Doubling Down 5 Continent RTW Marathon (EY/SQ/NH/LH F, LA/RJ/LO/OU/SW/SA J +Others)
#526
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
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Posts: 3,697
Some of the German Architectures of Swakopmund
Other side of Palm Beach
Don’t let this fool you for a tropical paradise, current temperature is 16C
Swakopmund Lighthouse
Swakopmund Museum, had a little bit of everything about Swakopmund, German South-West Africa and Namibia
A quick reminder of Etosha
And German South-West Africa
Want to get dropped off on Skeleton Coast?
Various Namibian Tribes
Part 54 Continues Below
Other side of Palm Beach
Don’t let this fool you for a tropical paradise, current temperature is 16C
Swakopmund Lighthouse
Swakopmund Museum, had a little bit of everything about Swakopmund, German South-West Africa and Namibia
A quick reminder of Etosha
And German South-West Africa
Want to get dropped off on Skeleton Coast?
Various Namibian Tribes
Part 54 Continues Below
#527
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Some German-related items
Rocks/Minerals of Namibia
After about an hour or so at the Swakopmund Museum, it was time for the other main stop inside town and that was the Kristall Galerie which apparently has the Largest Quartz Crystal Cluster.
Kristall Galerie
A Props up ^
The Swakopmund Railway Station, now a hotel/casino
Some random shots of Swakopmund
And after heading back to the guesthouse to get change and changed some of my personal item, it was time to go for some dune buggy and sandboarding
I think I’ll save this for when I go to the Sahara
Part 54 Continues Below
Rocks/Minerals of Namibia
After about an hour or so at the Swakopmund Museum, it was time for the other main stop inside town and that was the Kristall Galerie which apparently has the Largest Quartz Crystal Cluster.
Kristall Galerie
A Props up ^
The Swakopmund Railway Station, now a hotel/casino
Some random shots of Swakopmund
And after heading back to the guesthouse to get change and changed some of my personal item, it was time to go for some dune buggy and sandboarding
I think I’ll save this for when I go to the Sahara
Part 54 Continues Below
#528
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Some basic rules
Time to go
Time for some Sandboarding
I gave up after a few runs, Sandboarding is very tiring.
Time for some more Dune Buggy time
Atlantic Ocean in the distance
Part 54 Continues Below
Time to go
Time for some Sandboarding
I gave up after a few runs, Sandboarding is very tiring.
Time for some more Dune Buggy time
Atlantic Ocean in the distance
Part 54 Continues Below
#529
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
As well as Swakopmund
As the adventure parts came to an end, I decided to drive slightly more South to enjoy the sunset
Next Part
Part 55 – British Airways Comair Business Class WDH – JNB
As the adventure parts came to an end, I decided to drive slightly more South to enjoy the sunset
Next Part
Part 55 – British Airways Comair Business Class WDH – JNB
#531
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
#534
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: back to Europe
Programs: FB Plat for Life & Marriott lifetime Platinum
Posts: 236
I gave up after a few runs, Sandboarding is very tiring.
Sandboarding looks only really good on pictures..
Btw, Your "boards" were really quite "basic"...
Sandboarding looks only really good on pictures..
Btw, Your "boards" were really quite "basic"...
#535
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Will do AhogZ, up in a couple hours ^
Brumbrum, all left from the German South-West Africa during the Scramble for Africa era.
Amazing how some upkeep and a good coat of paint will do
I agree, looks good in photos, very tiring to call back up to the top of the dunes.
And yes, very Basic boardss, more like Tobogganing than real Boards
Amazing how some upkeep and a good coat of paint will do
And yes, very Basic boardss, more like Tobogganing than real Boards
#536
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Part 55 – British Airways Comair Business Class WDH – JNB
With a 6am departure from Swakopmund and 9:30am arrival back to Windhoek for some sightseeing already posted in Part 53.
4 full days of touring around in Namibia were over, it was time to fly to Melbourne via WDH – CPT – SYD – MEL.
Aug 14, 2013 – Wednesday
BA 6274 WDH – CPT 1:55pm – 4:50pm (734/J)
After spending another 2 hours touring around Windhoek, it was time to drive back to the outskirts where Windhoek Int’l is located.
Whose bright idea is to build an airport 42km outside the city when it’s surrounded by barren desert and the city of Windhoek only has about 320000+ population.
Talk about someone getting a deal on the land aka Denver Int’l.
Finally time to return the Corella back to Europcar, received the car with 7kms, return it 98 hours with 2308 kms, hehe I think I got my money’s worth
Windhoek Hosea Kutako Airport
British Airways Check-In
*Had to wait about 10 mins before getting checked-in, couldn’t OLCI and Older Male in the Y line started chirping about how I was cutting in line.
Hold back SHF, don’t do the Up in the Air quote “Promotions are Great, You Should Check it out with reference back to FF programs of course
Security and Immigration Check luckily had no line up and was airside quickly.
And here is the entire departure hall of WDH, it isn’t much
*1 restaurant, 2 gift shop, 2 currency exchanges airside, really isn’t much to do here so don’t come inside too early.
And for you smokers, can I say cubicle of shame
*It’s a size of a telephone booth, quite funny when you see 4+ people try to stuff themselves inside for a puff
Windhoek Int’l Oshoto Lounge
*Not much for a lounge either, only wifi, very small bites and drinks available here
Part 55 Continues Below
With a 6am departure from Swakopmund and 9:30am arrival back to Windhoek for some sightseeing already posted in Part 53.
4 full days of touring around in Namibia were over, it was time to fly to Melbourne via WDH – CPT – SYD – MEL.
Aug 14, 2013 – Wednesday
BA 6274 WDH – CPT 1:55pm – 4:50pm (734/J)
After spending another 2 hours touring around Windhoek, it was time to drive back to the outskirts where Windhoek Int’l is located.
Whose bright idea is to build an airport 42km outside the city when it’s surrounded by barren desert and the city of Windhoek only has about 320000+ population.
Talk about someone getting a deal on the land aka Denver Int’l.
Finally time to return the Corella back to Europcar, received the car with 7kms, return it 98 hours with 2308 kms, hehe I think I got my money’s worth
Windhoek Hosea Kutako Airport
British Airways Check-In
*Had to wait about 10 mins before getting checked-in, couldn’t OLCI and Older Male in the Y line started chirping about how I was cutting in line.
Hold back SHF, don’t do the Up in the Air quote “Promotions are Great, You Should Check it out with reference back to FF programs of course
Security and Immigration Check luckily had no line up and was airside quickly.
And here is the entire departure hall of WDH, it isn’t much
*1 restaurant, 2 gift shop, 2 currency exchanges airside, really isn’t much to do here so don’t come inside too early.
And for you smokers, can I say cubicle of shame
*It’s a size of a telephone booth, quite funny when you see 4+ people try to stuff themselves inside for a puff
Windhoek Int’l Oshoto Lounge
*Not much for a lounge either, only wifi, very small bites and drinks available here
Part 55 Continues Below
#537
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Sadly for today, the inbound from JNB was running a bit late, it parked around 1:20pm
British Airways Comair Boeing 737-400
*54th Flight, 127945 Miles flown since Apr 28
British Airways 6274
Windhoek Hosea Kutako to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo
Scheduled - 1:55pm – 4:50pm, 1 hr 55 min flight
Delayed Departure – 2:13pm, Late Arrival of Inbound Aircraft
Delayed Arrival – 5:00pm
Business Class, Seat 2C>1C
Food – Snack
Equipment – Boeing 737-400 Operated By Comair (South Africa)
Boarding was worse than a free-for-all, no J or Y lines, no departure screens, no mentioning of which boarding door until boarding commenced. Jeez!
I did however lucked out on being the premium gate lice so here are the cabin photos
British Airways Comair Boeing 737-400 Business Class Cabin
British Airways Comair Boeing 737-400 Business Class Seat
*As others have mentioned, Comair sells the middle seat on the right side of the J cabin, so a 2-3 config unlike the BA itself in Europe
Geez, can’t remember the last time I was on a 734, old
Pre-Departure Beverage
Luckily around the end of boarding, the bulkhead row was still clear so I moved up to the better seat
Bit of an odd window/bulkhead on this plane
The Air Namibia Airbus 340-300 getting ready for retirement
And a South African Airways Airbus 340-300 coming in from JNB
And with a no jetway airport like WDH, everyone walks on the ramp
There is only 1 problem with this set-up, the blowback from the plane, so workers had to stop the SA paxs to allow our roll-off from the apron.
Part 55 Continues Below
British Airways Comair Boeing 737-400
*54th Flight, 127945 Miles flown since Apr 28
British Airways 6274
Windhoek Hosea Kutako to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo
Scheduled - 1:55pm – 4:50pm, 1 hr 55 min flight
Delayed Departure – 2:13pm, Late Arrival of Inbound Aircraft
Delayed Arrival – 5:00pm
Business Class, Seat 2C>1C
Food – Snack
Equipment – Boeing 737-400 Operated By Comair (South Africa)
Boarding was worse than a free-for-all, no J or Y lines, no departure screens, no mentioning of which boarding door until boarding commenced. Jeez!
I did however lucked out on being the premium gate lice so here are the cabin photos
British Airways Comair Boeing 737-400 Business Class Cabin
British Airways Comair Boeing 737-400 Business Class Seat
*As others have mentioned, Comair sells the middle seat on the right side of the J cabin, so a 2-3 config unlike the BA itself in Europe
Geez, can’t remember the last time I was on a 734, old
Pre-Departure Beverage
Luckily around the end of boarding, the bulkhead row was still clear so I moved up to the better seat
Bit of an odd window/bulkhead on this plane
The Air Namibia Airbus 340-300 getting ready for retirement
And a South African Airways Airbus 340-300 coming in from JNB
And with a no jetway airport like WDH, everyone walks on the ramp
There is only 1 problem with this set-up, the blowback from the plane, so workers had to stop the SA paxs to allow our roll-off from the apron.
Part 55 Continues Below
#538
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Boarding was completed at 2:07pm, and a couple min wait for the load-sheet, door were closed at 2:13pm for departure for the 1 hr 37 minutes flight to Johannesburg.
Thank You, South Africa and Namibia, this trip has been amazing
Bye Bye Namibia
Service kicked in about 10 mins after take-off, first a drink service
Bitter Lemon and Bottled Water with Cashews
BA 6274 Snack
To Start
Almond and Cashew Bits
Main Course
Vegetable Sandwich with Condiments
Or
Chicken Cold Plate with Eggplant Salad
2 Options for the flight, Chicken Cold Plate or Vegetable Sandwich
Chicken Cold Plate with Eggplant Salad
*It’s a tasty snack, small but tasty
Black Tea to end the Service
*Sadly Comair doesn’t cater green tea bags
And around 4:30pm, we made our descent into Johannesburg
Flying over Kyalami, a former Formula 1 race track
We landed around 4:50pm with a quick taxi to an outer bay position
A last look at the British Airway Comair Boeing 737-400
A kinda short 1 hr 10 minute connection the Qantas Sydney flight, man I wish Comair ran more than 1x frequency on Windhoek – Johannesburg.
Next Part
Part 56 – Revisiting the Old Classic, Flying on the Old Qantas 744 First Class Seat JNB-SYD
Thank You, South Africa and Namibia, this trip has been amazing
Bye Bye Namibia
Service kicked in about 10 mins after take-off, first a drink service
Bitter Lemon and Bottled Water with Cashews
BA 6274 Snack
To Start
Almond and Cashew Bits
Main Course
Vegetable Sandwich with Condiments
Or
Chicken Cold Plate with Eggplant Salad
2 Options for the flight, Chicken Cold Plate or Vegetable Sandwich
Chicken Cold Plate with Eggplant Salad
*It’s a tasty snack, small but tasty
Black Tea to end the Service
*Sadly Comair doesn’t cater green tea bags
And around 4:30pm, we made our descent into Johannesburg
Flying over Kyalami, a former Formula 1 race track
We landed around 4:50pm with a quick taxi to an outer bay position
A last look at the British Airway Comair Boeing 737-400
A kinda short 1 hr 10 minute connection the Qantas Sydney flight, man I wish Comair ran more than 1x frequency on Windhoek – Johannesburg.
Next Part
Part 56 – Revisiting the Old Classic, Flying on the Old Qantas 744 First Class Seat JNB-SYD
Last edited by Short hair Francis; Mar 3, 2014 at 7:59 am
#540
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Namibia
Programs: HHonors, Delta Skymiles
Posts: 12
The international airport in Windhoek is situated so far from town due to aircraft performance. In the event a long haul flight loses an engine, especially on departure from runway 26 there is enough room for them to climb and maneuver without having terrain issues which would happen if it were closer to town.
Love the report!! Can't wait for the rest.
Love the report!! Can't wait for the rest.