Halfway to Cape Town

Yes - it's true or almost true. I am indeed on my way back to Africa and more specifically to a city, Cape Town, that I've wanted to visit for such a long time. But before I get into the thrill of my destination, let me tell you a bit about my journey and why "halfway" may or may not be the right word to describe where I am.....

I write from Amsterdam which isn't exactly "halfway" between Iraq and South Africa. Getting here was pretty straightforward. There was the dash out of Iraq, quick layover in Vienna and then the hop over to Amsterdam. There was the literal chill of stepping outside and my flip flop-covered feet (accustomed to the 90 degree Iraqi sun) being unprepared for the downright cold Dutch air. A crawl into my hotel bed and a wake up call hours later and I'm back at the airport. This is where things start getting interesting. I try to check in at a kiosk but that doesn't work and when I get to the counter, I learn that my flight has been oversold. While very common in the travelsphere, this doesn't mean I like hearing the "oversold" word. The check-in guy feels confident that this is just a "minor" detail that will get worked out when I get to the gate. Fast-forward 2 hours and I get the "oh miss, I'm so sorry but this flight is COMPLETELY sold out and instead of taking the direct flight to Cape Town, you will now be re-routed all over creation in order for you to get down there". Ok fine, she didn't say those exact words but that's basically what has happened. Luckily a fellow passenger, also in the same situation, invited me to the airline lounge providing me a complete detour from the busy airport scene, uncomfortable chairs and endless hours of pain and suffering before connecting to the next leg of my trip. Note to self: travel more and say yes to lounge membership!!

Despite all the travel shenanigans, the fact remains that I am indeed on my way back to Africa!!! That it has been over 3 years since I last touched African soil makes me downright sad, a sadness that would be double the pain if I hadn't had the opportunity to touch so much other foreign soil in the time since I left. Even though I've blogged a gazillion times about various sites and sounds coming from Cape Town, I really do have zero idea what to expect which makes it even more exciting for me.

Anyway, posting here during the next two weeks that I'm in South Africa will be sporadic at best, but I really can't wait to share my experiences with you once I'm back home!

{Photo: Fernando Volgen Togni via Creative Roots}