My First International Long Haul - November in Namibia
Jan 23, 2014, 12:16 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Junkie / Hyatt Diamond (fine, Globalist)
Posts: 42
My First International Long Haul - November in Namibia
After recently discovering the Trip Reports Forum and thoroughly enjoying the travels of other, I thought that I would attempt to create a trip report about my first international long haul flight in November of last year.
Disclaimer: This trip was for work and work I did. I did not take photos with the thought of detailing my trip. My supply of photos from the trip lacks a certain completeness in relation to all aspects of my air travel, but it does include a unique desert sand dune experience. Oh and I shot everything with my iPhone 4s, so I apologize for any quality issues.
Delta
IAH - ATL
First Class
Nov. 1st, 2013
I travelled to the airport by cab and I started getting nervous about making the flight on time. The cabbie was very nice but slowed his speed every time his wife would ask him a question from the front passenger seat. I was able to make the flight with no issues. It was pretty uneventful flight to ATL.
Fly Delta Jets!
With such a short connection time in ATL, my coworker and I were able to hit the Sky Club for one, maybe two beers. We then lined up to board the flight to JNB. It was announced that the flight would be completely full. DL had even called me about a week before departure offering me $600 or 60,000 miles to fly at a different time. Unfortunately I had set travel plans that I couldn't change. Oh well maybe next time.
Delta
ATL - JNB
Boeing 777
Seat 14A
BusinessElite
Nov. 1st, 2013
Nice and settle after boarding. Time to fly almost 15 hours.
Pre departure Champagne
Menus!
Overall the DL food was pretty tasty. No complaints.
I thought that the wedge salad was a little messy for serving on a plane. As long as I didn't accidentally fling lettuce or blue cheese on my shirt I was happy.
The Braised Beef Short Rib was very juicy and tender.
Almost there...Almost
International Arrivals at JNB
Once I arrived at JNB, I had an overnight stay. Luckily my corporate travel agent booked me at the Intercontinental steps away from the terminal. The hotel service was great and the room was great, but the shower was awesome. It may have just been the fact that I just got off of a 14-15 hour flight but regardless my favorite part of the Intercontinental at JNB was the massive rainfall shower.
South African Express
JNB-WVB
Nov. 3rd, 2013
Quick 2.5 hour flight to Walvis Bay with some great views.
Landing in Walvis Bay. Where am I? Not sure what I got myself into.
Welcome!
Ride into town.
Waterfront in the late afternoon.
Home for 3 weeks. More of a large bed and breakfast than a hotel, but the chef cooked a mean scrambled eggs for breakfast. Even better than the Intercontinental at JNB.
The Raft at sunset, a popular restaurant in Walvis Bay.
Opposite the raft, the bay shinning in the sunset.
Found this in the hotel dinning room, unfortunately or fortunately depending on your preference, it did not have a battery and was not working.
Best food of the trip! Grilled calamari at a restaurant call Anchors. Best calamari I have ever eaten. Not chewy or rubbery, just delicious melt in your mouth goodness. If you ever find yourself in Walvis Bay please do yourself a favor and try it.
The best part of the trip was four hours I spent one Saturday on a Sand Dune Tour. These pictures will not do it justice but the sights were amazing. It was also perfect weather. I felt a little foolish taking photos with my iPhone while everyone else on the trip had their fancy DLSRs.
Seal Family
Springbok
Flamingos that cannot walk because the wind is blowing too hard.
Air France
A380
Business Class
Nov. 22nd, 2013
&
Air France
Boeing 777
Business Class
Nov. 23rd, 2013
Overall AF experience was good. The angled lie flat seats weren't too terrible when I was actually tired. I slept better on the DL lie flat seats. When I wasn't as tired the AF angled lie flat was a little annoying in the most horizontal setting. My first ride on an A380 was awesome. The plane is so quiet. Eerily quiet.
Business class mood lighting.
Food service on AF wasn't too bad. Most things were tasty, but the plastic hospital looking food covers that are removed at your seat by the FAs leave much to be desired.
First 10 hour flight home is almost complete.
As a perfect ending to the trip my checked luggage also made it from WVB to IAH.
Thanks for reading my first trip report!
I have a bonus section below for the most interesting drinks that I had while in Namibia. As a self recognized craft beer connoisseur, I can say that none of the beer I had in Namibia really stood out as amazing but nothing was terrible either. I included both alcoholic drinks and some non alcoholic drinks. Cheers!
Appletiser was delicious, which I fortunately discovered way to far into my trip. Non-Alcoholic sparkling apple juice. Very similar to a Sindral Mundet, Not as sweet and more sparkling.
Disclaimer: This trip was for work and work I did. I did not take photos with the thought of detailing my trip. My supply of photos from the trip lacks a certain completeness in relation to all aspects of my air travel, but it does include a unique desert sand dune experience. Oh and I shot everything with my iPhone 4s, so I apologize for any quality issues.
Delta
IAH - ATL
First Class
Nov. 1st, 2013
I travelled to the airport by cab and I started getting nervous about making the flight on time. The cabbie was very nice but slowed his speed every time his wife would ask him a question from the front passenger seat. I was able to make the flight with no issues. It was pretty uneventful flight to ATL.
Fly Delta Jets!
With such a short connection time in ATL, my coworker and I were able to hit the Sky Club for one, maybe two beers. We then lined up to board the flight to JNB. It was announced that the flight would be completely full. DL had even called me about a week before departure offering me $600 or 60,000 miles to fly at a different time. Unfortunately I had set travel plans that I couldn't change. Oh well maybe next time.
Delta
ATL - JNB
Boeing 777
Seat 14A
BusinessElite
Nov. 1st, 2013
Nice and settle after boarding. Time to fly almost 15 hours.
Pre departure Champagne
Menus!
Overall the DL food was pretty tasty. No complaints.
I thought that the wedge salad was a little messy for serving on a plane. As long as I didn't accidentally fling lettuce or blue cheese on my shirt I was happy.
The Braised Beef Short Rib was very juicy and tender.
Almost there...Almost
International Arrivals at JNB
Once I arrived at JNB, I had an overnight stay. Luckily my corporate travel agent booked me at the Intercontinental steps away from the terminal. The hotel service was great and the room was great, but the shower was awesome. It may have just been the fact that I just got off of a 14-15 hour flight but regardless my favorite part of the Intercontinental at JNB was the massive rainfall shower.
South African Express
JNB-WVB
Nov. 3rd, 2013
Quick 2.5 hour flight to Walvis Bay with some great views.
Landing in Walvis Bay. Where am I? Not sure what I got myself into.
Welcome!
Ride into town.
Waterfront in the late afternoon.
Home for 3 weeks. More of a large bed and breakfast than a hotel, but the chef cooked a mean scrambled eggs for breakfast. Even better than the Intercontinental at JNB.
The Raft at sunset, a popular restaurant in Walvis Bay.
Opposite the raft, the bay shinning in the sunset.
Found this in the hotel dinning room, unfortunately or fortunately depending on your preference, it did not have a battery and was not working.
Best food of the trip! Grilled calamari at a restaurant call Anchors. Best calamari I have ever eaten. Not chewy or rubbery, just delicious melt in your mouth goodness. If you ever find yourself in Walvis Bay please do yourself a favor and try it.
The best part of the trip was four hours I spent one Saturday on a Sand Dune Tour. These pictures will not do it justice but the sights were amazing. It was also perfect weather. I felt a little foolish taking photos with my iPhone while everyone else on the trip had their fancy DLSRs.
Seal Family
Springbok
Flamingos that cannot walk because the wind is blowing too hard.
Air France
A380
Business Class
Nov. 22nd, 2013
&
Air France
Boeing 777
Business Class
Nov. 23rd, 2013
Overall AF experience was good. The angled lie flat seats weren't too terrible when I was actually tired. I slept better on the DL lie flat seats. When I wasn't as tired the AF angled lie flat was a little annoying in the most horizontal setting. My first ride on an A380 was awesome. The plane is so quiet. Eerily quiet.
Business class mood lighting.
Food service on AF wasn't too bad. Most things were tasty, but the plastic hospital looking food covers that are removed at your seat by the FAs leave much to be desired.
First 10 hour flight home is almost complete.
As a perfect ending to the trip my checked luggage also made it from WVB to IAH.
Thanks for reading my first trip report!
I have a bonus section below for the most interesting drinks that I had while in Namibia. As a self recognized craft beer connoisseur, I can say that none of the beer I had in Namibia really stood out as amazing but nothing was terrible either. I included both alcoholic drinks and some non alcoholic drinks. Cheers!
Appletiser was delicious, which I fortunately discovered way to far into my trip. Non-Alcoholic sparkling apple juice. Very similar to a Sindral Mundet, Not as sweet and more sparkling.
Jan 23, 2014, 5:17 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Junkie / Hyatt Diamond (fine, Globalist)
Posts: 42
There is a town north of Walvis called Swakopmund that may be more interesting. It is a more tourist driven town, although it is smaller than Walvis. Throughout the trip I heard that it was nicer than Walvis.
Jan 23, 2014, 1:14 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Namibia
Programs: HHonors, Delta Skymiles
Posts: 12
Swakopmund is far nicer than Walvis Bay, they're not even in the same league. Walvis Bay is a shipping and fishing town primarily, while Swakopmund is photogenic and touristy. However, if you're coming to Namibia on holiday there is much much more to see than just those two places!! Sossusvlei, Fish River Canyon, Etosha, Twyfelfontien…just to name a few.
Jan 23, 2014, 4:29 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Interesting report. I absolutely loved Namibia when I visited 15 years ago. We drove pretty much from end to end of the country, taking in lots of back roads and amazing desert landscapes along the way.
I was going to ask what took you to Walvis Bay, as it would seem like an odd choice of place to spend 3 weeks if just for vacation, especially considering all the absolutely amazing things to see elsewhere in Namibia... however on re-reading I see that it was for work. If you ever do find yourself back there, I would strongly recommend taking a few days off to explore. Some of the places we saw in Namibia were so utterly breathtaking that even after so many years they are still freshly seared into my memory.
I was going to ask what took you to Walvis Bay, as it would seem like an odd choice of place to spend 3 weeks if just for vacation, especially considering all the absolutely amazing things to see elsewhere in Namibia... however on re-reading I see that it was for work. If you ever do find yourself back there, I would strongly recommend taking a few days off to explore. Some of the places we saw in Namibia were so utterly breathtaking that even after so many years they are still freshly seared into my memory.
Jan 24, 2014, 6:13 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Junkie / Hyatt Diamond (fine, Globalist)
Posts: 42
Interesting report. I absolutely loved Namibia when I visited 15 years ago. We drove pretty much from end to end of the country, taking in lots of back roads and amazing desert landscapes along the way.
I was going to ask what took you to Walvis Bay, as it would seem like an odd choice of place to spend 3 weeks if just for vacation, especially considering all the absolutely amazing things to see elsewhere in Namibia... however on re-reading I see that it was for work. If you ever do find yourself back there, I would strongly recommend taking a few days off to explore. Some of the places we saw in Namibia were so utterly breathtaking that even after so many years they are still freshly seared into my memory.
I was going to ask what took you to Walvis Bay, as it would seem like an odd choice of place to spend 3 weeks if just for vacation, especially considering all the absolutely amazing things to see elsewhere in Namibia... however on re-reading I see that it was for work. If you ever do find yourself back there, I would strongly recommend taking a few days off to explore. Some of the places we saw in Namibia were so utterly breathtaking that even after so many years they are still freshly seared into my memory.
Jan 24, 2014, 6:14 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Junkie / Hyatt Diamond (fine, Globalist)
Posts: 42
Jan 24, 2014, 6:16 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Junkie / Hyatt Diamond (fine, Globalist)
Posts: 42
Swakopmund is far nicer than Walvis Bay, they're not even in the same league. Walvis Bay is a shipping and fishing town primarily, while Swakopmund is photogenic and touristy. However, if you're coming to Namibia on holiday there is much much more to see than just those two places!! Sossusvlei, Fish River Canyon, Etosha, Twyfelfontien…just to name a few.
For perspective for others who have not been to Namibia, pictures of the restaurant:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7012302&type=3
Last edited by UnitedWeStand; Jan 24, 2014 at 6:27 pm Reason: Added photo link.
Jan 25, 2014, 2:09 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Namibia
Programs: HHonors, Delta Skymiles
Posts: 12
Had dinner at the Jetty in Swakopmund one night of my trip. Excellent Springbok steak!
For perspective for others who have not been to Namibia, pictures of the restaurant:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7012302&type=3
For perspective for others who have not been to Namibia, pictures of the restaurant:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...7012302&type=3
Apr 23, 2014, 4:54 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: UA Junkie / Hyatt Diamond (fine, Globalist)
Posts: 42
The weather was cold and windy. I travel with some food allergies so it was a little tough to make sure it was okay for me to eat at the Jetty. Not sure if I will be back that way anytime soon, but I will definitely give a shout if I am.
Apr 23, 2014, 8:06 pm
#15
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: Jose Cuervo Gold, Bud Light Platinum, Schwab 401K, VW Bug 2MM
Posts: 1,100
As silly as the singing bass thing is, I have a soft spot for it because my dad for some reason years ago decided to put one next to our front door and I could hear it singing every time someone came over.