Since we left Ouaga, the rumbling troubles have continued to bubble up, and the Netherlands has issued a negative travel advice, there's a good summary here, of what's been going on.
We're due to fly back on 6th May, so hope by then Ouaga will be quiet again, and are in contact with Lons colleagues to keep an eye on the current situation.
In the meantime we are enjoying the unseasonably wonderful weather in Europe - mid 20's today!!
Lon Zomer and Hazel O'Dea - their life abroad
Tuesday 19 April 2011
Monday 4 April 2011
Travels
We made it to the Netherlands.
Our flight was Sunday night around 22.00 arriving Monday morning around 8 in Amsterdam. WAS, that is.
Because of the recently imposed curfew our flight was cancelled. Luckily we were able to rebook for the Saturday. Air France decided to place their staff in Cotonu instead of Ouagadougou, cancel half the flights and the flights that are going are brought forward to 19.00. So instead of Sunday 19.00, we were there at Saturday at 15.00: a 4 hours check-in.
The queue for check-in was a nightmare, partly due to the fact that Brussels Airways and Air Burkina were checking in at the same time. My toy bicycle was deemed dangerous and they demanded me to pack it, which would cost as much as the bicycle, so I left it behind ;( (sorry Pa)
After nearly an hour queuing and having our passports checked for at least 4 times (in 30 meters) we went to sit down in the waiting area. This sounds better than it was, we do not need a special business lounge (even thought it would be nice) but even getting a seat was a fight. Finally we had a seat without leg space. Then we were asked to queue again to have our bags checked, still don't know what they were checking for, all this time we had water and sandwiches on us. Imagine the relief when we could go on the bus to go to the plane, 50 meters further. Because of the distance Hazel settled for a seat above the hot motor and I stood. We regretted this after the bus drove 20 meters and waited, and waited, this bus trip cost us 45 minutes. So after 4 hours we were less than a mile away from our house. But we had a comfortable seat.
Arriving in Cotonu they announced that we would wait there for 90 minutes, this is annoying, not that it matters if you fly or stand still, but because taking off later means a later dinner. We had our dinner past 22.00 and just after 23.00 we were still as far from Paris as we were 8 hours earlier as we were flying over Niamey.
The rest of our journey was uneventful, and changing in Paris was not too painful. Because we were a day earlier in The Netherlands than foreseen we stayed in a hotel in Utrecht and enjoyed looking around the changed city.
Now we are in Maastricht and have not very reliable internet, but still we have internet. The weather is lovely and no plans, just enjoying European life. CHEESE.
Our flight was Sunday night around 22.00 arriving Monday morning around 8 in Amsterdam. WAS, that is.
Because of the recently imposed curfew our flight was cancelled. Luckily we were able to rebook for the Saturday. Air France decided to place their staff in Cotonu instead of Ouagadougou, cancel half the flights and the flights that are going are brought forward to 19.00. So instead of Sunday 19.00, we were there at Saturday at 15.00: a 4 hours check-in.
The queue for check-in was a nightmare, partly due to the fact that Brussels Airways and Air Burkina were checking in at the same time. My toy bicycle was deemed dangerous and they demanded me to pack it, which would cost as much as the bicycle, so I left it behind ;( (sorry Pa)
After nearly an hour queuing and having our passports checked for at least 4 times (in 30 meters) we went to sit down in the waiting area. This sounds better than it was, we do not need a special business lounge (even thought it would be nice) but even getting a seat was a fight. Finally we had a seat without leg space. Then we were asked to queue again to have our bags checked, still don't know what they were checking for, all this time we had water and sandwiches on us. Imagine the relief when we could go on the bus to go to the plane, 50 meters further. Because of the distance Hazel settled for a seat above the hot motor and I stood. We regretted this after the bus drove 20 meters and waited, and waited, this bus trip cost us 45 minutes. So after 4 hours we were less than a mile away from our house. But we had a comfortable seat.
Arriving in Cotonu they announced that we would wait there for 90 minutes, this is annoying, not that it matters if you fly or stand still, but because taking off later means a later dinner. We had our dinner past 22.00 and just after 23.00 we were still as far from Paris as we were 8 hours earlier as we were flying over Niamey.
The rest of our journey was uneventful, and changing in Paris was not too painful. Because we were a day earlier in The Netherlands than foreseen we stayed in a hotel in Utrecht and enjoyed looking around the changed city.
Now we are in Maastricht and have not very reliable internet, but still we have internet. The weather is lovely and no plans, just enjoying European life. CHEESE.
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