Leaving Kinshasa

17-19 April 2011
Nairobi-Johannesburg-Dakar

Getting home to Dakar took me on a tour of Africa. Getting out of the Kinshasa airport wasn't that bad- our checked bags were hand searched at two different points, I got wanded a couple times, and we spent a couple hours sweating waiting for the plane. Luckily I got to Nairobi without any problem and the shuttle from the Tribe hotel was waiting for me. I agree with the website "Stuff Expat Aid Workers like" it's great to see someone holding a sign with your name on it when you fly into an airport (http://stuffexpataidworkerslike.com/2010/12/13/4-drivers/).

The Tribe hotel was great- nice people, beautiful hotel, great food. The room was great- it even had an electric hot water kettle. Of the three hotels I have used in Nairobi (also stayed at the Hilton and Windsor), in my opinion the Tribe is the best. Just take a cab for $20 instead of the $40 airport shuttle.

The next morning when I got to the airport in Nairobi to catch my flight to Dakar I was surprised to get a confused look from the check-in agent. He said my flight was cancelled last week (I should have checked the flight status so it was my fault, according to him) and the next flight was in two days. Luckily the sales office was able to get me on a flight back to Dakar thru Johannesburg on South African. So I flew Kenyan to Jo'burg, waited for five hours, then caught an eight hour flight on SAA to Dakar, arriving around 1am. At least I got lots of airline miles- I should be able to get a free flight to Hawaii after all this travel in Africa.