To Johannesburg

23 March

Have alarm set for 6.15, but wake up early anyway. We can check out of our hotel on line and then drop the key in a box. Very easy, no queuing at reception. We are all on our way by 7 am with a short walk to the international terminal. About a week ago I made an upgrade bid with Qantas. There is a scale where you determine the amount you want pay and it shows whether the bid is good, strong or excellent. I priced mine just below excellent. You don’t know until 24 hours before departure whether you are successful. We were! 😃

We let Ross and Karen know but not John and Kaye who were already travelling BC. We checked in went through passport control and John and Kaye went off to the lounge because John they wanted breakfast. I had asked at check in whether we could bring a guest and Ann and I were able to have Ross and Karen accompany us in the lounge. Unfortunately we then had to join John and Kaye who were very surprised to see us. It was good to be back together again although it was only a few minutes since we had parted ways.

It was very comfortable in the lounge with a good spread of food. It was the Air NZ lounge as the Qantas one is being renovated.

Our boarding is 8.45 for 9.30 departure. We head off at 8.45 and it is a 10 - 15 minute walk to our gate. As we are heading there the displays are not showing boarding. We arrive and there is quite a crowd waiting to board.

Oh no here we go again! We are on board around 9.30, the time we are supposed to leave. We are on the upper level as is Karen and Ross but they are further back. The captain makes an announcement just before 10 that they are chasing 7 late passengers and some extra cargo. He does say it will be a quick flight and we should be still on time. We only have 100 minutes in Joburg before we fly to Capetown. We eventually take off at 10.25.

It is very comfortable in business class, I hope my bid for the return trip is successful. There are a few empty seats so I am hopeful we will get the upgrade. For lunch I am having scallop and prawn dumplings and then a Hinterland beef fillet. Ann is having the dumplings and roast chicken. My first wine was at 11 am a Vasse Felix Chardonnay with mixed nuts.

Lunch was very nice and shortly after the cabin lights are dimmed for sleep, which is unusual because it is 2 pm! I try to have a snooze after watching Nuremberg but barely slept half an hour. The seat can lie flat and is comfortable but it is too early to try to sleep. I tried again around 5 but really just relaxed for an hour. At this stage of the journey the flight map is predicting landing in Joburg at 3 pm.

It seems a long flight, although very smooth and no turbulence. As we come into land I switch on the skycam which is a camera in the tail of the plane looking forward. I get a great view of the runway as we come into land, though we are passing through showers. We land just before 3 pm and are at the gate by 3.05, but it is another 15 minutes before we get off. Still we look ok as our flight etd is 4.40. However we have to go through border control before picking up our luggage. As usual quite a crowd but moving steadily. We get the chatty passport officer and the Luggs and Johnstones are through before we even get to our guy. We are still looking ok as we get to the luggage, ours is waiting for us, Ross and John have theirs and then Kaye’s arrives. Now we are waiting on Karen’s and time is getting tight. Karen tells to go ahead. By the time we get to the luggage drop it is 4 pm and we are told it is boarding and our luggage might not get there. It is quite a walk to the gate, but we have to pass through screening! By the time we get to the gate it is 4.20 - but it is not boarding and we do not board until 5 pm. Unfortunately we have lost Karen and Ross again! It is a bus trip out to the plane and we pull away from the boarding area at 5.30 for a 2 hour flight to Capetown. Hopefully Karen and Ross can get a later flight. Starting to feel really tired now as I write this on the plane it is 4 am Melbourne time and we were up at 6 am. Looks like it will be at least 24 hours before sleep. I tried ringing Karen but no answer, she may not have switched on her international roaming.

We are offered a meal on the flight but we both reject it. We land and are at the luggage carousel by 7.40 pm. While waiting for our luggage I get a call from Karen, she has her bag and will be on the 8.30 pm flight with quite a few others! They tried to get them on a 5.30 flight but could not make it in time. Our bags arrive and we find our driver and it is a 20 min drive to our hotel. We are all feeling very tired. Check in ok and we are led to our rooms. It is 8.45. Get out the chargers to fire up our phones, iPads and hearing aids and the plug adaptor does not fit! It is an old building, a converted foundry, it looks like the electrical fittings are old too. Need to shop for an adaptor tomorrow. Hit the sack at 9 pm (6 am Melbourne time).

Beef Fillet