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Big Cats, Fast Cars and a Stolen Phone: Southern Africa, Portugal and Brazil
Background:
Picking up where I last left off, I'm making steady progress toward my goal of visiting every country. This trip came about because I had an inbound portion of a JNB-BOS-JNB ticket to use. Initially, I was planning to make a run North from JNB and knock out a bunch of countries in West Africa. However, the flight planning was a bit challenging and I couldn't settle on a satisfactory itinerary that minimized backtracking and red eyes. As such, I decided to finish off Southern African (excluding Madagascar and Comoros). Coming back, I couldn't find any reasonably priced Africa to US itineraries, so I decided to add a stop in Brazil to catch some F1 racing before heading home. As a bonus, the stop in Brazil would allow me to begin earning *G status with OZ. Despite some hiccups near the end, the trip went very smoothly overall. The planning was very challenging, primarily because I wanted to finish off Southern Africa with a minimum of backtracking (through JNB). I'm mostly happy with how I planned out the trip, though I'd have preferred to have a bit more time in Lesotho. The biggest challenge for this trip was the luggage. I wanted to bring a DSLR and telephoto lens (weighs 1.5kg alone) for some wildlife photos and my carry-on luggage allowance in Zambia was only 5kg (I don't check bags). Ultimately, I made it work, but it was tough. Overall Routing: http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ae440fab_b.jpg Africa Routing: http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0eb4ec06_b.jpg Stats:
In this report: British Airways Business Class: Boston - London British Airways Business Class: London - Johannesburg Airlink Economy Class: Johannesburg - Maseru Avani Maseru Hotel Airlink Economy Class: Maseru - Johannesburg Airlink Economy Class: Johannesburg - Kasane Chobe Marina Lodge Chobe National Park (Day 1) Chobe National Park (Day 2 - AM) Impalila Island Chobe National Park (Day 2 - PM) Chobe National Park (Day 3) Victoria Falls Tongabezi Lodge Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park Proflight Zambia Economy Class: Livingstone - Lusaka Proflight Zambia Economy Class: Lusaka - Lilongwe Latitude 13 Lilongwe, Malawi Malawian Airlines Business Class: Lilongwe - Johannesburg Driving: Johannesburg to Piggs Peak Phophonyane Falls Ecolodge Driving: Piggs Peak to Maputo (via Malelane) Maputo, Mozambique Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence, Maputo TAP Air Portugal Business Class: Maputo - Lisbon NH Collection Lisboa Liberdade Lisbon, Portugal TAP Air Portugal Business Class: Lisbon - Rio de Janeiro LATAM Airlines Economy Class: Rio de Janeiro - Sao Paulo Hotel ibis Sao Paulo Paulista Sao Paulo, Brazil LATAM Airlines Business Class: Sao Paulo - Boston Previous Trip Reports: 10 Countries in 9 Days (CX, KE, QR, TG, KL, BI) Former SSRs: the Baltics, Belarus and Back Bangladesh, Burma and Beijing the Long Way (with stops in Laos, Singapore and Tokyo) A Passage to India with stops in Qatar, Sri Lanka and Scandinavia (AA, QR, UL in J) An Engagement to Remember: BOS to ZQN (with a few stops along the way) RTW in J: Cairo, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Bali and Nepal Touring the Five Stans A Quick Trip to Brussels and Montreal Steppe, Beaches and Rainforest: Mongolia and East Africa Our Honeymoon in Morocco and Spain |
British Airways Business Class: Boston - London
British Airways
Business Class BA238: BOS-LHR (Boston to London) 5 Nov 2019 Boeing 777-200ER G-YMML Seat 11A Departure: 7:30AM Arrival: 6:55PM This was the first time I'd flown a Transatlantic Eastbound flight during the day and I actually liked it. Instead of struggling to get some sleep over the course of a 6 hour flight, I was able to relax and get some work emails done instead. Because of the early morning departure, I had to alter my typical airport routine a bit. I didn't want to rely on being able to get an Uber at 4:30AM, so I arranged for a Blacklane to take me to the airport instead. The ride was great and I arrived at the airport just as rush hour was starting. Check in and security were both quick, as Terminal E is pretty quiet at 5:30AM. I went off to the BA lounge and had a snack before the flight. The food options included a hot breakfast, which was nice, though the food was pretty standard quality. The espresso machine was working again, so I was able to make use of it this time around. Before long, it was time to board. Today boarding was directly from the lounge, which is always a cool experience. Apron Views British Airways Lounge http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a297996d_b.jpg G-YMML http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a559fef0_b.jpg I really dislike having to stare a stranger in the face during takeoff and landing. The seat isn't horrible otherwise, but the complete lack of privacy isn't preferred. The Seat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c9492fe3_b.jpg Face to Face http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5403419d_b.jpg Legroom http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...a025ab2d_b.jpg Seat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...40aba3f2_b.jpg Pushback http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4f3bc71c_b.jpg El-Al 777 http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9e8df6f8_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...648ee74b_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f115a8fd_b.jpg Muesli http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...34c2bf92_b.jpg Omelette http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36f4ec8d_b.jpg For breakfast, the omelette was pretty good and not overly cheesy. The FA neglected to provide any bread for whatever reason and service was a bit curt. A snack was served prior to landing and it was pretty good too. Snack http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cc832366_b.jpg Overall, a pretty decent flight. Really nothing overly memorable or special. But we arrived on time and no one died, so that's a plus. |
British Airways Business Class: London - Johannesburg
British Airways
Business Class BA57: LHR-JNB (London to Johannesburg) 5 Nov 2019 Airbus A380 G-XLEA Seat 53A Departure: 9:10PM Arrival: 10:15AM+1 Once at Heathrow, I made my way to transit security and ultimately the lounge. Very few other pax on my flight were transiting; most headed to immigration instead. At the lounge, I grabbed a quick shower and relaxed briefly before it was time to go to the gate. Arriving at the C gates, I learned that the plane had a mechanical issue. Apparently, a fairly typical occurrence for BA's A380 fleet. The plane had a problem with its water systems and required a repair. Ultimately, the repair took around 90 minutes, so we left roughly 90 minutes late. We'd make up some of that time en route, but we did land at JNB a bit late. Luckily, I had a large buffer at JNB, so I wasn't concerned. Once boarded, I settled in and got ready to depart. Face Off http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b80a7507_b.jpg Breakfast Card http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0e784174_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...49a3057e_b.jpg Menu http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...102be5f2_b.jpg Since I was still on East Coast time, I wanted to have some dinner before bed. I'd pre-ordered my meal some weeks previous, so I knew what was on offer. Salad and a Fizzberry http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e01f07af_b.jpg Curries are usually a reliable choice, and this was no exception. The presentation wasn't terribly appealing, but it was tasty. Veggie Curry http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f717f3b7_b.jpg Apple and Cinnamon Sponge Cake http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3e120961_b.jpg Overall, dinner was pretty good. After eating, I went to bed and slept for a solid 6 hours or so. Upon waking, it was nearly time for breakfast. Fruit Plate and Yogurt http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...031b90cc_b.jpg English Breakfast http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...24eb9e07_b.jpg The breakfast was good, but the English breakfast was very greasy. I'd have liked something a bit less heavy, like I'd had on the BOS flight. Tiny Passage to Aisle http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...85802ba4_b.jpg A380 http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36b36701_b.jpg Another perfectly acceptable flight with BA. Despite my criticisms of the seat, I usually do have a good flight with them. |
Subscribed :-)
BTW, you confused me when you said inbound JNB-BOS-JNB leg. It took me a while - after reading your itinerary and comparing with previous trip reports - to figure out that you are based in Boston not Johannesburg LOL!! |
Airlink Economy Class: Johannesburg - Maseru
Airlink
Economy Class SA8062: JNB-MSU (Johannesburg to Maseru) 6 Nov 2019 Embraer 135 ZS-SWN Seat 2A Departure: 3:00PM Arrival: 4:00PM Upon arrival at JNB, I had a very long walk to the transit area for my onward flight. First was a stop through immigration for a transit stamp in the passport, then onward to the ticket counters. I arrived 3hr prior to my flight and the Airlink counter was not yet open. After waiting around for a few minutes, I gave the automated check-in kiosk a shot and was able to get a boarding pass out of it. So I was saved having to wait around for the ticketing agents to show up. Boarding pass in hand, I headed airside to the Bidvest lounge. Since I was traveling in coach, I used my Priority Pass to get into the lounge. Overall, it was a pretty decent contract lounge. I had a shower and relaxed waiting for my onward flight. Glad I'm Not Flying on This http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...438f3bcb_b.jpg The Airlink flight was on a small plane, so boarding was from the bus gates. This area is not air conditioned, for whatever reason. Bus Gates http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3c788f89_b.jpg Bus Gates http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5aa36c5a_b.jpg After a short wait, we boarded the bus to the plane. The flight was fairly full and it seemed mostly locals. Not many tourists, that's for sure. ZS-SWN http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0a24e748_b.jpg ZS-SWN http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...986184b7_b.jpg Galley Equipment from Chautauqua Airlines http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...acf8aaca_b.jpg Galley Equipment from Chautauqua Airlines http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8e193abb_b.jpg Decent pitch, though seats were slightly narrow Seat http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...36929607_b.jpg Once in the air, the FA did a drink service and offered a choice of almonds or chips. Not too shabby for a 45 minute regional flight. http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...842a4956_b.jpg Coming into Lesotho, we passed some rain storms and the ride was a bit bumpy at times. Lesotho Final http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...c9f6db58_b.jpg Lesotho Final http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ef1917d6_b.jpg Lesotho Final http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1471fe8e_b.jpg Lesotho Final http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...7251cc38_b.jpg Lesotho Final http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...71dbbe18_b.jpg Lesotho Final http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...8600de3c_b.jpg I was lucky enough to catch a shot of the lightning. Lightning http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...eb16362b_b.jpg http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9ce24c48_b.jpg http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...247d7d54_b.jpg Once we landed, it was a short walk to the terminal and I was the second person through immigration. I'd arranged for a transfer to the hotel because there are no taxis to be had at the airport. I also tried to get a SIM card and some Lesotho currency (as a souvenir), but both shops were closed. I met the driver and then waited for the remaining passengers to clear immigration and collect their bags. Airport Shuttle http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5e107cde_b.jpg Solar Array at Airport http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cbdaf386_b.jpg MSU Terminal http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b13a4565_b.jpg Pretty Quiet http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3a567048_b.jpg Another Lightning Shot http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f5a35509_b.jpg |
Avani Maseru Hotel
Avani Maseru Hotel
Standard Room Apparently there are two Avani hotels in Maseru. The one with the casino and this one. I thought I'd chosen the better of the two, but that turned out to not be the case. It's fine. Only one night, so the hotel was perfectly decent for a short stay. At check-in, I attempted to get some loti again (LSL), but the counter had none. It's pegged 1:1 to the rand, so everyone just uses rand. A bit disappointing that I couldn't get any currency, but perhaps not too surprising. After all, this is Africa. Do you have the ballz to join us? http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...717d6de9_b.jpg This warrior run sounds like it could be highly entertaining. Plus it includes a Speedo, t-shirt and painted-on six pack. I was checked in fairly soon and headed directly to the room. A pretty basic affair, but it was clean and the A/C worked so that's a win. I was a bit tired and hungry so I decided to check out the hotel restaurant for dinner around 6PM. I was the only person there and it was a buffet, so I decided to have some room service instead. Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...91e41e75_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...4817ae19_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...16729840_b.jpg Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1ed5f334_b.jpg My only piece of luggage for this trip. Total weight was 4.9kg -- a new record for me. Room http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...1c824994_b.jpg View http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...ac3f1dc0_b.jpg Salad http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...335eeb05_b.jpg Club Sandwich http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e9b5712f_b.jpg Dinner was decent and I slept fairly well. The sound proofing isn't the greatest, but thankfully there weren't any loud neighbors nearby. I probably wouldn't stay at this hotel again, but it was a decent enough choice for a short overnight. |
Airlink Economy Class: Maseru - Johannesburg
Airlink
Economy Class SA8051: MSU-JNB (Maseru to Johannesburg) 7 Nov 2019 Embraer 135 ZS-ALY Seat 2A Departure: 8:10AM Arrival: 9:05AM The next morning I headed to the airport a little past 6:00AM. I'd ordered a breakfast box the previous evening so that I could have something to eat before my flight. Predictably, they had no record of my request and nothing was waiting for me. To say I wasn't exactly surprised would be an understatement. As before, mine was the only flight departing and the airport was very dead. The check-in agent showed up after a while and checked me in quickly. Maseru http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e54fd569_b.jpg After that, it was a wait in the departure lounge (if you can call it that) until our plane showed up from JNB. Maseru Departure Lounge http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...702b5ca2_b.jpg Maseru Departure Lounge http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...cf810cfc_b.jpg Maseru Departure Lounge Shopping Options http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...3aeda535_b.jpg As you can see, there wasn't a lot to do airside. However the views from the terminal were pretty nice. Maseru Airport http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...9b50d42b_b.jpg Maseru Airport http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...2e217920_b.jpg Maseru Airport http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...266a5324_b.jpg ZS-ALY http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e515492e_b.jpg Boarding commenced after the inbound flight has disgorged its various cargo. ZS-ALY http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f215aa7e_b.jpg Goodbye Maseru http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...e99ff9e3_b.jpg Airlink Economy Class: Maseru - Johannesburg http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...0099e802_b.jpg Airlink Economy Class: Maseru - Johannesburg http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...65577d13_b.jpg The flight itself was uneventful and unremarkable. This time, they served breakfast with a choice between a muffin or a cheese croissant. I had the muffin and it was pretty good. Muffin and Juice http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...b0521ddf_b.jpg We landed at JNB on time and I headed to the lounge for a real breakfast. |
Airlink Economy Class: Johannesburg - Kasane
Airlink
Economy Class SA8306: JNB-BBK (Johannesburg to Kasane) 7 Nov 2019 Embraer 140 ZS-ALP Seat 2A Departure: 11:45AM Arrival: 1:30PM Another layover and soon enough another Airlink flight. The clientele on this one were very different from the Maseru flights. Almost entirely tourists on this flight. I overheard some talking about how they'd flown in from LAX on QR (via DOH) and had been traveling for 30-something hours already. In any event, this flight was very similar to the previous two. Same type of plane and similar service. ZS-ALP http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...f3e61b5b_b.jpg Seat 2A http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...df865682_b.jpg Another Chautauqua Airlines Dispenser http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...53df48b9_b.jpg On this service, there was a more substantial meal. It was a cold meal, as the E145 has no ovens and they don't stock hot meals. Admittedly, PG serves a hot meal on their RGN-BKK service and that's on an ATR72, which also lacks ovens. Just saying... I believe the choice was chicken or something else. Beef perhaps? I got the chicken. Meal http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...5b2b7628_b.jpg Chicken Thing http://farm66.staticflickr.com/65535...bbd4809b_b.jpg The food was fine, though not really my cup of tea. It was nice to be served an actual meal, especially on a short regional flight. |
FYI on Club World the divider only needs to be down for the safety briefing then it can go up for the rest of the flight, including landing
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Originally Posted by swingaling
(Post 31779325)
But we arrived on time and no one died, so that's a plus.
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Good stuff. Looking forward to the rest.
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Anyone else here waiting to find out more about where the phone was stolen? :D
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
(Post 31781558)
Anyone else here waiting to find out more about where the phone was stolen? :D
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
(Post 31781558)
Anyone else here waiting to find out more about where the phone was stolen? :D
I'm so dumb. I should have added a similar click-bait to my travelogue - DS lost his iPhone too. Did you see where? If not, check out my recent (and still ongoing) trip report ;-) |
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