Ugh for an early morning! Sally and I both slept through our alarms but we were still able to meet Brie for a quick breakfast.
There was a bit of a fiasco with the shuttle -- the 8:05am one sped past the stop without picking anyone up! Thankfully one of the hotel staff called the service and made sure that the 8:25am shuttle could pick everyone up. We met a nice Australian couple as we waited and chatted with them until we got to the airport.
Checking in and going through security took next to no time. On the flight we were treated to a hilariously bad 80's-style safety PSA cartoon, and (for some reason) were fed maybe 10 minutes before starting our descent into Port Elizabeth. The view was spectacular! We flew out over Algoa Bay and circled back toward the airport. We coasted above the water for most of the descent.
The rest of our group (ISU 2013'ers Abby, Emma, and Kristy, and ISU 2014'ers Jane and Barry)* have been in-country on a pre-trip for the past 10 days or so we met up with them as we waited in the airport. We were picked up at 2:30 by a Brothers Safaris representative and headed out for Amakhala Game Reserve.
Abby, Emma, and I talked for most of the drive. Once we got to the reserve -- which is absolutely gorgeous -- we sorted ourselves into tents (I'm with Jane and Sally), unpacked, and headed to dinner and a course introduction.
*names changed for privacy
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
South Africa - Arrival
My journey to South Africa began with a brief and delayed (thanks, thunderstorm) flight to Atlanta, GA, from my natal airport.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is huge! I had to trek past about a billion gates, hop on the train to go to a separate concourse, then trek past a billion more gates before reaching my departing gate. At some point I got over-priced but delicious food and met up with two of my fellow trip-mates (Sally*, fellow ISU 2013'er, and Brie*, non-ISU 2013'er).
The flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg was uneventful other than the fact that my seat would not recline. We shuffled directly to customs once we arrived... this took a lot longer than it should have because I had the awesome luck of choosing a teller who could not get the computer system to work. On any of the terminals. But they eventually let me into the country!
The three of us then collected our baggage and tried to find our way to the hotel shuttle station. One of the others decided to ask for directions and we were escorted through a dark, creepy (seriously creepy) walkway that did actually lead to the shuttle stop.
Now, here's a tip: Don't let other people handle your luggage when you're in Africa (or lots of other places) because they'll expect a monetary tip. Sally had apparently never been told this and let one of the porters take her bag, and was then shocked/confused or something when he asked for a tip as we were getting onto the shuttle.
In any event, we are now in our nifty little hotel rooms. We've got an early flight to Port Elizabeth tomorrow!
*names changed for privacy
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is huge! I had to trek past about a billion gates, hop on the train to go to a separate concourse, then trek past a billion more gates before reaching my departing gate. At some point I got over-priced but delicious food and met up with two of my fellow trip-mates (Sally*, fellow ISU 2013'er, and Brie*, non-ISU 2013'er).
The flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg was uneventful other than the fact that my seat would not recline. We shuffled directly to customs once we arrived... this took a lot longer than it should have because I had the awesome luck of choosing a teller who could not get the computer system to work. On any of the terminals. But they eventually let me into the country!
The three of us then collected our baggage and tried to find our way to the hotel shuttle station. One of the others decided to ask for directions and we were escorted through a dark, creepy (seriously creepy) walkway that did actually lead to the shuttle stop.
Now, here's a tip: Don't let other people handle your luggage when you're in Africa (or lots of other places) because they'll expect a monetary tip. Sally had apparently never been told this and let one of the porters take her bag, and was then shocked/confused or something when he asked for a tip as we were getting onto the shuttle.
In any event, we are now in our nifty little hotel rooms. We've got an early flight to Port Elizabeth tomorrow!
*names changed for privacy
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