The fact that I’ve posted this will let you know that I have at least managed to get here in one piece. I did the trip with a 4 ½ hour stop-over in Dubai which could have done with being 2 hours shorter in an ideal world. The trip from Birmingham to Dubai was pretty uneventful. I had 2 seats to myself and got to take in plenty of good movies with the free booze. Emirates seems to be a great airline and the cabin staff were wonderful.
Dubai airport can be summed up in 3 words; hot, sticky and full. I’ve never seen an airport so packed with people at midnight! I didn’t have any AED with me and couldn’t be arsed to change any cash so it was a very dull interlude in the trip. I did eventually manage to grab a seat near the gate but I touched lucky as I was the first of 4 people diving for it when it came free!
The onward flight to Johannesburg was more of the same but much fuller than the first flight although the journey was made much more enjoyable by the charming company of an off duty emirates cabin staff member who had the seat next to mine. All in all the trip was about what I expected, nothing to write home about, everything went smoothly and the end of it they let me in to SA with no trouble!
I’ve not really done much since getting here. I was treated to my first taste of SA cuisine in the name of Boerewors, a farmers sausage in bun (which my German friends would be envious off) cooked on a braai, which is like a barbeque but, I am assured, way better. Other than that it’s been naps and chatting with a chilled evening-in to follow.
I’ve not seen much of the place so far other than on the trip from the airport but it been an experience none the less. I’m sure Amy and Deb will end up thinking of me as the weird Brit that’s come to visit as I’m currently able to get excited at everything because even the commonplace here is new to me. We stopped at a shopping complex on the way from the airport and it was unexpected to see brands like Woolworths and Spar alongside their more exotic (to me anyway) companions.
The next couple of days will be mainly prep for the Zim trip and local stuff around here so I may not bother with another blog this side of the next border but for now it’s good bye from sunny South Africa to you all!
