and accommodating and generous and giving. Nothing stresses her. So Shaz, thank you so very much for having me to stay. I look forward to our next catchup! Where in the world? Ok so back to me stressing. Once we were in the car I kind of sunk into quiet contemplation mode. Do I have everything? It’s now too late if I don’t.

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Shaz dropped me outside the airport which is exactly as I like it. No long drawn airport farewells. Got my bags, hug and a kiss goodbye and I’m gone. Straight through to the checkin counter. Since I was flying business class I went right up to a counter and checked in. I was still waitlisted for economy from Lisbon to Luanda and was told that I could only get that fixed in Lisbon but the flight is overbooked so don’t bother. No sweat, it’s what I expected anyway. I went straight through into the duty free in Terminal 2 at Heathrow and found everything I needed or at least thought I needed. I then had an hour to kill so I cashed in my new found status and went and sat in the business lounge. Very comfortable. An hour successfully killed.

The plane unfortunately was a crummy old A320 which has a really small business class and I think you get an extra inch on the seat. But I guess every little inch counts. So I’ve heard. Doesn’t really matter now does it? I fell asleep and woke up in Lisbon. Have I said before how lucky I am that I can sleep on a plane? Awesome!

Lisbon wasn’t great. The airport is being refurbished so most of it is closed and the rest is confusing. I went to the transfer desk to see about my waitlisting for business class. She said I was completely out of luck. She then directed me through security and passport control. I found myself outside. This was odd! I asked a security guard where I should go and he laughed and said I shouldn’t have come through security but now it was too late I had to re-enter so I went all the way around back through passport control. The system was very clever as the immigration lady said, “Wow that was a very short stay in Portugal. Come back when you can stay a little longer!” I went back inside the transfer area and now had 5 hours to kill without a business lounge. Coffee food and more food and coffee. That killed 1.5 hours. Oh yes I remembered I needed currency. Sorted, that killed 15 minutes. I thought I might as well try my luck at the transfer desk. I had to go all the way out again but this time I knew my way back. I was told again that the flight was overbooked and business class had 36 seats and 38 confirmed bookings. It wasn’t going to happen. I went back inside. I walked around some more and eventually just bought a small book to read and went to the boarding lounge and sat and read there. Eventually is was time to board. I stood in line with everyone else with a boarding card that read 22A (cattle class) and when I got to the front I had one last go. I showed them that I was waitlisted for business class and she grabbed my ticket, punched something into her terminal and then looked up and smiled and said, “You are now in 1E sir”. It was music to my ears! Take a look at “The Secret” and that’s all I’m going to say about that. Oh and you can listen to this too: Time - Sir Laurence Olivier

On the plane it was amazing. Full style business class with chairs that recline into beds, champagne and a menu to choose your meal, a huge selection of movies on demand. Unlimited space and comfort. Everything except the space and comfort was wasted on me though. I fell asleep shortly after the evening meal and woke up just outside Angola. Bliss.

Arrival was ok too. Being up front of course I was one of the first off the plane. I got to immigration after filling out my arrival card and showing my Yellow Fever certificate and was processed very quickly. Next stop baggage collection and that’s where my wait started. About an hour and a half and eventually I saw my bags coming around the corner. I had just about given up any hope of ever seeing any of my stuff ever again. Imagine my relief. I still had clean underwear to change into at the hotel. Making my way through customs was interesting because I am a geek and my bags were loaded with techno junk. They did seem to get quite excited about my camera equipment but still eventually let me go. Relief number two.

I walked outside and there I was, back in Africa. My first view of Luanda and it wasn’t far off what I had expected. My eyes started scanning the crowd of faces that were waiting for clients, friends and family to arrive to see my name on a name card being held by a driver to take me to the airport. The more I looked the more I saw my name wasn’t there. I guess the wait continues. I eventually called the company and it turns out that they thought I was arriving from South Africa later that day. No worries. A car was sent and before long I was heading through the crowded streets of Luanda. But that’s a whole different story.

I need to continue with work now. I will do my best to catch up as and when I can. Stay tuned for Welcome to Angola. I can tell already it’s going to be “interesting”