It’s -30 in Calgary and time to split for winter. It’s about +30 in South Africa and following a visit from Trish Torr (old friend from London, originally South Africaa) we take up her suggestions of winter 2019 here.
The prospect of two back-to-back overnights on planes is not attractive but it’s the way to get here. Traveling premium economy will make it slightly less difficult. It’s a very low volume flight on AirCanada’s Dreamliner to Frankfurt then a tedious 11 hour layover there. We forego the idea of sightseeing in the city, which is very close to the airport, and book a comfortable day room for a shower and 3 hour sleep right at our next departure gate. Very smart move. We can hang out there over coffee, sandwich and a view of planes for a bit before and after too. We’ll do that on our return for the 8 hour layover and get a discount for staying again. As airports go, it is pleasant enough, with interesting shops and views to while away the time.
We’ve both been president of the German Wine Society in Calgary over the years but it’s the first time we’ve touched German soil! No inclination to get into the German wines this time. WE don’t even have to show our passport to enter Europe.
At 11pm Lufthansa lifts off on time. It’s a full flight and they get busy serving a full meal before we go off to sleep! My body is telling me not to eat anything but I enjoy the veal stew all the same. And a Baileys to get off to sleep.
The Lufthansa set-up for prem economy on the Airbus is better than AC’s Dreamliner, I watch a movie than hunker down for about 5 hours of on-and-off sleep. Ted stoically stays awake for most of the flights, except maybe an hour of sleep he reckons.
We pull into the Cape Town area at 10am next morning to glorious views of the coast, the magnificent harbor backed by Table Mountain. But we are informed we may not be able to land there at all! A small plane has blown a tire on the runway. Maybe they are worried about fire. We circle around Robben Island a few times and get different angles of the city then are told we can land after all.
It seems like a small airport and by the time we clear customs/immigration, our priority bags are there. Outside we are met promptly by the service sent by the hotel for the short 20 minute drive into the V&A waterfront area, our home for the next 10 days.
The prospect of two back-to-back overnights on planes is not attractive but it’s the way to get here. Traveling premium economy will make it slightly less difficult. It’s a very low volume flight on AirCanada’s Dreamliner to Frankfurt then a tedious 11 hour layover there. We forego the idea of sightseeing in the city, which is very close to the airport, and book a comfortable day room for a shower and 3 hour sleep right at our next departure gate. Very smart move. We can hang out there over coffee, sandwich and a view of planes for a bit before and after too. We’ll do that on our return for the 8 hour layover and get a discount for staying again. As airports go, it is pleasant enough, with interesting shops and views to while away the time.
We’ve both been president of the German Wine Society in Calgary over the years but it’s the first time we’ve touched German soil! No inclination to get into the German wines this time. WE don’t even have to show our passport to enter Europe.
At 11pm Lufthansa lifts off on time. It’s a full flight and they get busy serving a full meal before we go off to sleep! My body is telling me not to eat anything but I enjoy the veal stew all the same. And a Baileys to get off to sleep.
The Lufthansa set-up for prem economy on the Airbus is better than AC’s Dreamliner, I watch a movie than hunker down for about 5 hours of on-and-off sleep. Ted stoically stays awake for most of the flights, except maybe an hour of sleep he reckons.
We pull into the Cape Town area at 10am next morning to glorious views of the coast, the magnificent harbor backed by Table Mountain. But we are informed we may not be able to land there at all! A small plane has blown a tire on the runway. Maybe they are worried about fire. We circle around Robben Island a few times and get different angles of the city then are told we can land after all.
It seems like a small airport and by the time we clear customs/immigration, our priority bags are there. Outside we are met promptly by the service sent by the hotel for the short 20 minute drive into the V&A waterfront area, our home for the next 10 days.
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