Flight in Africa

Tuesday was a fairly slow day. A hearty breakfast at the Emerald Guest House and a shuttle to the airport at 10.00 am. Our plane flew out at 2.55 pm.

Tambo airport is being expanded in preparation for the World Cup in 2010. The building will be ready, but I wonder how their systems will cope with the many thousands who will be travelling to this four year event. Tambo airport will be the major transport hub.

Much reading and wandering preceeded our departure as we explored the excellent facilities already in use. About forty minutes before we were to depart a thunderstorm hit - and the rained poured down. Fortunately, by the time we had waited in or shuttle bus for twenty minutes it has eased a little, so the dash across the tarmac from bus to plane just got us a little wet. Twenty minutes earlier and it would have been a different story.

South Africa Airlines 188 was uneventful and we shared that journey with a well traveller engineer and project manager who is based not far from Mbeya. We learned a great deal about Africa on the journey, not to mention picking up bits an pieces about life in other parts of the world.

At Tanzania International Airport we were warmly greeted. From the relatively temperature climate of Joburg the humidity of Dar Es Salaam, even at 8 pm was noticeable. It didn't take all that long to get through customs/passport control and enter Tanzania.
There we were welcomed by Benjamin and Grace (aka Chief Secretary Benjamin Mnyampi and TSWO G Mnyampi) and taken to The Salvation Army compound where we were greeted by Joy.

Our accommodation in Dar is excellent, far more than we expected, and we look forward to sharing, even briefly, with those who live and work on this compound. They include those at Territorial Headquarters, a nursery school and a primary school for disabled children. Our stay here will be brief, as we depart today and will return for Saturday and Sunday. In truth this will be our first real taste of life in Africa - yet even then we are 'protected' because of those we know who have prepared for our arrival and those gracious enough to put themselves out and open their resources to us.