Hurry up and wait

In Africa for things to happen it takes time, like checking in at Luanda’s Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport. Check-in opens at 9 am, but the flight only leaves at 3 pm. If you are a frequent traveler through this airport, you try to be there as early as possible, because getting there at around 12 means standing on your feet for at least 4 hours. If you are an early bird like me then things tend to go smoothly…except for the following…

No matter what your Voyager status might be, getting your preferred seat is not guaranteed. Secondly only one person can check in at a time, meaning that a request to sit close to your traveling companion is not an option either. Once you have your luggage checked in it is off to Immigration for that important stamp in your passport. With the new technology like computers this could take some time, especially if the customs official is a lady in her early 60’s typing with one finger and struggling to see through her bifocals.

Then it is the strip search from the fiscal police. When you get taken into their little cubicle one keeps watch at the door, while the second one intimidates you in his self created ATM in an effort to rid you of any local currency and whatever other cash you might have on you. The best way to get through is to know your rights. Don’t get aggressive, but stick to “No, I don’t have any Kwanzas and no, you cannot take my dollars”. They will get the message eventually and move on to their next victim.

Once in the departure hall the waiting begins. You can cough anything up to 7 USD for a dry cheese and ham bread roll with no butter. The seats are made out of the hardest steel available on the planet and designed in such a way to keep you from getting comfortable or taking a nap. Sitting around from 9.30 to 4 (the plane usually departs an hour or two late) can be quite an ordeal, but this time could be used for meditation instead.. There is nothing else to do, nowhere to go and it takes you approximately 3 minutes to go through the only duty free shop they have available. But there is one good thing though…you know that the torture will come to an end and that you are on your way home….