TIME TO FLY – Nairobi here I come

Thursday/Friday – Today is the big day – hmm does that sound like a familiar phrase?  All my adventures seem to start with ‘today is the big day’ and if they don’t they should.

After 3 years of planning and saving and weeks of jabs and getting paperwork together I am finally on my way to Kenya.  Yep – Kenya AFRICA. Home of lions, elephants and everything you see on NatGeo.

So here I am at the International Terminal and it is 7pm.  What lousy weather we had this arvo around 2.30pm.  Rain, hail, thunder you name it we had it.  Is Aussie sad to see me go?  How nice but too bad I am on my way.  Around 5.30pm I get Stuart to drive me to the station because I am not willing to chance the traffic and it is easier for everyone.

The airport is always busy and I line up at the check in. One bag being checked through to Nairobi – 18.6kg (don’t have to clear at Dubai) and nothing is said about my camera bag or my bulging handbag which is full to the brim.  Through the Departures and next Customs – passport on scanner – everything OK – photo taken – OK and I can proceed to security check.  Everything in the baskets – I stand in the blower chamber and everything is OK so this tourist is on her way.

Time for a light snack – Maccas Filet of Fish – I am pretty adventurous eh? After a relaxing spell it is now time to go to Gate 57 which is down the other end of the terminal.  A very long walk and I am glad to reach the seating area and time to write my journal.  There are loads of people and loads of kids – I hope they are not on my flight or if they are – they behave themselves.  I do not play well with ankle biters in closed spaces.

Flight EK 413 seat 47K departing Sydney 9.45pm – around 9.15pm we start to board.  Seat is very comfortable with lots of leg room – Qantas take note.  USB chargers and all the mobile connect devices and have a great view out the window at the wet tarmac and even wetter planes.  I have 2 spare seats beside me until the last minute but that’s OK I do not get the usual all of their seat and some of mine people.

We depart about 5 minutes late and the storms have stopped – smooth take off but no photos as the the lights are dimmed and there are too many reflections in the window – BUT – the flight screen is on so I am happy.

We have been flying now for about an hour and a half so the first details for you – over Orange NSW and heading west – and I am interrupted by a very nice attendant offering hot towels and menus.  How nice to put the towel on my face – so refreshing.  Now I have to wait until the English version of the flight details comes back on.

Local time 10.40pm / Distance to Dubai 11595 km / Altitude 9753 mtrs / Estimated arrival 5.27am / Ground speed 506 mph.

Not long after that information dinner arrives.  I have opted for the Chicken Tagine with Herbed Couscous and Grilled Vegetables instead of Beef Ragout and I must say that it was delicious.  Much better than what I remember I had on Qantas – but that was a while ago.  Soon be time for sleep so all I need to tell you is that we are over Cooberpedy and have 10411km to go.

A relaxing sleep as plane sleep goes – and soon it is time for breakfast.  There is no Continental Breakfast only a choice of 2 egg dishes – Scrambled Eggs or Vegetable Fritata with Chicken Sausage, Beans and Mushrooms and that is the lousiest part of this trip.

Because I wanted the fruit and other stuff I chose the Fritata which only saw the light of day for this photo then put back underneath its foil cover.  The fruit, croissant, jam and crackers wasn’t too bad.  After eating that it is time to watch a bit of TV so – of course what else? Africa with Sir David Attenborough- seems appropriate.  He is so enthusiastic about animal life and makes it sound so wonderful I get excited all over again.  Have taken lots of photos of the flight path but unfortunately no photos out the windows as it was pitch black – BUMMER – no wing photos.

Not only do the planes have flight path screens – they also have cameras on the outside to show where you are going and what your flight is up to.  As you can see we are about to land in Dubai!

After walking a mile to ‘Connecting Flights’ it is time to go through security again.  This time the watch, belt anything metal comes off and of course I get pulled up and have to go through the body scanner.  Every bloody time I fly – it must be the Anglo Saxon look about me.  After beeping and being asked if I have had any knee operations (?) I see the funny side and say no – metal buttons – they are on my safari pants.  Sheeeesh! Now there is another hike to Gate 21 so here I am waiting.  Emirates in Sydney gave me a meal voucher but I am not that hungry.  Flight to Nairobi boards at 9.50am so I have just under 3 hours to go.  Lounging in a recliner chair with footrest – time for a photo or two of my surrounds –

My gate has been changed to B12 which is down the other end of the terminal, nearly back to where I started.  By the time I get back the gate is open and it is not a long wait to board.

Seat 18K – and what a shit seat.  I have mostly wall and a window so far forward so that I have to practically lean against the seat in front – but no matter.

I make the most of it before take off and take some photos – I get some outside shots – not wings and not great but life goes on.

Time for some excitement – a lady arrives who has been allocated the middle seat in my row.  A small kafuffle – a younger American gentleman is on the aisle seat and she doesn’t want to sit between us – I gather she is not allowed to sit next to a man as she is a Muslim lady.  They tell her to sit there and they will sort it out after take off but she continues to argue. In the end she sits down and then proceeds to bang her head on the TV screen on the seat in front of her – this will prove interesting.  About 15 minutes out of Nairobi she gets up and disappears – apparently she has decided to move – 4 hours later!!

Packed in like sardines in this 777-300 we are served lunch which was Smoked Turkey with a main of Beef and Mushroom Stew – turkey was plastic meat but the stew was delicious, I also decide on some wine – always a good choice.  Sorry about the photo – had already eaten the stew!

We finally arrive at Nairobi and when you say International Airport this is not what I had in mind.  Apparently they had a major fire here a couple of years back and it looks as if not much has been done to the arrivals section to rebuild.  We do not dock at the terminal, we gather our bags and walk down the stairs to get on a bus where once again we are packed in like sardines, some of whom do not use deodorant.  Once we have arrived it is a rush to get off and now time to go through Customs.

Passport checked, visa checked (some unorganised people do not have a visa, which holds up everyone and they have to proceed to another area) – time to collect my bag.  The area is dodgy to say the least but my bag arrives now I have to find an ATM.  No probs – withdraw some Kenyan Shillings to get me on my way.

Out of the terminal to find the man with the Chris Bray sign.  His name is Benson and with him is another lady on the tour – Susan – and now for the highlight of the day – the drive to The Windsor.  I though Cairo was bad. Holy crap! You have to see this to believe it. Once again no road rules just drive.  Benson does extremely well to dodge all sorts of traffic getting out of the airport and on the ‘open road’ he is incredible.  Old trucks belching smoke; people overtaking all over the place; people walking along the road and we even see a petrol truck on fire while the locals carry an extinguisher to put it out – I am so gob smacked by all of this I forget to take photos.

When we arrive at The Windsor Golf and Country Club we have to go through strict security – even mirrors placed under the van and we are all checked.  This place is a stark contrast to what we have seen so far.  It is in the more ‘affluent’ side of Nairobi and is an incredible place.

We are welcomed with a glass of icy watermelon juice and I am given room 224 with a view over the first tee and fairway of the Golf Course.

The room has wooden floors that are so noisy I hope the people in the room underneath mine do not get disturbed too much.

I unpack a few things, check emails and FB, have a shower and get into bed around 6.30pm – I am so tired.  The bed is so comfortable and it is so quiet – I am asleep in no time.