This week has been all about travelling. I’ve already talked about the bus trip from Mongu to Kazungula on Monday, and the drive from Kazungula to Livingstone on Tuesday.
One thing I still have trouble getting used to in Africa is the random police/immigration checks along the roads. Most of the time we are just waved through, but on Monday we were stopped and I had to show my passport. It wasn’t a problem, but still a little disconcerting – and it means I need to carry my passport at all times.
Yesterday Muzamai took me to the crossing back into Zimbabwe to go to the airport (when I booked the flight I mistakenly thought that the Victoria Falls airport was in Zambia, but it is in Zimbabwe.) That meant that I had to get another visa to cross into Zim – I can’t believe that they charged me $30USD for a transit visa to be in the country for all of around 5 hours! (The same amount as a regular visa.) I was not impressed. Muzamai’s friend picked me up on the Zimbabwe side of the crossing and took me to the airport – I am very grateful for his help. Here’s a couple of pics I took while waiting for him – carrying heavy loads on the head, or loading bicycles or any other form of transport, is common.
Because South African Airways had transferred me on to a Fastjet flight, my cabin bag had to go as “drop and fly” which meant I had to take my laptop out of the bag and carry it separately. I don’t understand why it’s ok for a computer to travel in the front of the plane but not in the back of the plane, but them’s the rules.
When I got to Jo’berg I made the mistake of checking both bags, and keeping my laptop in the carry bag. I very quickly found that a laptop can get quite heavy, particularly when you are tired. I knew that Jo’berg is a big airport, so when one of the airport staff offered me a ride in a wheelchair I accepted. He took me through immigration and to the SAA check in, then asked for payment. I told him (truthfully) that I didn’t have any money and in any case I thought he worked for the airport.
It turned out the flight was a code share with Kenya Airways, so I found a trolley and walked to the other end of the terminal. Then I had a debate with the Kenya Airways check in girl, who didn’t want to let me board because I didn’t have an ongoing ticket from Kenya (even though my visa was in order). Eventually she accepted that I was going on to other countries and I was able to show her my return ticket to Australia at the end of April.
I was not at all impressed with Kenya Airways, but eventually arrived in Nairobi. Adams met me at the airport and we stopped at a hotel overnight before driving though to Kitale today.
I’ve mentioned before about seeing baboons and zebras on the side of the road, and they were there again today – unfortunately on the other side of the road, so we had to take a photo dodging the cars going by, but it worked.
Rest day tomorrow, then ministering on the weekend.