Off to a rocky start... but heading to South Africa

This trip got off to a rocky start. Arrive at the counter and there is that old familiar accent again, I’ve heard it once or twice – the upbeat and chipper, but still slightly strict voice/mannerisms of a British woman. Well, here I go. My bag was almost overweight at 23kilos (yes even for going all the way to South Africa!) I saved it by stuffing a few extra things in my purse. She warned me that I would have to make my carryon bag look “smaller”… how??? Because they could remove it and ask me to pay a fine if it looks too large. I didn’t think she was just being a bitch, but I thought this was ridiculous and I saw quite a few bags larger than mine. Anyways, I digress - but just in case you were wondering, no one asked me to pay a fine. I sleep the whole way to London, and am happy that I only have an hour layover. This turns into longer as we wait for the plane to be inspected. And longer. And finally, we board. About a half hour later, when we should be taking off, we get some bad news. We had already switched planes once and this one was also having some technical difficulties, so off we go. We’re staying in a hotel tonight. Which would have been fine and dandy if it didn’t take them a few extra hours to get us our vouchers and tell us where to go. I saw some really pissed off people, and yes it sucks, but my take on it is that I would rather be in a hotel than stuck on a mechanically unwell plane. Wouldn’t you? Plus, the poor crew who were being yelled at, it wasn’t their fault. What are you gonna do. Wait and get some sleep. My poor body is so screwed up. I didn’t get to the hotel till 130 am that night, and I was starving. It took an extra hour for room service to come with my bangers and mash, least I took advantage of my location right? I woke up in the morning and it took an extra 40 minutes and a lot of snoozing to snap out of my dream state and realize I had to wake up. The past couple days though I was happy, I was back in that curious, the world is what you make of it positive state that I love when it comes to traveling alone. That inspiration was back, and I was no longer as sad as I was to leave Boston. I think being home for 2 months did me well. I am going to South Africa, how unreal is that? I got to the airport and indulged in some breakfast and bought some Godiva pearls. Man I love those things. Where is my chocolate addiction coming from all of a sudden these past few months? My seatmates asked me as I boarded how my cold was doing. Poor things, they probably assumed they were sitting next to a sicky. I explained to them that my allergies are for some strange reason horrific on planes. Don’t know why I didn’t take an allergy pill earlier. I eat, watch a movie, sleep, and then get into an interesting conversation with the woman sitting next to me. She grew up in South Africa during apartheid. For some reason, this has always fascinated me. I am so quick to forget that the US went through the same thing, but not as recent as South Africa. Apartheid appears a totally different species to me, but the truth is that it’s really not. The woman told me one time she came to Maryland to visit the US at one point and she was shocked to learn that this “land of the free” went through the civil rights movement too, and face the same discriminations that are also in South Africa, to this day. She spoke of the Statue of Liberty – give me your poor, your suffering, etc. etc. She was under the impression that the US could work wonders unlike any other country, with totally open arms. Not the case. Not as welcoming as we appear to be I suppose. I arrived in Joburg and felt a little nervous/anxious. Here I go again on my own…. After all I heard about safety issues in South Africa, I felt my heart beating in anticipation. The hotel transfer was waiting for me though, and with him – another guest from the London flight. I was feeling better about that. I arrived without incident - aside from falling asleep a bit in the car. Now I’m tired, think I’ll get some rest. Till tomorrow.