Our African adventure begins at 3-30am when the alarm is set to ensure we get to the airport on time. The taxi is booked for 4am. It will be 23 hours before we reach our destination.
At 4-00am traffic is almost nonexistent, by 4-10am we are at the airport. Check in was uncomplicated as the majority of passengers were going to Australia and are able to self check in. Exchanged some currency US$400 and 2000 Rand. The later costing $206.

We spent the time before our flight in the comfort of the Koru Lounge. It really does make a difference to have a comfortable place to wait and rest. Perhaps ominously were already feeling tired after our early start.

The Air New Zealand A320 is really nicely fitted out. Comfortable seats and excellent personal video screen. David plugged in his own adapter and began watching the first of two movies on the flight to Sydney.

Unfortunately there was a strong Nor west wind which we were told would increase flight time by 15in. In the end the flight took four hours rather than the 3-20 as we missed our landing slot.
The late arrival did cause some stress. Some of this was due to the very flustered woman on the transfer counter. She was muttering about the flight being closed and our bags not being able to be put onto the onward flight with so little time and we would need to rush to get to the gate.
So we didn’t go to the bookshop for a magazine and newspaper as planned. We didn’t have an opportunity to buy a bottle of water. When we go to the gate however the flight had only just commenced boarding. So we would have had plenty of time.

We were seated in 48 G and H. The seats nowhere near as comfortable as Air New Zealand, especially when the person in front reclined their seats.
The flight route followed the circle of the earth down towards antartica. We flew down across Tasmania and close enough to the ice that sometimes it can be seen in winter. A flat map really doesn’t help calculate the shortest distance.

More movies. David watched The Lincoln Lawyer, Intensity, The adjustment Bureau and Paul.
Lynda watch The Lincoln Lawyer , one with Jennifer Aniston and a documentary with Anne Geddes.
It is a very very long flight to South Africa. The meals were OK. We had chicken for lunch and Beef and fish for dinner.

Just over an hour out of Johannesburg Lynda was feeling faint, and did faint on her way to the toilet a carpet burn and a probable bruise on her cheek to show for it. They put her on oxygen which helped her feel quite a bit better.

The most unusual aspect of the airport at Johannesburg was there was no customs check. We came through immigration, got our bags [ always a relief when they turn up ] and walked along the concourse with tiles brightly coloured to match the South African flag. The signs sets customs hall, but we just walked out to the welcome area.

We caught a shuttle to the hotel. We could see the hotel as we made our way along he arrivals concourse, but it was separated from the airport by a busy motorway. No complaints about the Protea Hotel OR Tambo International. The bed was really really comfortable and the room just right.

Day 2 Thursday 14th.
A reasonable night’s sleep. Yes we woke far too early with our body clocks out of adjustment. Breakfast for 290 rand [ for two ] had plenty of options and was delicious. By 7-40am we were in the foyer for the shuttle. We were at the airport by 8am for an uneventful check in and processing through immigration.

International departures has some really interesting shops. The African art shops were especially colourful and the diamond shop especially tempting. Gate 27, the gate on our boarding pass was at the far end of the airport. We had plenty of time and looked at the shops and rested our feet. In the departure area there was a payphone which meant we could use our Yabba Card to phone Aimee and Natalie.

Just after the phone call ended I noticed that the departure gate on the Board did not match the gate on our boarding passes. At first the airline staff didn’t seem to know which was correct – but eventually we were told it was gate A2 – right at the far end of the airport from where we were. This meant a fairly brisk walk to get there in time.

The flight was not full which meant we could move to get a window seat, this meant when we arrived at Livingstone we were able to see the falls and the gorge leading away from the falls.
The Livingstone airport was interesting. Once again no customs inspection, but immigration took photographs and electronic finger prints of all 10 fingers. Lynda had do her left hand several times as it wasn’t reading properly. It was a very slow process and it took ages to get everyone through. I suspect they have been sold some fancy computer system, but I just can’t see how having 10 finger prints makes a country safer.

The Zambezi Sun Hotel is right by the lip of Victoria Falls. About a five minute walk from our room. We have a downstairs room. Lynda is disappointed it doesn’t look out over the pool.
On our first walk we ‘met’ the hotel’s zebra and Giraffes. While they are wild they are cared for by the hotel which included supplementary feeding in the winter. They are majestic animals.
We had dinner at the hotel US$42 each for a very nice buffet dinner. David tried crocodile. Both barbequed and curried. It was very nice. Taste like chicken, texture like pork.
In bed early again as we try and catch up on sleep.