FINALLY here!

(Sorry about the sideways views of some of the photos - I am still trying to workout how to rotate them!)

After hours in transit…I am home, well, at least home for the next while.

I’ve tried to write this entry numerous times since I arrived 48 hours ago – but have been interrupted by things like, sunshine, the pool, going out for dinner, drinks…so far, life in Botswana has been awesome.

Now to complete the story of my 40 hours, 4 planes, 3 calendar days journey here –

After another amazing flight on Qatar Airways, once again filled with champagne, delicious food, and a good amount of sleep in their fully horizontal seats, we arrive in Johannesburg/Jo-Burg. 

Landing in South Africa

We meet this sweet couple (wife is Canadian, husband is British) who are on their way home to Swaziland. We chat in the immigration line about travels around Africa and they invite us to their home, giving us all their contact information.

Now the hard part. After about what feels like an hour in low to no air conditioning, we make it through immigration, find our bags and look for the departures level. We successfully check ourselves in using one of those “self check-in” kiosks, then on to drop our bags. We are met by a woman who weighs our bags. I am, of course, overweight…well, my bags are...

Oh and there was also their strange thing about South African airways wanting to wrap everyone’s bags in plastic wrap…Odd…

So anyway, I leave my travel partner at the desk and go to pay the charge. There are only two people in line in front of me and two people helping them. Still, the entire process takes close to half an hour.  This is Africa I remind myself, all the efficiencies of North America no longer exist. Deep yogic cleansing breaths in and out…But truly – you cannot get upset. The woman who helped me was sweet and friendly. She wanted to know where in Canada I was from and what the weather was like. She wanted to know what I thought of Africa and she wholeheartedly welcomed me. Paying the fine at this point was negligible.

After a quick picture with a beaded Mandela, we are finally on our last plane of the trip to Gaborone. This flight is quick, literally in the air for forty minutes. Of course, the process of going through security, queuing to get on the bus, waiting on the tarmac to board the plane and settling in takes longer, but hey, we got to Gaborone, Botswana!

The landscape is flat and green. And as we flew in, I half expected to see herds of animals across the plains. To my dismay, I didn’t. Where are all these safari animals that people speak of?! (I cannot wait to see giraffes and hippos!)

After a quick pass through immigration and picking up our bags, we are met by our colleagues. We are happy, tired and yet somewhat energized.

I am only all too eager for my life in Botswana to begin!