I am becoming a bit of a regular at O.R Tambo Airport (ex Johannesburg International, ex Jan Smuts).
Saturday I got the message that my mate that I knew from Iraq and now more recently, Angola, was passing through Johannesburg en route back to Angola. So off I go at 9pm to meet him at his hotel. Typical South African style, he gets screwed around at the airport and has no way of finding his hotel. He was staying at the Sun International and they gave him directions to the Inter-Continental. There’s a big difference and he ended up catching a cab. Needless to say that it was closer to 10:30 by the time he checked in so it was closer to 1:30am by the time I left. He is now back in Angola.
Last night then, Rocky came back in from Angola. It was so kewl to see her again. We keep in contact quite a bit but it’s always nicer talking face to face. I shot through to the airport for 6:30pm anticipating her coming through then after landing at 6:00pm. Typical South African style she got screwed around coming through. The board said her plane had landed 25 minutes earlier than a text from her saying they had just landed. Anyhow we went through to the domestic section and she checked in. That was another story but I’m getting really bored of slating South African inadequacies and lack of service.
After she checked in we went around to the Keg and had a few glasses of wine and a good meal. So nice to talk to someone who is like-minded, where we understand what’s going on in each others lives and there’s just no stress. These are the kinds of people I want in my life. The bullshit and stress can stay far far away!
At 8:30pm she got on her flight to Cape Town and I drove back to my little place in Midrand. It was nice to be in bed and falling asleep before 10:00pm
I vividly remember staring at a conveyor belt for more than an hour. I did not get my connecting flight .. which was one of those cheapo not upgradable ones. Fortunately SAA was very kind that night and apparently lots of people were in the same situation. (well I did have my boarding card to prove that it wasn’t my fault that I was “late”)
s_20 - In ORT’s defence with conveyor belts, remember UK Terminal 5? Need I say more? Hahahahaha. You are however very lucky for the freebie overnight stay. I have been in places where they say “Pick a square of floor to sleep on, here is the address you can write to and complain when you get home” And thats the last you hear of it!! Travel shouldn’t be like playing the lottery…