Back in Lagos

Got back friday night in a pouring rainstorm. Got the suitcases in the front door and the power went out. Took the generator guy quite a while to get it fired up, now I know how long the emergency light can run on it's battery, about 15 minutes. Welcome home.

I had been lugging around a couple large Zulu baskets, very beautifully made, but not that convenient on the airplane. I was glad to put those away. The zebra skin at least fit in a suitcase. Looking at it now, I think it probably looked better on the live animal.

Note to self: Avoid watching "Air disaster" marathon on TV before a trip like this. We traveled on a lot of different airplanes and just for fun I kept track.

Lagos (LOS) to Johannesburg (JNB) on South Africa Airways 747. Not a very new airplane, but good enough and the meal was a chance to get some decent beef for a change.

JNB to Livingston, Zambia (LVI), British Airways 737. It was great to see the mist from Victoria Falls above the dry brown savanna from way off in the distance. I can't imagine what Mr. Livingstone was thinking floating down the Zambezi river with that cloud of mist ahead and the roar of the falls getting louder (1855). I understand they landed on an island at the brink of the falls and took a look over the edge. It is spectacular and the wind blown spray made me the wettest I've ever been in the shortest amount of time. Should have rented the poncho for two dollars from some of the enterprising locals that had setup shop on the trail.

People naturally were asking us where we were from. When I would say California, inevitably they would exclaim "Schwartzenegger!" or as at the Zambezi river ferry, "Governator!". I bought a 100 trillion dollar Zimbabwe note from that guy just for grins. It's worthless except as a tourist curio since they have completely given up on their own currency. Maybe I should have bought a bunch since I now see them on ebay.

Kasane, Botswana to chief's camp in a Cessna caravan. A 14 place, single engine turboprop with expanded luggage hold. I swear the pilot, Ludwig, looked about 16 years old. After all our stressing about the 20kg weight limit that was in the brochure, our friend Ludwig just glanced at the pile of luggage on the runway and said OK. I was looking over the pilots shoulder checking out the instruments and also had a great view of the Okavango delta for the 40 minute flight.

Chief's camp to Maun, Botswana in a Cessna 210. A 4 place aircraft, single piston engine. Operated by Mack Air. What a treat, we flew at about 700 feet AGL and our friend Homi, in the front right seat got to wiggle the controls a little under the watchful eye of the slightly older pilot.

Maun to JNB in an ATR 42-500, dual turboprop. Air Botswana, we got a packet of biltong with a drink for a snack, really spicy. Perhaps if I had read this accident report, I would not have thought the same of Air Botswana. Wiped out the most of the airline in one shot.

JNB - MalaMala and back, BAe Jetstream 4100 dual turboprop, operated by SAA Airlink. Interesting to be in a plane small enough that it where it matters where you sit. No biltong, just a soft drink.

JNB - CPT and back, 737. Similar feeling like SFO to an LA area airport, commuters heading home for the weekend.

JNB - LOS, 747 -400. Sat upstairs next to an empty seat. Pretty nice and less engine noise than downstairs. It was setup for pretty good legroom too. A little gift got us the empty seat, my wife had a pair of Confederations Cup tickets that we couldn't use, turns out the agent is a football fan.