Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
The journey back home
The journey back home began at Atlanta International Airport.My flight was scheduled for six pm and I barely made it on time for check-in and other immigration formalities.My ticket was purchased from a travel agent in Atlanta, and the traveling arrangements were for me to use KLM Royal Dutch Airline services.It was going to be a marathon of a journey that will take me through Holland,Kenya and lastly Cameroon.There were for sure faster ways to travel from Atlanta to Douala International Airport.The fastest way was to go through France.
The French though have a way of creating problems for simple matters.They wanted me to get a transit visit for my transit through one of their Airports that would only take about an hour.My elder sister,Lydien and I had agreed that trying to get a transit visa to go through France would be a complete waste of time.My elder brother,Agbor wanted to keep all of his options opened.He therefore sent me to the French consulate in Atlanta to get a transit visa.The first problem at the embassy is that the visa is not something that they give to you right away.
They require you to wait for about two weeks to get the visa.I did not see the point in waiting that long.We did some research and found out that for such a short stay at the Airport,the Dutch would allow you to transit through their Airport.That is how we decided that I should go with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.I wonder with all the security that you have at the Airports how somebody could sneak into a French city on their way to Africa.Viva la France!.
The first plane ride was destination Amsterdam in the Netherlands.The plane ride itself was uneventful,the plane services were very good.There was lots of food and you could get your choice of drinks also.Heineken is my preferred drink and that was what I had throughout the plane ride.The only annoyance I got was from a lady traveling to Africa who apparently had no clue about what she was talking about.I know Africa is not the US,but her idea of Africa was that of somebody who still thinks everybody there uses pit toilets.I pretty much ignored her and her attempts at conversation.
The stewardess in the plane were good looking Dutch women and they were very polite.Due to the time zone difference between Atlanta and Amsterdam,by the time I arrived the Netherlands,it was getting to around five pm in the evening.My luggage had been checked directly to Nairobi,Kenya, so I had no worries in that department.We arrived the Netherlands and the first thing you realize is the difference in traffic between the Atlanta Airport and its counterpart in Europe.Amsterdam International Airport did even come close to Atlanta International Airport in many departments.Traffic,size,security personal,appearance,the Dutch were way behind.
Hitting Europe was almost like arriving at a third world country.Amsterdam was a transit stop,my flight was booked all the way to Cameroon.The stay at the Dutch Airport did not take long at all.I had my hand luggage checked in and I stood in line like everybody else.There was a slight mix-up about whether the plane was going to be too full for me to be able to take it or not.That was cleared up at the counter when I showed some anger.I had my ticket with me and everything that I needed for traveling,so I still did not know what the mix up was for.Anyway,I was cleared for take off and I boarded the plane,destination Nairobi,Kenya.The connecting flight to Kenya was also comfortable.The services;food,drinks were all good.There was an extra though,you could watch a movie,choosing from a group of movies that were available.I had my headset on, and watched Jamie Fox star as "Ray" in the musical biographical drama of late musical legend Ray Charles.Jamie Fox won an Oscar for best male actor for his performance in the film.The food,the movies,the stewardesses,all of these made the plane ride to Nairobi,Kenya very comfortable.
We arrived Kenya close to about 5pm.Kenya International Airport is not bad at all.In terms of organization,it is pretty organize.That explains why Kenya gets quite a bit of its revenue from tourism.Europeans and American love the place.My stay at the Airport here was very long.My connecting flight was to be the next morning,around 9am.So I had to look forward to spending the night there at the Airport.I was told that Nairobi is not a safe city at night,so I did not bother trying to venture out of the Airport.If I wanted to, I could have easily gotten a transit visa to the city for about 20US dollars.No problems here with a brother disappearing into the city.There were some nice restaurants in the Airport.People had set up duty free shops.The one thing that I noticed that you would not see in an American Airport though was the sale of Cigarettes.I am talking here about cartons of cigarettes.My thoughts were that maybe the health revolution has not hit the motherland yet.But everywhere you looked tourist were purchasing cartons of cigarettes.
The French though have a way of creating problems for simple matters.They wanted me to get a transit visit for my transit through one of their Airports that would only take about an hour.My elder sister,Lydien and I had agreed that trying to get a transit visa to go through France would be a complete waste of time.My elder brother,Agbor wanted to keep all of his options opened.He therefore sent me to the French consulate in Atlanta to get a transit visa.The first problem at the embassy is that the visa is not something that they give to you right away.
They require you to wait for about two weeks to get the visa.I did not see the point in waiting that long.We did some research and found out that for such a short stay at the Airport,the Dutch would allow you to transit through their Airport.That is how we decided that I should go with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.I wonder with all the security that you have at the Airports how somebody could sneak into a French city on their way to Africa.Viva la France!.
The first plane ride was destination Amsterdam in the Netherlands.The plane ride itself was uneventful,the plane services were very good.There was lots of food and you could get your choice of drinks also.Heineken is my preferred drink and that was what I had throughout the plane ride.The only annoyance I got was from a lady traveling to Africa who apparently had no clue about what she was talking about.I know Africa is not the US,but her idea of Africa was that of somebody who still thinks everybody there uses pit toilets.I pretty much ignored her and her attempts at conversation.
The stewardess in the plane were good looking Dutch women and they were very polite.Due to the time zone difference between Atlanta and Amsterdam,by the time I arrived the Netherlands,it was getting to around five pm in the evening.My luggage had been checked directly to Nairobi,Kenya, so I had no worries in that department.We arrived the Netherlands and the first thing you realize is the difference in traffic between the Atlanta Airport and its counterpart in Europe.Amsterdam International Airport did even come close to Atlanta International Airport in many departments.Traffic,size,security personal,appearance,the Dutch were way behind.
Hitting Europe was almost like arriving at a third world country.Amsterdam was a transit stop,my flight was booked all the way to Cameroon.The stay at the Dutch Airport did not take long at all.I had my hand luggage checked in and I stood in line like everybody else.There was a slight mix-up about whether the plane was going to be too full for me to be able to take it or not.That was cleared up at the counter when I showed some anger.I had my ticket with me and everything that I needed for traveling,so I still did not know what the mix up was for.Anyway,I was cleared for take off and I boarded the plane,destination Nairobi,Kenya.The connecting flight to Kenya was also comfortable.The services;food,drinks were all good.There was an extra though,you could watch a movie,choosing from a group of movies that were available.I had my headset on, and watched Jamie Fox star as "Ray" in the musical biographical drama of late musical legend Ray Charles.Jamie Fox won an Oscar for best male actor for his performance in the film.The food,the movies,the stewardesses,all of these made the plane ride to Nairobi,Kenya very comfortable.
We arrived Kenya close to about 5pm.Kenya International Airport is not bad at all.In terms of organization,it is pretty organize.That explains why Kenya gets quite a bit of its revenue from tourism.Europeans and American love the place.My stay at the Airport here was very long.My connecting flight was to be the next morning,around 9am.So I had to look forward to spending the night there at the Airport.I was told that Nairobi is not a safe city at night,so I did not bother trying to venture out of the Airport.If I wanted to, I could have easily gotten a transit visa to the city for about 20US dollars.No problems here with a brother disappearing into the city.There were some nice restaurants in the Airport.People had set up duty free shops.The one thing that I noticed that you would not see in an American Airport though was the sale of Cigarettes.I am talking here about cartons of cigarettes.My thoughts were that maybe the health revolution has not hit the motherland yet.But everywhere you looked tourist were purchasing cartons of cigarettes.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
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