Back in Good ol SA
Well I will say this, it is good to be back in South Africa and this afternoon I think I finally feel like a globe trotter or frequent traveller whichever one you would like to associate me with.
Today I have done what I have seen many a traveller done in the past, I went to the bathrooms at the airport and proceeded to unpack my toiletries bag and wash my face, brush my teeth and spray deo, just a quick freshen up routine. I wasn't the only one, there were about two others and we all just gave a familiar node and smile and went about our business. You could see the tired eyes from travelling through the night.
It wasn't a bad trip, the airport in Douala (sorry no photo's this time) looked like chaos. You get to the check-in counter where they write your boarding pass details by hand, none of the computer printed lazy man method. My Seat designation is highlighted with a sticker on the boarding pass. From there you go through to the counter where they weigh your bags, next step you have to go and pay your airport tax (10 000 CFA) {divide that by 75 and you will have rands} at this point a friendly chap that works at the airport started giving me a lot of assistanc, and he goes by the name of Simon.
Well Simon filled out my landing card, took me through the first passport check point, where we got to the 2nd passport check point, here we wait for a short while, with no airconditioning, it is pretty stuffy here. The lady at passport scrutinizes (spelling) your passport in detail, once you go from there you head on through to the next passport check point, by this time Simon is waiting for me on the other side and proceeds to take me to my lounge and also eagerly helps me buy some Cameroon Coffee (I am told it is good - but not for me) he has to assist me in buying the coffee so that I don't get asked a lot of money. uh huh ... at this point I should have had warning bells go off.
As I am about to go to the lounge he stops me and says that I now owe him 5000 CFA's my last few notes that I have and I mustn't worry about not having any cash on me because I can use my card ... hmmm well I start debating with him and notice the security lady giving me the eye at my lounge so to keep the calm I conceed and give him his 5000 CFA's (try this move on me next time buddy) oh, he needs 5000 so that he can also pay his police friend for letting me go through so quickly ... uh huh ... whatever Simon.
Now the problem here is ... it was too late to make nice with security ... the lady saw me debating with Simon and while everyone was going into the lounge I had to open my laptop bag, my carry on bag and I had to be scanned by that hand scanner ... oh well ...
The flight from Douala to Kenya-Nairobi was pretty cool. I had 3 seats all to myself. I even managed to get some sleep. The flight however from Nairobi (which was a painless boarding process) was not such a fortunate one. There I could not sleep but eventually my destination in SA - JHB International has arrived and I am now waiting to head on to Cape Town. My last stop for the time being ... a week to be exact.
So I doubt you will hear from me for the next week, I will continue when I am back in Cameroon or heading there ... so have fun, and wake up now, I am done ... go climb into bed, I will put you to sleep another time.
Today I have done what I have seen many a traveller done in the past, I went to the bathrooms at the airport and proceeded to unpack my toiletries bag and wash my face, brush my teeth and spray deo, just a quick freshen up routine. I wasn't the only one, there were about two others and we all just gave a familiar node and smile and went about our business. You could see the tired eyes from travelling through the night.
It wasn't a bad trip, the airport in Douala (sorry no photo's this time) looked like chaos. You get to the check-in counter where they write your boarding pass details by hand, none of the computer printed lazy man method. My Seat designation is highlighted with a sticker on the boarding pass. From there you go through to the counter where they weigh your bags, next step you have to go and pay your airport tax (10 000 CFA) {divide that by 75 and you will have rands} at this point a friendly chap that works at the airport started giving me a lot of assistanc, and he goes by the name of Simon.
Well Simon filled out my landing card, took me through the first passport check point, where we got to the 2nd passport check point, here we wait for a short while, with no airconditioning, it is pretty stuffy here. The lady at passport scrutinizes (spelling) your passport in detail, once you go from there you head on through to the next passport check point, by this time Simon is waiting for me on the other side and proceeds to take me to my lounge and also eagerly helps me buy some Cameroon Coffee (I am told it is good - but not for me) he has to assist me in buying the coffee so that I don't get asked a lot of money. uh huh ... at this point I should have had warning bells go off.
As I am about to go to the lounge he stops me and says that I now owe him 5000 CFA's my last few notes that I have and I mustn't worry about not having any cash on me because I can use my card ... hmmm well I start debating with him and notice the security lady giving me the eye at my lounge so to keep the calm I conceed and give him his 5000 CFA's (try this move on me next time buddy) oh, he needs 5000 so that he can also pay his police friend for letting me go through so quickly ... uh huh ... whatever Simon.
Now the problem here is ... it was too late to make nice with security ... the lady saw me debating with Simon and while everyone was going into the lounge I had to open my laptop bag, my carry on bag and I had to be scanned by that hand scanner ... oh well ...
The flight from Douala to Kenya-Nairobi was pretty cool. I had 3 seats all to myself. I even managed to get some sleep. The flight however from Nairobi (which was a painless boarding process) was not such a fortunate one. There I could not sleep but eventually my destination in SA - JHB International has arrived and I am now waiting to head on to Cape Town. My last stop for the time being ... a week to be exact.
So I doubt you will hear from me for the next week, I will continue when I am back in Cameroon or heading there ... so have fun, and wake up now, I am done ... go climb into bed, I will put you to sleep another time.
posted by Ashley at 12:39 PM
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