Airport hopping not fun

[Kevin Peacocke]

The wife and I are sitting in Nairobi airport waiting for a connection to Dar, delayed nearly two hours and counting. Yes, it is after midnight. Stick to your direct flights to ORT guys, African airports are not fun.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Best of wishes Kevin.

For myself, it was SEATAC that was a Heartbreak Ridge clusterf**k this past time. I feel your pain my friend.

 

[Hunt anything]

That does sound unpleasant Kevin, good luck and safe travels! David

 

[Sideshow]

You off to Zanzibar Kevin?

 

[mdwest]

Nairobi always sucked... but after the big fire there a few years back...it just got worse..

I think my two least favorite airports in all of Africa (and I've been to I'd guess 30 or more) are Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam..

There are certainly worse airports (Juba is barely more than an unairconditioned shack).. but in terms of quality of service and amenities vs level of expectation based on the development and economy of the country vs what is experienced at the airport.. Ive had far more miserable experiences in Nairobi and Dar than anywhere else..

When you go to Bangui or N'Djamena you very much expect what you get in terms of an airport...

You get far less than you would expect in Nairobi and Dar (IMO)..

 

[mdwest]

Best of wishes Kevin.

For myself, it was SEATAC that was a Heartbreak Ridge clusterf**k this past time. I feel your pain my friend.

I also absolutely hate SEATAC as well... I first flew through there in the late 80's (was headed to Ft. Lewis for a training event with the army)... it sucked..

The most recent trip through there was in 2020.. still sucked..

and sucked every other time I transited that airport in between..

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

You off to Zanzibar Kevin?

Mafia Island. It better be good!

 

[Doug3006]

Best of luck Kevin! You have already had all the bad luck you’re gonna have on this trip!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Way back when the kids were little, we were driving east and arrived late in Sault St Marie. Everyone was beat and a serious thunderstorm was about to move in off Lake Superior so we checked into a cheap motel up on the strip run by a bunch of Chinese fresh off the boat who could barely speak any English ... but very familiar with how to make a credit card work! I put the kids to bed while Cathy took a shower. Then I heard her laughing hysterically. "Look what we have to dry off with!" A collection of tea towels, no two the same. She said we need to stop staying in flop houses and go Best Western. My deeply philosophical response: "Misadventures are the adventures you never forget." Well ... she never let me forget that. Every time a wheel bearing went to hell in 90 degree heat or radiator hose blew in subzero weather and I started turning the air blue, a chorus in three part harmony would sound off from passenger and back seat, "Remember, the misadventures are adventures you'll never forget!"

May the rest of your adventure be less memorable.

 

[Sideshow]

Neat always wanted to go there. The British had an air base there during WW1 that they used to try and bomb the Konigsberg when is was holed up.
They had huge trouble with the air crews getting sunburnt and also the tropical heat and getting lift with a plane let alone a load of bombs.
They got it in the end. But not before the Germans took the guns off her which the continued to use on land till the end of the war.
Good book to get about it is ”Tup and run” get it on Kindle though the author likes big words!
Island of the white shark…….himmm how are you a swimming Kevin…..
”We going too need a bigger boat”!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I believe that there was also a U boat base there? I don’t know about big boats, I just hope the prawns are big!

 

[Desperatezulu]

Hope you're going to squeeze in a bit of fishing while you're there, Kevin!
I'm sure a big GT or doggie is swimming around with your name on it!

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Hope you're going to squeeze in a bit of fishing while you're there, Kevin!
I'm sure a big GT or doggie is swimming around with your name on it!

I visited Mafia in 1987 to organise a supply of coconut shells for our venture making activated carbon for the mines. Anyway it was an interesting trip in that we arrived there to find that our tickets were one way and there was no ticket office on Mafia, a bit of a joke from old Henry Stanley whom we were dealing with in Dar, and who claimed to be a descendant of the original. We were about to board a dhow when a small plane arrived carrying a honeymoon couple and we bummed a lift back to Dar.
So our accommodation was at the old East African Game Fishing Association lodge, and in walked a teenager of about 13 or so struggling with a large GT if I recall correctly. So I asked him “how did you get that?” He replied “you spear it and your friend holds your legs”.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Nairobi always sucked... but after the big fire there a few years back...it just got worse..

I think my two least favorite airports in all of Africa (and I've been to I'd guess 30 or more) are Nairobi and Dar Es Salaam..

There are certainly worse airports (Juba is barely more than an unairconditioned shack).. but in terms of quality of service and amenities vs level of expectation based on the development and economy of the country vs what is experienced at the airport.. Ive had far more miserable experiences in Nairobi and Dar than anywhere else..

When you go to Bangui or N'Djamena you very much expect what you get in terms of an airport...

You get far less than you would expect in Nairobi and Dar (IMO)..

I've been through Nairobi a couple of times and didn't think it was all that bad. You haven't experienced true Africa until you been through the Lagos, Nigeria or Luanda, Angola airports.

 

[mdwest]

I’ve only refueled in Lagos… Abuja wasn’t horrible though…

Luanda is definitely an adventure! Lol

 

[WAB]

I just flew in and out of Lome. The new terminal is a huge improvement.

I hope you have a great adventure Kevin!