The other end of the world

Cape Town

As we were sitting in the plane in Edmonton, the pilot announced that the “computer was saying something funny” and that we weren’t going to take off until it was cleared up.  Unfortunately, this led me to imagine the computer leaning over the bar with a beer in its hand, saying,”Have you heard the one about the pilot and the dog?”  Apparently it settled down though and we left more or less on time.

I was seated to an interesting woman from Peace River, a Fish and Wildlife Officer, who was just completing her PhD at the UofA.  She is doing a study of the sociology of people regarding their believes about the control of caribou.  She talked a lot about doing a degree in Biology where you were trying to interview people and understand their attitudes – and it reminded me that no one loves your thesis topic, or cares about it, as much as you do.

Next stop, Heathrow.  When I went through immigration the officer stressed that I had to be very careful to get back in time to get my next flight; that if I missed the plane and  stayed longer in England, they would really be `very cross`with me.  My friend Emma came to meet me and we set off for Ealing Common on the Underground.  Emma had found a review of a little coffee shop and we went there for lunch, and for a very nice cup of coffee. The two young men working there were making our coffees competitively and wanted us to judge which one had done the best job making a design in the foam on top of the coffee.  We both hedged, and then one of the young men said that neither of them was particularly well done.  I have to confess that it looked just fine to me, considering that it was something that I was going to devour, rather than something I was planning to hang on a wall.

Back on the plane, only to find myself seated next to one of my colleagues.  We chatted a little about work, watched a movie, dozed, ate some really good macaroni and cheese, dozed, watched a movie, and many many hours later arrived in Johannesburg. I had a six hour layover here, but unfortunately no Emma to whisk me away.  After collecting my mountain of luggage and going through customs, I went to the connections desk, only to be told that I couldn`t give them my bags until 2 hours before my flight left, and I just had to find a chair and wait.  Actually I found a restaurant and had breakfast, and then went to the departure desk to ask if there was a place to store my bags so I could go for a walk.  The very nice man there suggested that I just check them…so I did, even though it was at least 4 hours before my flight.  Obviously if you don`t get the answer you want at one desk you should just proceed to another one until you get a better answer.

Back on the plane, this time for the last leg of the journey to Cape Town.  The plane had the usual arrangement – Business Class at the front, and three Economy cabins at the back.  I was in row 70 – practically the back seat, and right in the middle seat. I thought it would be very crowded but it wasn`t it all- I was the only passenger in the back cabin, and I sat in solitary splendour in my middle seat, while the two cabin attendants took turns offering me drinks and snacks.  It really was an odd experience.

Safely arrived at my very nice hotel 40 hours after I left home, fell asleep, woke up and ate, went straight back to sleep.