This is not a photo of N'djili International Airport, because taking a photo would get you arrested!

We arrived at N'djili at about 0715 for a 1055 Kenya Airways departure. The airport is tiny, with very few international airlines using it - mainly Air France, SN Brussels, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian.

Have just read a blog describing the boarding process through N'djili as the "5 levels of purgatory". I counted at least 10 stages, but the airport was pretty quiet when we went through and with the help of Michel's team, the departure process was long, but not too painful;

- one of Michel's team paid our $50 departure tax and issued us with our pink and white receipts whilst we waited in the car park.
- there was a manual inspection of heavy luggage at the entrance door to see if we were taking out souvenirs (on which there would be a tax).
- long queue to get electronic plane ticket details checked.
- further manual inspection of heavy luggage.
- heavy luggage checked in and after an inordinate wait with much faffing around, boarding card issued.
- hanging around for immigration to open.
- DGM check of all documentation.
- scanning of hand luggage and passengers.
- body search (despite not setting off the scanner) and I was "relieved" of my remaining Congo francs.
- made it through to departure lounge.
- further manual search of hand luggage and further body search.
- collection of "pink" departure tax receipts on the runway.
- boarded plane.

The irony of all the searching, however, was that because none of it was done effectively, I got all the way through despite having forgotten that I had left my Swiss Army knife in my hand luggage!!

Flight to Nairobi wasn't busy and despite the recent major fire at Nairobi airport the immigration and baggage retrieval process there was quick and friendly - and as I walked out of the terminal it was great to see John (taxi driver organised by Ian and Mandy Chesterman) holding up my name!