Planes & more planes

Arrived at airport early. Got a new bag. Repacked bag to ensure all climbing essentials go hand luggage. Walk to check in. Flight to Nairobi cancelled. Booked onto new flight 4 hours later. Wangle free meal for the fun of it. Mom comes to wave goodbye. Mom takes me home.
We chat. Mom drops me off at airport. it's the second time today! Head through passport control. Take advantage of free lunch. Flight to Nairobi delayed. Air Kenya not looking like their slogan; 'the pride of Africa'. Plane departs, eventually. Read half my book. Arrive Nairobi just before 21h00. Walk off plane and onto connection to Dar es Salaam. Congratulate self on how easy that was.
Plane develops flat tyre. All passengers deplane. I read some more. We board again, much later. Arrive Dar well after midnight. I charge to the front to be first to visa application. Realisation strikes, hand luggage still comfortable on plane. Swim upstream through exiting passengers. Collect bag. Head to back of queue. Process is speedy for a change. Helps to understand the way things work in Africa. I congratulate myself on being patient.
Wait endlessly for bag. No bag. Fill out lost bag forms for second time in 2 flights. Catch taxi to hotel. Check in amidst friendly welcome. Open carry on bag. No toiletries, again. No pants for morning business meeting either!
I congratulate myself on smiling! Tomorrow will be fun and I will enjoy it.
Perhaps my stuff will even arrive...

Exercise in Dar es Salaam

I thought exercising in Accra was rough. Running in Dar should be called adventure racing. It is hot and very interesting. I was staying at a hotel in the city centre and this meant that I had to run for 2 kilometres through city traffic before getting into the quieter sea side roads. When I use the word quieter, I mean that there were only about 1000 cars stuck in the daily coast road traffic jam.

The adventure racing means that I get to dodge cars, people, bicycles, push carts, trucks, busses and potholes. It is a whole heap of run and adds a tactical element to running. Besides the tacticle aspect, the locals are all shocked to see this mad Mzungu running in the streets. 98% of the population are forced to walk everywhere and to see somebody willingly wasting energy seems a little senseless! I run a little faster to show off - it is kind of fun!



Nothing like push ups with a view! This particular view over Dar (from one of the tallest buildings there - 12 floors) is rather special!

The sun sets behind one of the mosques and the local immam wakes us every morning just after 5 for our daily prayers (see tower in middle of picture)!

Ah Africa!