………………Hello all…….We are back….safe and sound!……..I have been sitting in front of the TV all morning listening to the names of all those lost in the towers in NYC on 9/11/20, and the planes that that crashed into the pentagon and in the field. I can’t help but think how lucky I am to be alive and to have experienced one of the greatest trips of my life….I only wish Jac was there to enjoy it with me…….This Sept morning reminds me so much of that cool, crisp cloudless perfect morning……Who could have possibly dreamed our world would have been changed forever…….
“I had a farm in Africa”…..Oh no….that’s some else’s story!!!…….My tale starts when Chris and I made our way to Newark Airport without a problem on Aug.28th….The car picked us up at the assigned time and off we went….Traffic to Newark was surprisingly light so we arrived earlier that we thought…..Checking in, although all automated, was also problem free with the assistance of a lovely lady. Passports, Covid tests all good to go….We made our way to the United lounge where we stayed until boarding time. At 8:10 PM we made our way over to the gate for our 8:45 PM flight. The airport was very empty as most flights had already taken off……….As we approached the gate there must have been 200 to 250 people waiting. We were flying Business class which was their equivalent of first, so we were escorted to a different line. A much shorter line. They had already boarded people with special needs and children…….Then it came!……..The dreaded announcement that the flight was DELAYED due to “maintenance issues”. We were told it was being worked on, but it would be an hour before take off that would be 9:45 PM….The passengers already on board were taken off….There was an audible communal sigh of disappointment…….so we sat and waited…and waited….and waited…….Then at 10pm another delay was announced???? Didn’t like the sound of this…..Then the dreaded announcement came……..The FLIGHT WAS CANCELED!!!!!!!….No, this could not be happening to us after our trip was already postpones a year due to the pandemic!…….We were told our luggage would be held for the next flight? When was that???…..We were then told to go to gate 124 from gate 137…..200 plus people and children made a mad dash to the new gate….There were only two people at the desk area taking care of all of these people……ABSURD!!!. They were giving out hotel vouches, but as people started to find out, the local hotels were fully booked!!! We waited over an hour to find out they were not making new reservations but only giving vouches!!!!…and we were to call an 800 number. To say that United wasn’t helpful at all was an huge understatement!!! I will never take this airline again. Chris and I took an Uber back to CT . It was now 1:30am…..The next morning I called my travel agent, Ultimate Safaris. They are on the west coast in Seattle, so I didn’t think I would get anyone, but part of the message said if this was an emergency or your flight was canceled press #2 so I did and I got Ian, the owner of the travel agency right away. I told him the whole horrible story and he couldn’t believe it, but said not to worry he would get on it. They also have an office in Johannesburg so he had them take care of things at that end. I was worried that the whole trip would have to be scrapped again, because this is PRIME SEASON and things had been booked for months, and many, like us, a year in advanced…..Would there be rooms available??? and when would the flight be????………To make a long story a little shorter in a few hours Ian was able to preform a miracle, and took care of everything, and our trip was all set. We left on Tuesday, August 31st, United 8:45 pm, so it was the same fight…..We would land on Sept. 1……Hopefully the landing gear, which was the problem on our cancelled plane, would be good on this plane!!!…Chris and I had to get NEW COVID TESTS. The STUPID people at United said they would honor the old test????? even though my new flight was 3 days later and the tests would have expired by the 72 hour limit by the time we landed in Africa on the 1st of Sept. A young woman from Johannesburg, said they were so “expletive” full of it! She said that we might be able to get on the plane, but African customs were VERY strict and would never let us into the country with expired tests. So we had to arrange new tests and we were ready to go…..AGAIN……We were assured our luggage would be on the new flight….Our fingers were crossed……They were…..We started our journey again on Aug. 31st……Even due to the mix up with the canceled flight my agent was able to completely we work out trip, however because of booked flights coming home and availabilities our trip was cut by one day, but we were finally off……..ON TIME!…………”The TALE OF AFRICA” continues…..but first I have a pile of mail to go though and lots of laundry!……..Lots of stories, photos and videos to come!!!!!…………………..much Love………………..Louis