When landing in smaller African airports (something obvious but...)
Nov 12, 2015, 1:20 pm
#16
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To be fair the experience at US airports is substantially improved in the recent year with those fancy APC machines and it's now unusual to be waiting more than fifteen minutes. (Also I now only travel in J 
)
I am aware that the UK is also a bad place for visitors.
Unfortunately Africa does not have a monopoly on long waiting times.
)I am aware that the UK is also a bad place for visitors.
Unfortunately Africa does not have a monopoly on long waiting times.
But if I could even remember how many border crossings and passport/immigration controls I had on one particular day of our trip... it was mind-numbing. That particular part of our trip, a transfer from Victoria Falls to a boat on the Chobe River near Kasane, was arranged ahead of time and essentially "guided" and I'm very glad it was. The array of options for entering and exiting each country were confusing and ultimately, it turned out to cost zero, nothing, nada, zilch, doing it "correctly." Had I been on my own I might have ended up paying for several
Thankfully, entering Zambia (at VFA) I did in fact purchase the correct Visa, a multi-entry option. Even if you don't think you'll need it, buy the dual-entry option (which isn't really "dual" but rather "multi").
Last edited by Mike Jacoubowsky; Nov 13, 2015 at 2:33 pm Reason: typo, $500 should have been $50
Nov 12, 2015, 2:00 pm
#17
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You can say the same for Asia. Whether southeast Asia, South Asia or Central Asia, there are a whole lot of border crossings many of which can be complicated and a fair bit more dangerous.
Nov 12, 2015, 5:26 pm
#18
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For those visiting Africa for the first time, and landing in something other than a major airport... once you're on the tarmac (off the plane), get to the terminal as fast as your feet can carry you. Smaller airports have very understaffed (and sometimes inefficient) passport/visa/immigration operations, and the difference between being one of the first vs one of the last off a normal plane (100-150 passengers) can be two hours. It's also quite possible that some of that wait will be outside in the hot sun.
Most people will very leisurely make their way from plane to terminal, so even just a brisk walk will avoid a lot of wasted time.
Specific airports this has been the case for me are VFA (Victoria Falls) and JRO (Kilimanjaro, which actually isn't that small an airport). Larger airports have enough frequency of incoming flights that they're better-prepared for it. At VFA, a second flight landed after ours, and there were likely people waiting even longer than two hours.
If you're being met by someone, and you've got international data available on your phone, I highly recommend using Skype's text option. Most everyone in Africa seems to use Skype, and texting takes very little data. Good to let those meeting you know of any delays you're having (although it won't be a surprise to them; mainly it just let's you feel a bit calmer).
Mods- Feel free to place this elsewhere if there's somewhere appropriate. Thanks-
Most people will very leisurely make their way from plane to terminal, so even just a brisk walk will avoid a lot of wasted time.
Specific airports this has been the case for me are VFA (Victoria Falls) and JRO (Kilimanjaro, which actually isn't that small an airport). Larger airports have enough frequency of incoming flights that they're better-prepared for it. At VFA, a second flight landed after ours, and there were likely people waiting even longer than two hours.
If you're being met by someone, and you've got international data available on your phone, I highly recommend using Skype's text option. Most everyone in Africa seems to use Skype, and texting takes very little data. Good to let those meeting you know of any delays you're having (although it won't be a surprise to them; mainly it just let's you feel a bit calmer).
Mods- Feel free to place this elsewhere if there's somewhere appropriate. Thanks-
You know nothing from nothing but landing at Victoria Falls or others in Africa is just the way it is. They are doing it on "African" time after all it is their country. I have learned from over 40 years of international travel to relax and don't fight it.
Nov 12, 2015, 9:06 pm
#19
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That doesn't change the need to hurry up so you have more time to relax.
(But do keep in mind it was 38C at the time, so standing for two hours in a building with just one fan and a couple open doors was just a bit less fun than last year's JRO arrival with similar temps but only 45 minutes wait while getting confused about which forms and whether the money one of the "officers" said we needed to pay was legit or not... someone else told us it wasn't, and since we weren't arrested, I guess he was right!).
Look, it's these experiences that make travel worthwhile. If you wanted everything to be the same, you shouldn't leave home. But does that mean it's not something to let people know about?
Nov 12, 2015, 10:46 pm
#20
Join Date: May 2014
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Where would you have paid $500 for a visa had your day trip not been "guided"?
A 5 minute Google search would have revealed the amount and type of foreign currency that Tanzania requires for a tourist visa.
JRO in recorded history has never reached 38°C.
Tanzania is not "obsessed" about yellow fever cards. The point of requiring evidence of vaccination is to prevent the importation of yellow fever into a country where almost no locals are vaccinated against it. It is a horrible disease.
I know no one in Tanzania who uses Skype messenging. It's either SMS or WhatsApp, with the latter now available to make free international calls.
I think the problem some of us have with these horror stories is the hyperbole thrown in to dramatize how frustrating the experience could be to some western people.
A 5 minute Google search would have revealed the amount and type of foreign currency that Tanzania requires for a tourist visa.
JRO in recorded history has never reached 38°C.
Tanzania is not "obsessed" about yellow fever cards. The point of requiring evidence of vaccination is to prevent the importation of yellow fever into a country where almost no locals are vaccinated against it. It is a horrible disease.
I know no one in Tanzania who uses Skype messenging. It's either SMS or WhatsApp, with the latter now available to make free international calls.
I think the problem some of us have with these horror stories is the hyperbole thrown in to dramatize how frustrating the experience could be to some western people.
Last edited by Sabasi; Nov 12, 2015 at 10:57 pm
Nov 13, 2015, 1:35 am
#21
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A 5 minute Google search would have revealed the amount and type of foreign currency that Tanzania requires for a tourist visa.
JRO in recorded history has never reached 38°C.
Tanzania is not "obsessed" about yellow fever cards. The point of requiring evidence of vaccination is to prevent the importation of yellow fever into a country where almost no locals are vaccinated against it. It is a horrible disease.
I know no one in Tanzania who uses Skype messenging. It's either SMS or WhatsApp, with the latter now available to make free international calls.
I think the problem some of us have with these horror stories is the hyperbole thrown in to dramatize how frustrating the experience could be to some western people.
You've got an awesome local perspective and have given great information in other posts. I've not tried to bait you, ever. I value your perspective. Obviously more than you value mine. I (naively?) think we each have much to learn from each other.
If you would like to start this over, and create a friendlier exchange, I'm happy to do the same myself and delete everything above. I think we can do better. Posts where the main point appears to be winning an argument or making someone look ignorant don't make the world a better place.
Last edited by Mike Jacoubowsky; Nov 13, 2015 at 2:03 am Reason: clarity, added olive branch at the end
Nov 13, 2015, 1:40 am
#22
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Of course, your average driver sent to the airport with a sign to pick you up is not guaranteed to have a smartphone with WhatsApp installed, but increasingly there is a proliferation of cheap Chinese made Android devices that is expanding into the African lower middle class.
Virtually every African mobile ISP offers data on a metered basis, at least for its PAYG services that most consumers use. Skype is quite simply a data hog relative to WhatsApp and I don't know a single person who uses it as a primary mobile messaging tool anywhere in the continent.
Nov 13, 2015, 1:51 am
#23
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WhatsApp has actually slowly become a fairly acceptable means of "formal" communication in an African setting. I've found more and more business associates from all over Africa sending me short messages via WhatsApp which would previously have been sent via email or SMS.
Of course, your average driver sent to the airport with a sign to pick you up is not guaranteed to have a smartphone with WhatsApp installed, but increasingly there is a proliferation of cheap Chinese made Android devices that is expanding into the African lower middle class.
Virtually every African mobile ISP offers data on a metered basis, at least for its PAYG services that most consumers use. Skype is quite simply a data hog relative to WhatsApp and I don't know a single person who uses it as a primary mobile messaging tool anywhere in the continent.
Of course, your average driver sent to the airport with a sign to pick you up is not guaranteed to have a smartphone with WhatsApp installed, but increasingly there is a proliferation of cheap Chinese made Android devices that is expanding into the African lower middle class.
Virtually every African mobile ISP offers data on a metered basis, at least for its PAYG services that most consumers use. Skype is quite simply a data hog relative to WhatsApp and I don't know a single person who uses it as a primary mobile messaging tool anywhere in the continent.
Nov 13, 2015, 3:55 am
#24
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There's a great comparison of data use for the various texting services here, and it's clear that WhatsApp makes a lot of sense. I'll be using it in the future. Thanks for the info!
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-whatsapp.html
and
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post22387891
Last edited by Calchas; Nov 13, 2015 at 4:00 am
Nov 13, 2015, 6:54 am
#25
Join Date: Jan 2011
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As I mentioned earlier, the westerner has the watch, the African has the time.
That doesn't change the need to hurry up so you have more time to relax.
(But do keep in mind it was 38C at the time, so standing for two hours in a building with just one fan and a couple open doors was just a bit less fun than last year's JRO arrival with similar temps but only 45 minutes wait while getting confused about which forms and whether the money one of the "officers" said we needed to pay was legit or not... someone else told us it wasn't, and since we weren't arrested, I guess he was right!).
Look, it's these experiences that make travel worthwhile. If you wanted everything to be the same, you shouldn't leave home. But does that mean it's not something to let people know about?
That doesn't change the need to hurry up so you have more time to relax.
(But do keep in mind it was 38C at the time, so standing for two hours in a building with just one fan and a couple open doors was just a bit less fun than last year's JRO arrival with similar temps but only 45 minutes wait while getting confused about which forms and whether the money one of the "officers" said we needed to pay was legit or not... someone else told us it wasn't, and since we weren't arrested, I guess he was right!).
Look, it's these experiences that make travel worthwhile. If you wanted everything to be the same, you shouldn't leave home. But does that mean it's not something to let people know about?
Nov 13, 2015, 10:44 am
#26
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My bad; nearly everywhere *I* traveled, or those I traveled with, were using Skype. I have seen the light. I will endeavor to enrich the future of Mr. Z instead of whomever is currently running Msoft these days. Seriously, I see the point, I understand now why things are moving away from Skype and towards WhatsApp. My thoughts were flavored by the fact, not made-up story, that everyone I contacted ahead of time for arrangements had a Skype account listed in their contact info. Not some, not most, but everyone. If I go back, I'm sure I'll see WhatsApp info as well, but until a day or two ago, that wouldn't have meant anything to me.
OK, that's pretty awesome! I had no idea. I've used Skype for a long time, it's served me very well, and it's reputation as a data hog has never been an issue for me (I buy local sim cards with cheap data, and generally don't have to use voice much except when calling an airline). But I see a different future.
Yes, I heard quite a bit about Chinese infrastructure investment while there. Not all of it nicely-put. The new Kasane airport being built was pretty amazing; the VFA airport work looked to be scaled appropriately while Kasane looked like someone had dreams it would be the next Cape Town. Either we arrived in Africa just a bit too early or we arrived just in time before parts of it become the next Disneyland.
BTW, we had already adjusted to "Africa Time" last year in Tanzania, where it's quite a bit more laid back than Victoria Falls, Johannesburg, Kasane or Cape Town.
Did you know WhatsApp was invented by FlyerTalker and his negotiating tactic when selling it to Facebook for $22 bn was---they could agree to his price immediately or he was leaving, because he didn't want to miss his LH F reward flight?
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-whatsapp.html
and
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post22387891
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...-whatsapp.html
and
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...l#post22387891
BTW, we had already adjusted to "Africa Time" last year in Tanzania, where it's quite a bit more laid back than Victoria Falls, Johannesburg, Kasane or Cape Town.
Last edited by Mike Jacoubowsky; Nov 13, 2015 at 10:58 am Reason: merged posts
Nov 13, 2015, 2:04 pm
#28
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Nov 13, 2015, 2:43 pm
#29
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The beauty of WhatsApp is that there is no special "WhatsApp info". If you have the person's mobile number, that is linked to their WhatsApp account and you can message them using WhatsApp without further ado.
Nov 13, 2015, 4:51 pm
#30
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So you can "dial blind" and if they're using WhatsApp it will go through, and if not, let's you know? We are really straying way off-topic from a discussion of landing at African airports! This is a bit different from the airline forums I'm used to.