The flight from...

The plan was to fly out of Dar at 6:45am to Johannesburg and then catcha quick connection (90 minutes) to Victoria Falls but the day was a disaster from beginning to end.  First South African Airways told us to be at Dar three hours prior to the flight so like good little travellers we are, we showed up promptly at 3:45 only to find out that SAA wouldn't even man the check in counters until 2 hours prior to the flight... well no biggie, we hung around the empty airport and then used my Elite Status with Air Canada to jump the queue that formed about 3 minutes after we got there.  Then it was through Tanzanian exit process - which interestingly enough mirrors what Canada will soon be implementing (retina and finger print scans incoming and outgoing).  Then it was through security and we hung around the departure lounge until flight time.  Loaded the aircraft on schedule and then we find out that the weight and balance computer was u/s (unserviceable) and they had to have flight ops do it by hand.

We knew that our connection was already tight - 90 minutes  (although allowed by SAA as it was their flight both ways) - but they informed us that this would affect all flights so we should be OK.  We pushed back about 45 minutes late so we knew it was cutting it very close and I'd pretty much made up my mind that there was no way we were going to make that flight and the real question in my mind was whether or not they had later flights we could catch.  We arrived in Jo'burg at 10:15 and our boarding time was 10:05 (for a 10:50 flight).

We had to take a people mover from the aircraft to the terminal and then race through security into the international side of the airport and to a screen to look for our gate.  No sign of the gate info for the flight but it was showing on time as a 10:50 departure.  We asked information and they called and said it was departing at gate A23 so we raced right to the end of the terminal and arrived in a large holding area with about 10 gates and a bunch of buses at 10:30 with 20 minutes to spare.  The signs were now showing our flight and gate but no status or agent at the counter.  Then the big board showed departing and suspecting the worst, I went to another counter and they confirmed the flight had boarded at 10:05 and was now taxing out.

We talked to the British Airways agent that was also showing a Vic Falls flight that was boarding right beside our gate and asked them about getting on.  He said we had to get SAA to approve and to do that we had to go back through security and so that was out of the question for that flight but seeing no choice, we headed back and got to the agent who then told us there were no more flights to Vic Falls (or Livingstone across the river in Zambia) for the rest of the day.  We were supposed to check in on the start of our tour by 4pm that day and we were almost 2000 miles away so we were freaking out.

As we found ourselves in a city we had no intention of touring with no rand, no internet or phone access and no hotels or anything planned, clearly it was time for a think.  We knew we had to clear SA customs and immigration and thankfully our yellow fever vacinations were up to date as they'd send us back to Dar without them.  Huge line up at immigration and we were concerned that they were going to take up 2 pages on our passport for the visa (as stated on their websites) but that went smooth enough and they just stamped previously used pages like the American's do.

Then it was off to find out bags...  no such luck of course.  No bags, no sleeping bags and clearly no way to start a 20 day tour off into the boonies of Zimbabwae, Botswana and Namibia.  SAA wouldn't take any responsibility for the bags as they claimed that they had sent them to BA (and had seats for us on that flight - ARGH!!!) and BA claimed they never heard of us.  I again flashed my Elite card and got us to the front of another huge queue and finally found a CSR that would take some responsibility.  She quickly acknowledged it was their fault and that we should have been met at the gate so she arranged for us to stay at a nice hotel just off the airport (with a free shuttle) and lunch, dinner and breakfast as well as four tickets on the same flight out the next day.  Our spirits started picking up a bit so back to baggage (inside international arrivals so back through security again) and still no sign of our bags but I convinced her to have them try to find them and then put them on the flight the next am.

Then it was off to find the hotel.  We wandered around a bit due to a lack of adequate signage but found the shuttles eventually (behind another hotel at the airport) and checked in to a very nice hotel and then raced in to catch lunch before they closed at 2 (yes, we'd spent 3.5 hours so far).  Things seemed to be turning around as it was a very nice (buffet) lunch and then we raced upstairs to make some calls to Nomad to tell them we weren't going to make the tour and figure out how we were going to catch up.  We called the hotel where the Nomad guide was supposed to be waiting for us and found she'd left only moments before scratching her head as to where we were but the hotel said they'd get a message to her and we had them have her call us back.

About 2 hours later someone from Nomad (in Cape Town) called us and said they were going to have someone meet us at the airport in Vic Falls the next day for $140 and drive us to Botswana to catch up with our group and not to worry.  Easy for them to say, we still had no bags and had pretty much lost all confidence in SAA to find them but at least we figured we'd only miss one day (albeit one of the most important to me - seeing Vic Falls themselves) but things were definitely looking up.
We had another early flight and again were told to be there 3 hours early.  Knowing our bags were still missing and being completely unable to find them online, we resolved to call baggage services when they opened at 6am... so another early am even with a 10:50 departure.

Sure enough when we called SAA the next am at 6, they'd never heard of our bags and had no idea where they were so we figured we'd better get over to the airport ASAP and get back into baggage area in international arrivals on the other side of customs to speak to that agent face to face again.  So a quick breakfast and then back through security (the backwards way) and in to see her.  Sure enough she remembered us (like she'd ever forget us) and made a quick call downstairs to the ramp rats and she confirmed that they'd found our bags and she promised they'd be on the flight.  Jen wanted them to bring them up so we'd be able to see them but the agent said that this would pretty much guarantee we'd never see them again so I convinced Jen to take them at their word and we left security again to go out and go back in the right way through exit immigration and into the terminal properly.  We also had to pick up some Rand as we were carrying a bunch of US $100 bills which we knew would cause us issues so hit a few different ATMs to get enough cash and then we went through security and immigration one more time for our flight out.

Now Jo'burg airport is brand new (built for the world cup) and is spectacular.  The shops are fantastic and it looks like a big shopping mall with the occasional overhead sign announcing gates and departure times.  We had lots of time to snoop around but didn't buy much as you wouldn't find much more room in our packs for another toothbrush.  Then it was off to the holding area to catch our flight.  I had to laugh walking out to the aircraft from the bus, Jen was craning her neck looking for our bags but no sign of them.  I practically had to restrain her from going to that side of the aircraft to hunt them down.  She eventually came to the same conclusion that I did that if they weren't there, there was nothing we could do about it anyway and that we'd just have to wait for them at Vic Falls and then deal with the fallout if they didn't show there.

An uneventful flight and we arrived at a small terminal at Vic Falls.  We had a fair amount of resentment as we knew the visa costs were $75/person for Canadians and we were only using the place as a transit to get out to Bostwana  but were happily surprised that the kids were free.  So we figured that covered the cost of our driver anyway so despite the surly immigration officers, our mood was improving.  Then lo and behold, we saw our bags coming across the ramp!  The baggage guys practically had to restrain the kids from rushing out to get them.  No worse for wear, we headed out through customs and were greeted by five Zimbabwean male singers and dancers in loin clothes.  They were excellent but failed to convince Shawn to join in.

Our proper Zimbabwean Greeting

We also found our man waiting for us.  Things were definitely turning for the better.  He spoke excellent English and left us with our bags (like we were letting them out of our sight!) and said that he would be right back with the vehicle.  About two minutes later he and a driver pull up in this big bus (like a big Hertz shuttle).  I say, "is this our vehicle?" and he says "yes, and meet your driver Albert"!  So I say, "so Albert is going to take us to Botswana?"  and he says "we both are... he's the driver and I'm your guide".

Well, after confirming the price really is $140 to take us to Botswana we asked if we could stop at Vic Falls to see it on the way and he says, absolutely.  So off we go to see Vic Falls.  Other than the steep entry fees ($121 for the five of us), it was absolutely stunning.  The paths were all well paved or cobble stoned, the lookouts were well placed and we loved it.  Its not quite at peak capacity but we could certainly see why the locals call it "The smoke that thunders". We only had a bit more than an hour there so didn't see the bridge but we got lots of great pictures and were very happy that we didn't miss out on this important bit.

Then we raced off down the (very good) road to Botswana which was about 90 minutes away.  We had to stomp on some Foot and Mouth prevention mats  as we went through customs but no issue getting into Botswana other than the fact that we had to leave our private bus, our driver and guide and were met by Elvis who took us in a Toyota van into Kasane to our campground.

We were supposed to go out on an evening cruise on the Chobe river and our tour group had already left but Elvis had arranged another tour for us so we wouldn't even miss much of that.  However as it was already 6:30pm by now we decided that as we still hadn't caught up with the tour group we'd stick around the camp ground.  We had a plate of fries and a coke and then met our guide who'd stayed back to pick up some supplies.  Gerti (Gertrude) is a very friendly and capable Zimbabwaen so we immediately breathed a great sigh of relief.

We then met the rest of our tour group, were properly introduced and we immediately felt right at home with them.  We certainly had some great stories to start up conversations with!  We had a great dinner around the fire and then learned to setup the tents (in the dark) and got all set for our 6am departure the next am.  Life is good again!

A quick postscript... I was quite impressed with Zimbabwae and even more impressed by the little bit of Botswana we saw.  As mentioned previously, I had a bit of a hate on for Mugabe and his antics but the English of the Zimbabwaen people and infrastructure we saw were actually a bit of a welcome after the chaos of Tanzania.  Botswana was even nicer.  Even the little roundavels and Kraals we saw with the poorest people were well maintained, the grounds swept and every one had a CAR in the driveway.  We haven't seen a motor bike since we got here.  Botswana clearly is the gem of Africa.

More to come as I'm able.