Surprisingly straight through security at Frankfurt. Unusually quiet at this early hour. Passport control on the other hand takes an eternity. It’s not vot ze Germans are used to. French efficiency rather than the usual Teutonic speed.
Route to Addis Ababa is over the Alps, down the Dalmatian coast, over Egypt/Libyan border, follow the Nile and pop into Khartoum for an hour for a cup of tea. Champagne on boarding followed by G&T, red wine and port. The decadence of it all. Find myself giggling a bit too loudly at a film enroute (Gambit) and then realise the Gin was 47% proof.
The snow capped Alps are a distant memory as we fly over the Sahara.
Sand for a few hours now. Pass over Aswan, Abu Simbel, Lake Nasser and Wadi Haifa which is where the Nile starts again after Lake Nasser.
Nearing Khartoum can see evidence of flooding. The surrounding countryside showing a green mould effect from the plants that have been resuscitated with the rains. Final approach to Khartoum and see a lot more flooding. Even though the floods were 2-4 weeks ago you can feel the extent of it. Suburbs still flooded and roads silted up now cleared.
Khartoum airport runway is the sort where you get to the end then have to do a U-ey to return to the small terminal building. Anti-aircraft batteries dotted along the runway. Not allowed to step off the aircraft but am technically in Sudan……I suppose.
Take off again to Addis Abiba – which the Germans call Addis Abeba – which rhymes with Justin….
Just about to be served afternoon tea when the “Fasten Seatbelts” sign comes on. Captain announces there’s slight turbulence ahead and signs on for our own comfort and safety. Then a flash of lightning to my right. Ooooer. It’s going to be bumpy. Then stewardess announces that no food or drink will now be served. Oooer again. Then Captain announces that flight crew are to take their seats immediately. Oooer. We’re going to be thrown about the place I feel. Not the best flyer when it comes to turbulence I have to say. Don’t do turbulence or rough seas. I’m a fair weather sort of traveller. Remember once flying over Amsterdam enroute to Hannover when the pilot announced that the seatbelt signs were on for our comfort and safety when all of a sudden the aircraft dropped from the sky with an almight bang. Everyone’s hands went up in the air rollercoaster like, drinks flyin.
Sitting there at 37,000ft, just waiting for the aircraft to drop from the sky. Just waiting. And waiting. And petrified. And waiting. The sky to the right is illuminated with lightning again and again. We’re all going to die.
And then. Nothing. We’ve circumvented the electrical storm. Still miss out on afternoon tea though.
Addis Ababa surprisingly cold at 12C when we land at 2100hrs. Purchase visa on arrival but woman is more interested in what appears to be a local celebrity who is having photos taken with other natives. Tired, hungry and impatient she’s chivvied along as can see that the passport qeues are now filling up with people from two flights. Needn’t worry as the visa on arrival barrier system takes me to a dedicated passport booth and there are only six people in the queue.
Photo taken. Fingerprints taken. Passport stamped. Meet hotel transfer who tells me we’re to wait for another woman also on my flight. She’ll be at least an hour judging from the queues and not particularly wanting to wait an hour as tired and hungry.
Fortunately, another shuttle arrives to take over the wait so we buzz off. Food and drink in lobby bar. A good looking girl sits down on her own. She’s obviously a prossie. British lad who, judging from his t-shirt and clothes has just climbed Kilimanjaro asks if the seat is free opposite her. I’m looking at him. He’s looking at me. We’re both thinking the same thing. She’s a prossie.
He makes his move with that classic chat up line “Can you get a wifi connection?”. Which starts a conversation. Which leads to him sitting next to her. Which leads to him buying her a drink.
Struggle to sleep..Body feels as though it’s moving even though it’s static. Keep taking what I think is my last gasp of air. Think I might be having a heart attack or something. Can hardly breathe. Get no sleep worrying that I might be about to die. Here in Addis Ababa. No more blogs.
It’s about 0330hrs after no sleep and gasping for air that I suddenly have a thought. Maybe I’m not dying. Maybe I’m not having a heart attack. Maybe. Just maybe. It might be the altitude. There’s something in the dark recesses of my mind that somewhere on the trip I’m at altitude. Was it Addis Ababa? Or was it Lusaka? Or was it Nairobi? Can’t remember. Can’t Google it as the hotel’s wifi system is down. The worry continues.
