Until Next Time Africa

Jenny, Mark, and I spent two unforgettable weeks in Africa. We saw more animals than we knew existed, met amazing people from all over the world, and created memories to last a lifetime.

On July 26, we began the journey from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe to Johannesburg, South Africa. From there we would prepare for our individual flights to the USA.

Hemingway Safaris contracted with a local company to pick us up from our hotel and take us to the airport. We didn’t realize it was a multi stop pickup service, so when it had not arrived on time, we panicked. The hotel contacted the agency, and they let us know we were not forgotten. Additional time had been provided by our travel agency to get us to the airport, so the transportation company’s tardiness did not create an extended vacation in Zimbabwe.

Upon arrival to Victoria Falls International Airport, we visited the checkin counter of South African Airways. Our bags needed to comply with the airline’s carry on policies, and after the experience we had flying to Maun, Botswana from South Africa, our confidence in selecting appropriate carryon luggage was lacking. The US is much more lenient than foreign air carriers which sometimes leads to typical carryon baggage needing to be checked.

Fortunately, our carryons received an all clear, and we were given paper boarding passes and moved to another long line to get through security. The security area was understaffed, so this chipped away at our cushion of time.

Inside the terminal we used my Priority Pass benefits and entered the Pearl Lounge. The lounge was small but comfortable and provided a small buffet. However, no bathroom was inside the lounge, so one by one we left the lounge, used the airport bathroom and returned.

When we reached our gate, we discovered a delay. It gave me the opportunity to meet new people. Three ladies from Australia had been in Africa for at least a month, and they were finally heading home. I sat with them for quite some time, and amazingly, we solved all the world‘s problems!

The boarding process felt very disorganized. Because we wanted to keep our bags with us, we tried to be close enough that we would be the first in our boarding group to get on. It turns out the flight was not full, and we easily made our way onto the plane with all our luggage. It just took a while for everyone to get on because they did not seem to have a system of organization.

When we arrived in South Africa, however, the flight attendants deboarded the plane in a very orderly fashion. We were compelled to comply as five rows at a time, starting at the front of the plane, were allowed to stand and exit. If you were not seated in the rows called to exit but stood to leave early, the flight attendants would instruct you to sit down. To be honest, it was impressive.

The immigration line was not so impressive. We stood for nearly an hour, breezed through customs then filed into another security check. We had plenty of time between flights, but lines are exhausting.

With time to kill, we purchased some last minute gifts then headed to the comfort of the Aspire Lounge. We ate, rested, took our final video together, and reminisced about the trip.

Eventually we left the lounge, and I walked with Jenny and Mark to their gate. They headed to their home in New York, and I waited for my flight to Atlanta.

Jenny and Mark, thank you for being my temporary family. I loved making the collective adventures that still rumble around in my mind. They will be with me forever. And, thank you reader for joining me in this exploration of Africa through the written word. As I close this trip out, I look forward to sharing my adventures in Maine and hope you will join me on that journey.