The last few days have been extremely hectic with all the preparations that we've all had to do. Packing has been a big thing for me, as has the drama of looking for an airline that will let me take two pieces of luggage and one piece of hand luggage. It seems like almost all the airlines on the cheaper end of the spectrum only allow one piece of hold luggage between 23 and 30 kg. A lot of people think I should fly with the cheapest airline I can find and repack my luggage so that the second piece I was going to take is my hand luggage and my big suitcase goes in the hold. The problem with this is simple, with all that I need to take to the UK with me, I'll have to pack my suitcase over the weight limit. This will mean paying a rather large amount of money for the excess. So my reasoning was that I'll book with an airline that's slightly more expensive that the airlines I was looking at and allows two pieces. I'd rather pay more for the flight and not worry about being able to take both the suitcases without a mega fine. It's better than paying less and spending the entire journey from Hoedspruit to OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg (a good five and a half to six hour journey), hoping they'll let me through the check-in counters without being fined. The flight's departure times have also played quite a big part in the search for an airline, as well as being able to pay on-line. One airline closes it's on-line ticket sales a few weeks before the departure date, which means having to go through their agent (who isn't nearby).
Let me explain about the times, real quick, because I'm traveling down to Johannesburg by bus, which leaves here at about eleven o'clock in the morning, I was forced to look at each flight's departure time, out of OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, as well as the prices. The reason for this was because I didn't want to the night in a hotel in Johannesburg or in the airport. This meant I was then forced to look at flights that fly out of OR Tambo in the late evening (around 9-10 o'clock) because of the shuttle bus' estimated arrival time at the airport. It's been quite a tricky procedure, because the cheapest flights don't always leave in the time bracket I had.So, you're probably wondering what I've had to do now. I did get to the point where I was wondering if I'd just have to go with a heavy piece of hand luggage and one 23kg suitcase, Thankfully, EgyptAir came to mind. I've flown with them three times now, as a family we flew to with them between Europe and Uganda ten years ago, with lay overs in, Cairo on both flights. The second layover was two days long so we could leave the airport. The airline put us up in a lovely hotel nearby, this we were able to see the pyramids and the Cairo museum. I flew also flew down here with them in April last year. They're the only airline I've found that charges a price I can afford and allows two pieces of luggage (of 23kg per piece). Thankfully the layover in Cairo isn't too bad either (three hours and thirty five minutes).
So the flights to the UK are now sorted out and paid for, thankfully. The shuttle to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg is, as well. I'm traveling on Wednesday, 12 March, to Johannesburg and then flying from Johannesburg to London Heathrow, via Cairo on wednesday evening. Yes, it'll be over twenty four hours of traveling with very little sleep involved, but at least I'm getting there without risking the loss of money or luggage. I'm so relieved now.
Now, all that's left is finishing my packing and I need to do some other small things before I leave. One of these things I want to do check in online at least twenty four hours before my first flight leaves and printing my boarding passes out.
I know I'll really miss certain aspects I've experienced in South Africa and all the incredibly inspirational people I've met since I moved down here eleven months ago.