We have arrived

Our vacation has started and we have arrived in Kenya. This morning when we woke up, we took this picture from our hotel window in Nairobi.

Nairobi is normally cloudy in the morning, but the sun will come later. The warmth is here, though.

But now, let us give you a report from yesterday. We arrived safely, but everything did not go smoothly.... At Oslo airport Gardermoen, the Air France plane was situated at a gate that made us take a bus. When the bus had let us out and we were ready to go on board, suddenly the plane became dark and we had to wait outside for nearly 15 minutes. Not exactly pleasant when it was minus 12 degrees and we were dressed for a flight to a warmer country.

When we were to arrive in Paris, after being about half an hour delayed from Oslo, we asked the steward about our plane to Nairobi. He said that we had good time and that no gate was put up yet. He told us to take a bus to terminal 2E where the Nairobi plane usually departs. On the ground, we looked at the information screens, but no information about our flight. We asked the officer on duty. His way of answering could easily give him a role acting as a dictator! He told us that we should take the bus to terminal 2E, entrance K. He was very persistant and almost angry when we asked him if he was sure.

The bus took time. After more than half an hour sightseeing in between the planes, we arrived at terminal 2E entrance K. The first thing we did was to check the information screens. But nothing about our flight. We went upstairs and found an Air France desk. After checking on his computer, the guy there told us that we were at the wrong terminal! Flights to Nairobi never depart from terminal 2E.....! He said. We had to walk to the other side of the building, and take a bus to terminal 2C.

We ran. Literally. The first security check, we were allowed to go through without any check control. The second one, though, we had to go through the full procedure. Luckily, the bus came immediately. But the driver had probably gotten her license in the mail, because she was driving so very slowly. Finally at terminal 2C, we ran to our gate. Just in time to be the last two persons to be in the shrinking boarding line. But there were people who had more difficulties than us. Another few persons came about 20 minutes later. And yet another person had probably gone on airport sightseeing thanks to the chaotic system. They had to remove the person's luggage and leave him or her back. Finally, 1 hour delayed, we finally departed Paris. So luckily that we are not flying via Paris on our way back.

And finally, we could relax. It was Kenya Airways operating the flight to Nairobi for Air France.

When having arrived in Nairobi, we were waiting for our luggage. And we were not the only ones. Quite a lot people were standing waiting. We got to talk to a nice woman from England. And we got to exchange our frustration with many people. There were about 200 passengers on the plane, and almost 100 were missing their luggage! We were missing all four pieces.

Believe it or not, after almost 2 hours all four pieces came. They had been in a container outside the plane, but no one had taken responsibility to bring the luggage to the terminal.....! But finally they did, after lots of complaints. Still, many people were missing their luggage, though. Because there was still a container remaining in Paris.

After getting our rental car, we could finally drive to our hotel. We arrived after midnight.

Now, we will soon visit some relatives here in Nairobi before we drive to Eldoret. And yes, the sun has come!