Travels with Kathryn

Yes, I am still referring to this as being a post about Botswana, although I am still not in Botswana. I am starting this next to the gate in Heathrow, and I can see a plane – always a good sign! As it is an overnight flight to South Africa,  I did a work from home day today, did my nails, had a shower, finished packing and headed to Heathrow at 6pm. I have said it before and I will say it again, I love the Lizzie Line. Ok, there were some slight delays on route, but it is oh so efficient.

It took slightly longer than I would have liked as there were only about half of the serve yourself bag drop terminals working, and the people in front of me have evidently never had to do such challenging things as check in for a flight or apply there own luggage tag. I did help them. My bag (all 13.8kg) was encased in its new plastic protective/anti tsetse fly (to hide the blue!) bag and is hopefully going through all the way to Maun.

It was relatively quick through security, although my bag was pulled out for extra scanning (as ever) but unusually it was my Kindle that got another scan rather than them being upset by my embroidery scissors like they usually are. I am not really a fan of terminal 5 so it was just a nip into duty free for a squirt of my preferred perfume (I have learnt not to try new things before an 11 hour flight) so I just took the transit and am now sitting quietly at my gate checking the plane does not leave without me.

No sign of the old people, but last I heard, they were on their fourth gin and tonic… Let us all judge together.

They did turn up, and we stood with the hoards of people all standing around the gate as to be fair there was nowhere else to go really. I really don’t like BA. If you are a frequent flyer its all bowing and scraping, and then the rest of us are essentially scum. The plane was fine, and I was on the aisle seat of the middle four which meant I was across the aise from the old people and none of us had to sit in a middle seat. However, this was my first experience of sitting upstairs on a plane and I genuinely thought there would be stairs as opposed to a snorkel to the upper level which kind of spoiled it for me.

We took off on time (9.20pm) and were eventually served a drink (water, whereas the old people had MORE gin) and then the meal (nucler-ized pasta) which I are whilst watching the The Devil Wears Prada 2. It was a good plane film would be my overall review.

Its an 11 hour overnight flight and I have had a few micro naps. I have had better flights, but I have also had worse. I was also very cold and if I am cold, it must be cold.

I am now writing this from Johannesburg. A relatively straightforward transfer, you get a transit stamp in your passport (always exciting to get another stamp) and then into a sort of basement holding area where we were issued our boarding passes to our flight Johannesburg to Maun. Its then quite a long walk, through another security and then we ambled through the shops. Reminding myself now that there are lots of very nice souvenirs in the shops, although I have to remember that these are authentic souvenirs as opposed to Disney Animal Kingdom souverniers but the vibes are similar…

We are now at the gate, and you know what, the plane we got off is LITERALLY the gate opposite and down a level. Yet we have walked MILES with a man with a heart condition. They could have just given us a leg up. However, having settled in there was then a gate change announcement, and we walked back on ourselves all the way from A15 to A5.

And now on the plane. When boarding opened, Mum went through first, and her boarding pass went red and beeped. Momentary panic, but actually just a seat re-assignment – moving from row 10 to row 4. Well, we get on the plane, and we are in what I am going to call first class. This is very nice. Big seats, chilled moist face cloths, fancy drinks brought to us on trays, and then a choice of two meal options. I went with the smoked chicken and linguine, Mum had the steak strips with pumpkin. They’re also both on their second glasses of wine. The flight back is going to be something of a let-down when we’re back in economy.

And I am now officially in Botswana! Very smooth flight, you land and walk all of 10 meters into a room where you complete an arrivals card, and then passport control (that did take a little longer than I would have liked and the lady wanted more details of all of our addresses and we were like, its a mobile safari, but she seemed satisfied enough once we had provided the itinarary). Joyfully, my bag was one of the first off (still in its bag which is now rather grubbier), and once we had everyone’s luggage it was into arrivals where we were met by a man with a sign stating “Keith Black x 3”. Excellent. It was a short 20 minute drive to our hotel (this is an exciting concept) for tonight. But we did see our first animals of the trip:

I am now in my room, the air con is on (its 35 degrees outside and this may be our last chance to experience the delights of air con), and I have semi unpacked. Only slight wrinkle so far is that we specifically requested a mosquito net for Keith (without his spleen he is immunosuppressed so its important), and no one seems to know what time our flight is tomorrow. However, I have checked with reception, and hopefully an answer will be forthcoming. Ive just had a call that a net may be ouroute so a solid start  (update: the net was installed whilst I was napping, and we now have our pick up/flight times). But I am now at the point of being so tired I am of limited use – my sleep app seems to think I got a total of 2.5 hours sleep on the plane last night, but I would dispute even that!

But yes, we have arrived (whoop!) and tomorrow we head into the unknown – assuming I am actually allowed on it. I will keep you posted (assuming the eSim continues to work!).