Airplane Troubles

Sorry gang -- internet issues at Lebombo with a fleeting signal. We've moved on but there are tons of stories and pix forthcoming.

We arrived at tiny little Federal Air on the backside of the Joburg International Airport – a quaint little thatched roof terminal where you checked in with the woman who sat at her card table with folding legs.

We watched as a few other people and their planes took off. Flight 6 now boarding. Flight 7 now boarding. Flight 8 – not boarding. And then 15 minutes after scheduled takeoff we were called to board. About 16 of us hopped onto a small plane that only had about 5 feet of head room so you had to duck as you walked down the aisle - only one seat on each side of the aisle - incredibly claustrophobic. The cockpit was open to the cabin which was kind of cool. And oh yeah, it was hot in there.

We sat for about 10 minutes and then they shepherded all of us off where were asked to wait as they had mechanical difficulties. See they have airline issues in this country too.

So back to the little thatched roof hut we went.

We were called about an hour after the original flight time and a new plane awaited us to fly the one hour to Singita (two of the Singita lodges were here at this first stop).

A quick one hour jaunt and we landed on a small airstrip to drop passengers. From there, eight of us flew on to Singita Lebombo and Sweni lodges, our final destination. Flying over Kruger National Park after leaving the first passengers behind at their lodges, I finally found the Africa I was looking for. Completely void of civilization, with nothing but green earth below for as far as the eye could see, that was the Africa I wanted to visit.



We landed 20 minutes later on a dirt airstrip, the red earth kicking up dust as we landed and made our way to the “terminal." And yes that word is used loosely. It consisted of a bathroom, and a small covered area where we were offered dried mango, a beef stick (kind of like a Slim Jim but must better (dried beef, spices and then encased in intestines, it was delicious). They also had the real version of Corn Nuts which were amazing and cold drinks.

A quick loading of the luggage onto the van, and then we were off on a 40 minute drive down the main [paved] road of Kruger National Park to Lebombo.